MOBIE volunteers discuss their experience in Volunteers' Week

During NCVO Volunteers' Week 2024, we spotlight the amazing contribution of our young volunteers. We can’t thank them enough!

They have helped us to judge young persons’ design challenges, assisted in running design workshops, been experts for videos about home and sustainable development, run mini-consultancy projects, presented their thoughts and ideas to industry events and conferences, produced video and animations and even pitched MOBIE innovation proposals to industry for support!

At MOBIE our mission is to inspire, educate and train the young people who will deliver our future homes, communities and built environment. We want them to help us raise design standards, to build better quality homes and introduce innovation through a different way of thinking and doing. We want them to be part of shaping a new approach to home making.

Lauren Gower and Tom Rutter volunteered as judges in the Design Future London 2024 young persons’ design challenge, run in partnership with Mayor of London, C40 Cities, Minecraft Education and the Local Village Network. This is what they said about their experiences:

Lauren said, “I volunteered for MOBIE to break out of my professional discipline and meet other liked minded designers. I could not have imagined that I would end up on stage at the Design Future London finals at City Hall talking about sustainable futures in construction to Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor for London, and George Clarke.

“Big up to the incredible young designers that shared their visions with us. It was such a pleasure to meet them all. The variety and quality of the finalists’ work left me thinking… I’m really not sure I could have done this at their age?

Digital media and Virtual Reality has come such a long way. We now have the tools to make design accessible to everyone, even 5-year olds can take part. I am proud to be a MOBIE judge and can’t wait to find out what’s happening next

Tom said, “As we celebrate Volunteers' Week, I want to take a moment to shine a light on the remarkable work being done by MOBIE. Since January 2024, I have had the privilege of volunteering with this incredible organisation, and it has been a profoundly rewarding experience.

MOBIE is dedicated to fostering a nurturing environment where young people can thrive, and I've certainly felt this support in my journey. After moving to Newcastle to pursue my studies in Architecture and Urban Planning at Newcastle University, I sought ways to volunteer within the local community while staying connected to my academic interests. MOBIE has provided me with the perfect platform to do just that.

One of the most memorable aspects of my involvement was being asked to be a judge for the Design Future London competition in March this year. The experience was immensely rewarding, offering me the chance to review young people's design submissions alongside fellow judges Mark, Gerry and Lauren. Witnessing the remarkable creativity and innovation from participants of all ages was truly inspiring.

In April, I had the unique opportunity to design and lead my own workshop for a primary school. The workshop followed a MOBIE design workshop and allowed students to transition their designs from paper to digital format using SketchUp, providing them with a hands-on, interactive learning experience. It was incredible to see the students' ideas come to life and to contribute to their educational journey.

Through MOBIE, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with students on projects involving design, model making, and master planning. These experiences have underscored the importance of integrating young voices into the planning process, ensuring that our towns and cities reflect a diversity of perspectives and needs.

Empowering young people in the design of the built environment not only leads to the creation of intelligent and safe spaces but also nurtures the next generation of planners, architects, engineers, and design thinkers. This collaborative effort ensures a forward-looking approach to urban development, primed to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

Volunteering with MOBIE has been an enriching experience, reinforcing my passion for urban planning and design while making a positive impact on the community. As we celebrate Volunteers' Week, I encourage others to get involved and support the fantastic work MOBIE is doing. Together, we can inspire and empower the next generation to shape a better, more sustainable future."

If like Lauren, Tom and our other amazing volunteers you are interested in the work of MOBIE or volunteering for us, then please email us at home@mobie.org.uk