Hi, I’m Eden. I am 20 years old and from Northern Ireland. I’m a youth social activist passionate about topics, in particular, mental health, physical health, education and overall allowing young people to have a voice.
My youth social action journey started in June 2021 when I joined the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum. This was an amazing experience as I got to be an ambassador for the country, help create resources for schools during anti-bullying week and I also got to share my experiences with local politicians and the mental health champion. During this time, I was completing my A-level exams, as well as focusing on getting my taekwondo coaching qualification and preparing for university, so I thought it would just be a one-off experience and I would just do it for that year and then move on…
I then contracted COVID-19 in February 2022 and quickly got very ill. I was experiencing symptoms such as chronic fatigue, breathlessness and heart palpitations and was unable to return to school until the end of March. I was in and out of hospital getting tests done and this was a very scary time for me.
After completing my A-level exams that summer, my condition got worse and that’s when I realised that I might have long COVID-19 and it was unlikely I’d be able to start my social work degree that September. I then decided to focus on my recovery and do some volunteering.
I started working with charities as a volunteer befriender, mentor, moderator and youth ambassador, and I enjoyed it. I also worked part-time as a classroom assistant with young people and adults who had additional needs and I enjoyed feeling that I was giving back to society.
In September 2023, I decided to start my social work degree, and although I didn’t feel that far along in my recovery, I was determined to give it a go!
I really struggled at university with the symptoms, and it also had a negative impact on my mental health.
I then got reinfected with COVID-19 just a few weeks into university which escalated my symptoms and made new ones develop. I had to drop out of university, and this was really challenging for me to deal with. I then decided, however, that I wanted to find more people who had long COVID-19, especially young people.
I also got more into writing and used this to share my voice as a young person with a chronic illness, as well as somebody who is passionate about youth voice and volunteering. I was also lucky to have some of my poems published in a book, as well as having them displayed at exhibitions and on a charity's website. The support of my friends and family has really helped me, and sharing my experiences with them through my writing has allowed me to open up more and share what I am going through.
From somebody who was very active, sociable and a black belt in taekwondo, to somebody who now really struggles to do exercise of any form, including short walks, is a complete change of pace for me. However, volunteering and being an activist has really helped my mental health. It has given me something to turn to on the hard days and has acted as a distraction. It’s also given me opportunities that I never thought possible, such as being interviewed for podcasts, becoming an 'iWill' ambassador, having a piece published in The Lancet medical journal, being a youth ambassador and being on youth boards for a number of different charities, as well as becoming youth ambassador of the year for Youth Employment UK in 2023.
If I were to give one piece of advice to a young person thinking about getting involved with youth social action, it would be to just go for it!
Over what has been quite a challenging two years, youth social action has provided me with the opportunity to have my say as a young person and make such a difference even from within the four walls of my room! I’ve met some amazing new friends who live all around the country and have developed my skills in communication, design, and content creation—growing in confidence.
You don’t have to do anything big to take part in social action, it could just be signing a petition for something you care about, attending a protest for climate crisis or just having open and honest conversations around topics that matter to you with your friends and family.
Small actions can make a bigger impact than you think!
Socials
LinkedIn: Eden Byrne
X: @Eden71003
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