Global Action Plan's Youth Panel was formed in 2017 to represent the voice of young, sustainably-minded people in the charity’s activities. Meet the team . . .

Annie Osborne

Annie is a Programme Officer at climate change charity Climate Parliament in Brighton, which promotes renewable energy policy across the world. She graduated from Durham University in Physical Geography in 2016. While at university, she was the Environment Representative for her college. After graduating Annie worked as a Project Management and Communications Intern, then Intern Manager at Positive Impact Events in Manchester, helping bring sustainability to the event industry. She has also worked at Buxton Festival Fringe, and co-founded a small theatre company.

Global Action Plan’s mission focusses on the value that experiences - as opposed to things - can bring. What does Annie like doing in her free time?

Annie loves going to music festivals and gigs or hanging out with her dog.

What inspires Annie about Global Action Plan's mission?

Annie is motivated to combat climate change in creative ways, and tackling excessive consumption is a really important part of this.

Amanda Norrlander

Amanda is currently working for the social enterprise, Renaisi as a Project Officer in their Research & Consultancy team. She graduated from the M.Sc. programme in Sustainable Development at Uppsala University (Sweden) in June 2017. During her studies, Amanda also worked as a Community Coach at Greenpeace Nordic’s virtual volunteer platform, was the project coordinator for a local climate march building up for COP21, and did internships for an environmental research centre and a small sustainability NGO in South Africa.

Global Action Plan’s mission takes a look at the value experiences - rather than things - can bring. What does Amanda like doing in her free time?

Amanda loves to cook and eat plant-based food and never misses a chance to stroll around London’s endless food markets with near and dear. She also likes to hike in forests and mountains, cycle around London and play cards with her roommates.

What inspires Amanda about Global Action Plan's mission?

She believes that GAP’s mission is essential for achieving environmental and social sustainability in the world. Living in a throwaway society puts an immense pressure on each and every individual with mental health issues as a result. Amanda believes that through working together and acting as a support for each other, we can stand against this pressure and find joy and happiness in the non-consumeristic 'little things’ that already exist around us.

Carys Tetlaw

Since school, Carys has championed environmental awareness. She was involved in running gardening sessions and a "swap shop". More recently, she has worked with Leeds Council to improve student recycling rates and volunteered at an Environmental Film Festival.

Carys graduated with a Sustainability masters from the University of Leeds in 2018. She is particularly interested in how sustainability can be integrated into business strategy. She studied at the Australian National University for a year and interned at an ethical pension fund. This cemented her interest in sustainable businesses and corporate social responsibility.

Global Action Plan’s mission focusses on the value that experiences - as opposed to things - can bring. What does Carys like doing in her free time?

Carys is always planning her next trip abroad - usually to try her favourite food.

What inspires Carys about Global Action Plan's mission?

We can inspire young people to end excessive consumerism and hold businesses more accountable for their environmental impact.

Greg Morrison

Completing a degree in English literature fostered Greg's love of progressive ideas. His current role is working across editorial and digital projects at a London-based creative agency, using editorial, photographic and digital skills. Greg's interests have previously focussed on the arts. However, more recently he says, the dire situation that faces our planet begun to overshadow this focus. As the urgency of our environmental situation becomes clear, recently discovered ideas such as the concept of gentle protest make Greg with optimistic that positive changes can be made. Greg hopes that his involvement with Global Action Plan will help contribute to making this change happen.

Laurence Taylor

I'm Laurence from East London, and I recently graduated from Queen Mary University of London with a Bachelor of Science in Geography. I currently work on the fraud team of a tech company, which involves the prevention of credit card fraud and money laundering. My broad interests are the environment, technology, and politics, and I joined GAP's youth panel because it seemed like a great way to make a collective difference.

Global Action Plan’s mission takes a look at the value experiences - rather than things - can bring. What does Laurence like doing in his free time?

In my spare time I enjoy reading and designing things.

What inspires Laurence about Global Action Plan’s mission?

The thing that inspires me most about GAP's mission is its potential to help tackle mental health issues.

Sophie Burgis

Sophie is a Philanthropy Officer at the British Red Cross and just another Aussie living in London. She is also currently studying Economics part time at Birkbeck and is particularly interested in how economics can adapt to the challenge of planetary emergency. While climate change, population growth and resource depletion freak her out a bit, she also thinks that they present business leaders with opportunities to disrupt markets and innovate in ways that can benefit their bottom line and change the world for the better. Sophie is an avid cyclist and can often be seen struggling to ride her bike to work in smart business attire rain, hail or shine.

Global Action Plan's mission takes a look at the value experiences - rather than things - can bring. What does Sophie like doing in her free time?

In her spare time Sophie enjoys playing sport of all kinds, travelling as much as possible, and staying up late cooking elaborate dinners.

What inspires Sophie about Global Action Plan's mission?

Helping young people to forge a future where experiences transcend acquring stuff, and sustainability is no longer a buzzword or a "major concern", but simply part of the fabric of society’s makeup.

Sylvia Hayes

Sylvia is a student in her second year at the University of Exeter. Studying Human Geography has given her a deep understanding of society’s unhealthy relationship with the planet, but she is keen to take her knowledge out of the lecture hall and into the real world where it can make a difference. During her engagements with sustainability groups and organisations both within and outside of university, Sylvia found her calling in climate change and has since dedicated her studies and actions to tackling unsustainable ways of living. Honoured to be a part of the Youth Panel, she is ambitious and optimistic, determined to save the world and inspire others to do the same in the process.

Global Action Plan’s mission takes a look at the value experiences - rather than things - can bring. What does Sylvia like doing in her free time?

When she’s not buried deep in coursework reading, Sylvia can be found exploring Devon’s coastal villages and baking.

What inspires Sylvia about Global Action Plan’s mission?

The potential for monumental change when young people come together.

Victoria Looby

Victoria Looby lives in Leeds and is studying for her Masters in Climate Change. She joined the panel because she agrees with promoting sustainability, in particular when purchasing from the high street and supermarkets - and because she wanted to work towards ending excessive consumption and global inequalities that result from it. She was drawn to joining the panel because she wanted to discuss these ideas with other like-minded people.

Global Action Plan’s mission takes a look at the value of experiences - rather than things. What does Victoria like doing in her free time?

In my free time she's often backstage at her uni’s theatre, helping build set and rig lights for dance shows, musicals and plays.

What inspires Victoria about Global Action Plan?

Victoria is inspired by Global Action Plan’s mission to tackle our throwaway culture, because it’s not only a sustainability issue but a mental health issue that affects young people. This desperately needs to be addressed.