Aleesha Naqvi and Penelope Spencer-Simpson cover the Next Gen 2025 Conference.
On 18 October, the Next Gen 2025 conference, organised by My Life My Say, was held at Ministry of Sound. 1000 tickets were sold and over 800 attended. A day full of prominent speakers, panels, ‘Democracy Cafés’, free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and a ‘Dancing for Democracy’ dance floor.
The My Life My Say Next Gen Conference is an annual, nationwide conference engaging with young people across the country.
Next Gen 2025 deepened the message: “If you don’t do politics, politics will do you”, targeting younger generations of prospective voters. To think, understand and value the magnitude that politics has in day-to-day life.
Headlined by keynote speakers such as Zack Polanski (Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since September 2025), Lord Micheal Heseltine (British Politician) and Sam Carling MP (Labour MP for North West Cambridgeshire since 2024), the nightclub danced around ideas of political engagement, young people and democracy.
Zack Polanski delivered a passionate keynote speech, highlighting a variety of domestic and global issues: denouncing the genocide in Palestine, rent prices and the cost of living crisis, climate change, trans rights, anti-immigration sentiments, young voter turnout and lack of political trust in the United Kingdom.
Polanski’s speech was met with roaring cheers and support from the crowd, reflective of the support the Green Party has amassed over the past few months.
Zack Polanski won the Green Party election on the 2nd of September, running on the slogan: “A party of environmental, racial, social and economic justice.”
Polanski mentioned the rise in Green membership in his speech. He noted there has been an over 50% increase in Green Party memberships since he was elected leader, encouraging the audience to register as Green voters.
Additionally, Polanski explained the importance of social media in connecting with young voters; noting he was in conversation with the Mayor of New York’s, Zohran Mamdani, team.
Mamdani’s socialist policies and charismatic social media persona have garnered him global media and public attention, aiding in his election as Mayor of New York on 4 November 2025 after winning the democratic primary in June.
Polanski and Mamdani have both used social media to platform their socialist and left-wing policies, appealing to younger generations of voters.
From serving under Thatcher and John Major’s premiership, Lord Heseltine provides an archaic understanding of engaging in politics.
Heseltine describes his experiences as Defence Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister as tumultuous, yet remarkable, in his continued involvement in politics – especially as a member of the House of Lords.
His conclusions? Politics is inescapable; even if you aren’t aware of it. Followed by waves of support and admiration, it has reinforced his backbone in British politics over the past four decades.
However, there was a generational contrast in the volumes of young people in the crowd. This explains why when Sam Carling MP took the stage, it ushered in a new discussion of youth political engagement.
“Youth is an asset” – Sam Carling
Carling is currently the youngest Labour MP in the House of Commons. In conversation with Roar, he advocates that young people need to be involved “to bring our experience and our voices to the table”. Simply, because he wants to reinforce that “we aren’t doing politics for young people, [young people] are part of it.”
The climate change panel welcomed a panel of biologists, influencers, and activists: Tayshan Hayden Smith (English footballer and gardener), Clover Hogan (Australian climate activist), Lizzie Daly (Welsh wildlife biologist, conservationist and TV personality) and Kyle Thomas (British wildlife influencer).
The speakers argued that climate justice is linked to many other social justice problems, and improving the climate would improve public health, infrastructure and other systemic issues.
Daly said “a healthy environment is a human right,” stressing the importance of the climate change problem, although it is easy for young people to overlook in the face of perceived immediate problems.
Clover Hogan reminded the audience that political systems are designed to make change difficult, and that impact is created through focus and the redistribution of power.
Like climate change, social media is a political battlefield. The Social Media Panel “Influence: Behind The Handle” featured influencer-expertise from Remi Olokun (social media manager at My Life My Say), Max Balegde (British influencer), Chloe Burrows (British TV personality) and Ayamè (British influencer).
The discussion included the political importance and dangers of social media in the current political climate, and how young people should engage. Significantly, how social media can be used to influence younger audiences in current affairs, activism and political conversations.
Roar spoke to Co-CEO of My Life My Say, Dan Lawes, who said that “[young people] know the answers to the questions we have as a society […] it is our job at My Life My Say to amplify them.”
From guest speakers, panels, and networking opportunities, it creates a space to meet like-minded people and spark fresh ideas about democracy, youth politics and engagement.
About the authors
