Encounters of an UpRising Kind

My name is Chadwick Jackson and I am 19 years old and live in Edgbaston.  I recently joined the Uprising Leadership Programme and undertook its leadership retreat at Trafford Hall in Chester on the weekend of the 21st of January 2012. 

My morning had started early, as I had to be at the meeting point at Colmore Row for 8:30am. It was a very chilly morning.  I got on the coach and sat at the very back.   I sat next to a girl by the name of Poonam, I said "Morning" she replied "Pardon" I then repeated myself "Good Morning". We got speaking only to find out she is a Biology student with ambitions to go into Pharmaceutical Engineering, Sitting next to her baffled about what to say, I told her my life ambition "Is to open a Sports Academy".  I thought "That was that". Only for her to start questioning in meticulous details.  How would this Academy work? I had to check my shoulders for a second: am I on "Dragon's Den". The questions were short, sharp and direct - questions I had not even asked myself. This conversation has certainly geared me up for the future on how people will get towards hearing me pitch something that I truly care about.

Lesson #1 of Uprising; Strategic thinking.

I got to Trafford Hall in Chester and they were allocating rooms, "Chadwick Jackson", "YES!" I answered. Room 20,  My room mate had not arrived. He was at work but was going to make the journey up the motorway to Chester after work in rush hour and pick up anyone else who was not able to make the coach trip. He works as an estate agent by day and runs a sports social enterprise called Team Endurance and is long distance athlete in his spare time. If that was not impressive enough, he is ranked in the top 20 long distance runners in the country. His name is Abdi.

Lesson #2 of Uprising; Flexibility & Determination.

Over the weekend I got talking to a very humble young lady by the name of Absa. She is a qualified engineer and currently working as a IT technician. Outside work, she has taught dyslexic and non-dyslexic children at a local community centre and came runner up in the Birmingham badminton championships.  But there was more than met the eye. A few months ago she was at 10 Downing street meeting David Cameron, sadly because her brother's life was taken in Afghanistan and he was one of the first British Muslim to have died in the war. She spoke very proudly of her brother - as she should . Her ambition in life was to use her influence to help people that are less fortunate in life. She had achieved so much in such a short period of time and showed tremendous adversity to bounce back from loosing her brother. She is also one of the most modest people you will ever meet.

Lesson #3 of Uprising; gracious in defeat and modest in victory

It was at this point I realised how privileged I was to be in the company of fine young adults.  The three UpRisers that I have mentioned were only three of a endless list of remarkable people that I had the chance to meet, eat, work and engage with over a unforgettable weekend.

This would not have been possible without the staff Zehra, Alveena, Adiva, Lucy, Philippa and retreat facilitator Adam who pulled out all the stops to make sure we have a fun , entertaining and memorable learning experience. Over this weekend I learned a lot just being around the young people, and about Uprising The Journey.

This was just the start.

Chadwick Jackson