Theme: Our Future

Today's young people are growing up in a tumultuous world. Our politics is fractured, our community is divided and our future uncertain. TEDxYouth@Harpenden aims to help today's students, our future leaders, make sense of the quagmire before them, and to equip them with the tools they need to navigate tomorrow's problems.

Our event brings together industry professionals and some of the brightest young minds our area has to offer, to help inform and spread their ideas. It is through this dissemination of information that TED aims to achieve its mission, and through which our event will work as part of the vast array of TEDx events happening around the world.

Six fantastic speakers will join us to share their message, covering three different topics: environmental protection, sustainability and the future world of work. Our industry experts and student speakers will give their illuminating perspective on these vital topics, and aim to leave you with a new understanding of these significant issues.

Like all businesses and individuals across the planet, TEDxYouth@Harpenden has had to adapt to changing circumstances. However, while some see adversity, we have seen opportunity: the opportunity to bring our message to a wider audience than we ever thought possible. Although we are unfortunately unable to welcome you in person to Roundwood Park School for this event, everyone is welcome to log on virtually and hear our speakers online.

Roundwood Park School Hall
Roundwood Park School
Harpenden, Hertfordshire, AL5 3AE
United Kingdom

Bim Afolami

Member of Parliament

Bim Afolami was first elected to the Harpenden and Hitchin constituency as a Conservative MP during the 2017 election, being re-elected in 2019. Prior to this he had a successful career as an Executive at HSBC and as a Lawyer in the City. In his time in Parliament, he has championed a number of local causes such as protecting the Green Belt and helping local businesses. His interest in his topic of Pathways into Work has been sparked by a desire to give back to his country, and help others have the same opportunities as he has had.

Craig Bennett

CEO of The Wildlife Trusts

Craig started as CEO of The Wildlife Trusts in April 2020, with the ambition of putting a third of the UK’s land and sea into nature recovery by 2030. He has been described as “one of the country’s top environmental campaigners”, by The Guardian as “the very model of a modern eco-general” and has been listed as one of the UK’s top “social media CEOs”. Craig was previously CEO of Friends of the Earth where he worked to empower communities to take action to tackle the climate and ecological crisis. He also has vast experience contributing to leadership programmes at numerous universities and business schools like the London Business School. He is an Honorary Professor of Sustainability and Innovation at Alliance Manchester Business School and has earnt an Honorary Doctoral degree from University College of Estate Management.

Elizabeth Bratton

Student

Elizabeth Bratton is in year 13 at Sir John Lawes School, where she studies French, German, and English Literature. Next year, she hopes to study German and Arabic at university. Elizabeth is ultimately striving to become a journalist with an especial focus on human rights; she runs her own news site with more than 40 writers from across the globe, and aims to make current affairs more accessible to young people. She is passionate about equality of opportunity, and advocates for a world where diversity of talent and skill are embraced.

Elizabeth Slater

Student

Eliza is a Year 13 student at St George’s School, where she is Deputy Head Girl. She is currently studying English Literature, Geography and Politics, and will be doing her talk on sustainability. This is a topic which has been growing in importance in recent years and has been pushed to the forefront of the business and political agenda. She has enjoyed bringing in her studies to give a new perspective of this important topic, as well as linking it to ways in which young people can make a difference, to herald in a new era of sustainable business.

Emma Carney

Student

Emma Carney is a Year 12 student at Roundwood Park School, and is currently studying biology, economics, and psychology. She will be giving a talk on environmental protection, a subject into to which she has enjoyed bringing in her studies of economics, to help give her a broader understanding of the subject at large. She has experience in public speaking through her success in the Rotary Youth Speaks Competition, where she got to the Regional Final, and furthermore aims to utilise this talk to help her pursue standing up for those who do not have a voice, especially through human rights.

Nick Beighton

CEO of ASOS

Nick Beighton is a chartered accountant who qualified at KPMG and has been CEO of ASOS since 2015. He joined ASOS as CFO in 2009, since when ASOS has grown successfully into one of the leading fashion retailers, trading in almost every country in the world. Nick is passionate about sustainability, championing a shift in the fashion industry to address key ethical trade and working to overcome the hurdles that improving sustainability poses to 21st Century businesses.