Long before I became a UN Youth Delegate, I was involved in youth work with Comhairle na nÓg. I was 16 when my local council in Waterford brought in young people from around the county to talk about youth issues. I liked the energy of the other participants, so I got involved and became Waterford’s national representative.
I went on to study computer forensics and security at SETU but, by the time I’d started fourth year, I was more focused on youth work than college. That led me to work in participative democracy in South Dublin County Council, based in Tallaght.
My role here was to create spaces for people in the community to influence local government. Most of my work involved being a facilitator, so when the opportunity arose to be one of the two UN Youth Delegates from Ireland, I saw the chance to be the influencer. And, at 25, it was the last chance for me to be a UN Youth Delegate.
It was a voluntary role, but my employer at the time gave me a lot of flexibility to work as a delegate, because they saw that it was more than a professional development opportunity – it was also a chance to bring new knowledge and experience to the local authority.
Most of the delegates choose a particular focus. For me, I’m interested in developing, supporting and sustaining strong public institutions that serve in a fair and just way. I’d grown up seeing some of Ireland’s public institutions and systems fail, leading to the economic crash, what felt like, extreme austerity and a number of public scandals. That shouldn’t happen with strong institutions in place.
During my term, I increased collaboration between the delegates which, in turn, allowed us to influence the structures. I used my year to build the capacity of the programme and improve the existing structures in place. This included building relationships with the UN Youth Envoy office and the Irish Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva to increase dialogue and cooperation.
I made sure we got into the invite-only room with, to give one example, a joint event between the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
I think I refined my negotiating skills, too: at one event in Serbia, arguments continued into the small hours of the morning on what language should be used in a statement, and I was asked to intervene, to break that impasse and get agreement.
There were many highlights, including meeting Mary Robinson during the UN Commission on the Status of Women. While you often see celebrities like actors and musicians mobbed, you don’t see it much with politicians or diplomats, but she had that star power. It was like moving Taylor Swift from one room to another – and I say that as a Swiftie!
Another highlight: seeing the soft power and influence that a small country like Ireland wields at the UN.
Frustrations included the slow pace of change, but that happens everywhere and there is a skill to navigating it.
I’m currently working with the Central Bank to help transform how they engage with the public and hear their voices, a challenge I am enjoying.
This experience has shaped me as a person, and I’ve a better awareness now of how social constructs like poverty, by design or intention, can empower or disempower different groups of people. I grew up poor, so I know how systems can work against you, but this experience made me think carefully about the best ways I can use my skills and experiences to help people.
– Jamie Moore, 2018-2019 UN Youth Delegate
