Experience of a Year 10 Work-placement Student with SEM

The Sheffield Environmental Movement (SEM) among some of its other activities offer environmental placement opportunities to minoritised young people to learn about the environment.

This placement period saw SEM host a year 10 student from King Edward VII School, below is his experience:

“The staff were nice, diligent, proactive and supportive of my placement and were keen to ensure I learnt a lot from the placement but also were keen to learn from me. This motivated me to want to learn what the organization does that is different from school, and what lessons and experiences that I can take back to share with my peers about environmental issues, which is the charity’s main area of work. I found this important in relation to what I want to do in future which is software engineering that I can design ecologically friendly. The working hours were conducive and friendly, the office was clean. The working environment was friendly, which allowed me to contribute to discussions.

Why I chose SEM
I chose to do my placement with a minoritized environmental charity as I felt the environment is an important area that as a young person is important to be aware environmental issues and also contribute my voice to the ongoing environmental problems facing the world such as climate change which is impacting on the lives of people in countries such as Tanzania which is my home country. I also felt that doing a placement with an environmental charity would give me the opportunity to learn more about the environment and the work the charity is doing to engage people in minoritized communities in Sheffield. I therefore became more interested and excited to do my placement with the charity, as I don’t see people from minoritized communities in the environment sector, especially young people.

My expectations were met, as I learnt a lot during my short placement. I’ve learned a lot of things about the environment, for example: Bio indicators, air pollution, the countryside such as the Peak District National Park.
As I am interested in pursuing a career in software engineering, and the materials used in developing the equipment will need to be designed ecologically friendly and biodegradable to reduce waste in the environment. I believe this knowledge will help me make a difference in the software engineering and computing sectors. The placement, which obviously was an environmental related discipline, enabled the staff of SEM to support me by giving me ideas for my future career.

It was a wonderful work experience as I learned a lot about what it involves with actual work life which is different from school. This experience will help me to continue my studies seriously with the hope of achieving my dreams as a software engineer. I thank Maxwell Ayamba, Founder & CEO and Maxine Greaves Placement Manager for running such an important environmental organization to help people from minoritized communities especially young people from school to have an opportunity to experience placement with an environmental charity.”

Nathaniel Kalombo, Year 10 student, King Edward VII Secondary School

SEM’s Founder/CEO attended the Future Countryside 2024 conference at Syon House, London on June 4th.

The conference was about bringing ambition and energy to rural policy under an overall theme of “A Countryside for All”, hosted by the Duke of Northumberland with a keynote speech delivered by the Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Steve Reed MP. Other speakers include the Rt Hon Stephen Barclay, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Themed ‘A Countryside for All’, it was attended by hundreds of environmental professionals and farmers across the country with participants tasked to look ahead and think about what will be needed to make the countryside a better place for nature and for people from all backgrounds over the next decade.

Participants explored how we can navigate to a positive rural future for everyone – urban and rural alike. Nick Herbert, Co-Founder of Future Countryside said, “the conference provides an opportunity for the two political parties to share with delegates their environmental manifestos leading to the General Elections on July 4th.

Maxwell Ayamba said, what was great about the conference was the fact that Flavian Obiero, a young Black Farmer of Tynefield Farm was among other white farmers to speak to delegates about his experience as a Black Farmer in rural England.

Mr Obiero, originally from Kenya in East Africa started farming in the UK as an apprentice aged 19. Mr Obiero’s hard work impressed the owner of the Farm where he did his apprenticeship which led to being given a portion of land where he now rears pigs and other livestock. He is now considered one of the successful young Black farmers in the country who visits youth groups and schools speaking to minoritised young people to encourage them to pursue a career in farming.

In his presentation, Mr Obiero told delegates the need for the Farming industry to create more opportunities for interested young people from minoritised communities to pursue a career in farming. He sees himself as a good example of how with the right support interested Black young people can succeed in the farming sector.

Maxwell agrees with Mr Obiero’s plea, noting how the Farming Industry is the least diverse sector in the country. It was therefore very inspiring to see a young Black Farmer given the privilege to speak on the need for diversification of the Farming Industry at such an exclusive event attended entirely by a white audience”.

To find out more about the Future Countryside intitative visit the Future Countryside Website

You can also find information on the Countryside Alliance website.