Islington's winning Chief Discovery Officers prepare to explore the summer!

Four Islington young people have won the prestigious title of Chief Discovery Officer following a competition to find fresh, relevant new voices ready to explore the huge range of opportunities and activities across the borough this summer.

Sidra, 18, and Teayanna, 11, alongside 14-year-olds Cruz and Tam were picked for the roles from a host of entries and will now set about exploring the hidden gems and highlights for children and young people in Islington this summer – creatively capturing their adventures on camera and sharing their experiences on social media.

As well as being supported by a professional communications team to create the short videos over the summer, the four Chief Discovery Officers each won £250 in shopping vouchers and an exclusive Arsenal prize bundle. The videos will be posted on the council’s Instagram account where everyone can keep up with the latest from the #ChiefDiscoveryOfficers.

Sidra, Tam, Teayanna and Cruz were invited to the Mayor’s Parlour in Islington Town Hall on Thursday, where the Mayor Cllr Jason Jackson gave them a warm welcome and congratulated them on their appointment, chatting to them about their creative summer ahead.

Sidra said: “I’m excited to show Islington from a different perspective – my perspective – and also discover Islington for myself.”

Cruz said: “I’m glad to be a Chief Discovery Officer in Islington this summer. I applied because I would like to show what Islington has to offer to all the other young people that live here.”

Teayanna said: “I applied to be a Chief Discovery Officer because, like, I love Islington, and it's just an environment that I've been for a long time and I feel like it's basically a place where you get to have fun and all that.”

Tam said: “I applied to show a different perspective of Islington. I’m excited to explore more of Islington this summer!”

Cllr Michelline Safi-Ngongo, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: “Every summer, the council directly funds hundreds of activities, courses and opportunities so they are free for our young people. This helps to make sure everyone has the chance to thrive through the summer, making new friends and connections, learning new skills and discovering new passions.

“Congratulations to our new Chief Discovery Officers, who will help bring these opportunities alive on video to engage and enthuse their peers – showing the real, brilliant Islington literally through the lens of young people.

“I can’t wait to see them reach new audiences by putting their creative ideas into action and producing fresh and fun videos about Islington’s opportunities this summer – made for young people, by young people.”

Notes to editors

Islington Council ran the competition to find a handful of “Chief Discovery Officers” who would harness their creativity and enthusiasm on-camera to produce videos for social media, highlighting the best of the borough’s free and low-cost activities and opportunities this summer. For more information, see our competition announcement.

The winners were selected by a panel of judges including three young people attached to the council’s communications team, alongside Cllr Michelline Safi-Ngongo and members of the senior leadership team in Children’s Services.