What happens when young people are given space to say what they actually think? | Amelie Abass

What happens when young people are given the space to say what they actually think? In this episode of The Public Speaking Podcast, Matt Matheson and Emma Wyatt are joined by Amelie Abass, a 23-year-old student, public speaker and social enterprise founder helping young people develop the confidence to speak up, advocate for themselves and engage with the world around them. Amelie's work grew from a deeply personal experience. After nearly losing her life giving birth at 20, she began thinking about her own ability to advocate for herself and what happens when young people haven't yet developed the confidence or language to make themselves heard. Through talks and workshops with young people, Amelie creates spaces where the starting point isn't politics, performance or having the "right" answer. It's a much simpler question: What do you care about? In this episode, Matt, Emma and Amelie discuss: ✨ Why self-advocacy is an essential part of public speaking ✨ What happens when young people are given permission to express what they really think ✨ Why the word "politics" can sometimes stop conversations before they've begun ✨ How schools can create safer spaces for young people to speak up and disagree ✨ Why public speaking is as much about listening as it is talking ✨ The importance of learning how to disagree respectfully ✨ Simple ways young people can practise speaking and expressing their opinions ✨ Why finding your people can make it easier to find the confidence to use your voice ✨ How practising on camera can help when speaking up feels intimidating ✨ Why public speaking isn't about the size of your audience, but the size of what you have to say The conversation challenges the idea that public speaking begins when you step onto a stage. Sometimes it begins much earlier, when you express an opinion, ask a question, disagree respectfully or advocate for yourself when something matters. For young people, parents, teachers, educators, speakers and anyone interested in confidence, communication and helping the next generation feel able to participate in the conversations that shape their lives, this episode offers a different perspective on what it really means to have a voice.