FOR months young people have been protesting across the UK and across the world to fight for meaningful climate action.

We have been called ‘inspiring’, we have been called ‘truants’ and ‘troublemakers’, yet I cannot help but feel like people are missing the point.

When I was growing up, I always had difficulty owning my power, I thought I had to grow up, vote, maybe even go into politics to create the change I wished to see.

Then Greta Thunberg stood up and showed me that you do not need to be a politician, you don not need to be a policy maker, you do not even need to be an adult to create change.

Greta’s idea inspired me into long overdue action and I finally had a movement that represented me, because as Greta said – ‘No one is too small to make a difference’.

So I became a climate activist.

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Activism allowed me to experience the world in a completely new way, my existence went from being Abingdon, with occasional trips to Oxford, to being so much bigger and including so many more amazing people.

Thanks to the internet, I was able to connect with others, share ideas and share experiences more than ever before.

And I am so grateful to everyone in UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) and other youth activist groups around the world for showing me that I am not alone and none of us have to fight this crisis alone.

People do not often focus on the less glamorous side of activism – the toll it can take on your studies, your personal life, your health.

If I had not found a balance when I did, then I would have burnt out.

There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to make something happen, and I fell into the trap of doing too much.

In the build up to the September strike, I spent my summer holiday doing outreach to other local groups and recruiting stewards with other UKSCN Oxford members.

I also spent my evenings and many free periods contacting speakers.

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Although it is a lot of work, it keeps me sane; even if the movement fails, at least I will know that I did my best.

I am angry that I took on a burden when I was 17 that never should have been mine to carry – children should not be forced to offer emotional support and reassurance to other children just because politicians refuse to act and people refuse to admit there is a problem.

On September 20 last year the Oxford Global Strike 4 Climate was proof that people of all ages care about the climate breakdown we are facing.

It showed that an idea can be all that is needed for people to stand up in the face of a system that can seem immovable.

Every person has power.

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The Government’s job is to serve, not to rule and as they are failing to save us, they are failing their job.

Youth Strike 4 Climate, Extinction Rebellion and other peaceful climate activist groups all use non-violent protests to try to create change, so it begs the question: what will happen if peaceful protest does not work?

It is important for people to know that we are not striking because we want to inspire people into thinking young people will be able to solve all the world’s problems or because we want to get out of school.

We strike because we are here, we are watching and we are deeply, deeply afraid.

We need everyone to engage and admit there is a problem, it should not be children carrying the weight of the climate crisis.

So, what will you do?