In an interview with Prior Enfield Youth Council leader, Isabelle Stones, she announced her secret to succeeding in council.
She expressed the youth's hunger for change (and literal food), winning her election after she won the hearts of her fellow peers.
“I told people that I was going to make Greggs cheaper and make chicken and chips 50p after school.” – Isabelle Stones
This trivial lie may not have come true due to the UK’s constant inflation incline; however, Isabelle did want to partially honour her promise and therefore, raised a more dire issue, free school meals.
So, she, aged fourteen, proceeded into Parliament, into the House of Commons and made a televised speech to thousands watching.
“I want to make free school meals universal for all kids in schools.” – Isabelle Stones
In partnership with her other council members Isabelle described how the majority of the changes the council made affected the youth in ways they were unaware of.
They sent emails to schools, designed posters for buses that circulated throughout both Enfield and Edmonton Green, and used their knowledge of social media to create Snapchat adverts drawing attention to knife crime.
In 2023 in Enfield alone there were an extreme 611 knife crimes committed, this being a 6.8% increase from the previous year, highlighting the catastrophic disaster at hand.
Isabelle Stones encouraged the council to provide school workshops focused on creating a support system in place for those needing further guidance or help.
“It’s the tiny differences that make big changes”- Isabelle Stones
She finds it unjust that all young people must suffer the consequences of stereotypes and wants the youth, especially those in college or sixth form, to be treated with respect similarly to adults.
Isabelle Stones may have initiated her election by promising food to her peers, using the excuse that politicians lie all the time, however this further proves how maturity of the youth must not go unrecognized because it can bloom out of the toughest of situations, leading to her leadership in the Enfield Youth Council.
