Back the Future demonstrates the importance of amplifying the voices of young people in food and farming and upskilling young people to advocate and engage with democracy.
The Back the Future project ran between January and December 2025, coordinated by Sustain alliance member Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS UK) in partnership with Farming the Future (which funded this work); FLAME (the youth branch of the Landworkers Alliance, a Sustain alliance member); National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs; the Nature Friendly Farming Network (a Sustain alliance member); and Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming.
The purpose of Back The Future was to bring together, upskill, articulate and amplify diverse youth voices to influence policy around a just transition in food and farming.
In December 2025, SOS UK interviewed the five Ambassadors (young farmers, students and youth food justice advocates) of Back The Future to understand the impact of the project, and gather feedback. The resulting report details the themes that emerged from the discussions, including how the project effectively amplified youth voices in food and farming, and upskilled young people to advocate and engage with democracy.
“Back the Future has given my voice credibility, and people listen to me more. That's the whole point of the [UK Youth Food and Farming] Forum, to allow young people to have credibility in these policy spaces. I feel like I couldn't access the policy spaces before, now I feel like that door is opened.”
Back the Future youth ambassador / participant
Ambassadors noted that Back The Future fills a critical gap created by the exclusion of youth voices in food and farming. They emphasised the importance of ensuring that their engagement is meaningful and not tokenistic. The ambassadors also highlighted that Back The Future enhanced their credibility in food and farming spaces, strengthening their ability to amplify youth perspectives. This increased legitimacy helps them access key people, organisations and policy spaces more effectively.
Ambassadors also reflected that being part of Back The Future equipped them with the skills to navigate decision-making involving stakeholders with differing priorities. While they found this challenging at times, they recognised it as an essential skill for further action in food, farming and policy.
“[Back The Future has] given me a platform and credibility as an ambassador to reach out to different organisations and people. I would have never linked up with these organisations if it wasn't for Back The Future. I've gained a network of the [project] partners that are really useful.”
Back the Future youth ambassador / participant
Paricipants highlighted that Back The Future enabled them to expand their professional networks, connecting with individuals and organisations they would not otherwise have had the confidence or access to. Most ambassadors shared that they previously found public speaking challenging. Through opportunities provided by the project, such as speaking on panels, they were able to build confidence and strengthen their public speaking skills.
Key highlights of Back the Future
Highlights of what the Ambassadors did during the Back The Future pogramme:
Developed knowledge and skills: procurement training with Ruth, policy and advocacy training with Lottie and Ruth; comms, media and governance training with Anya; and CEVAS training with LEAF linking farms and schools.
Attended major sector events: Future Forum Annual Event, Marches Real Food and Farming Convergence, the Oxford Farming Conference and the Oxford Real Farming Conference as well as countless online meetings and webinars.
Spoke on panels: Emergent Generation Summer Gathering, Eating Better Annual Alliance Day, and at the Newbury Show.
Wrote blogs: for NFYFC, Emergent Generation, and NFFN
Spoke on: Emergent Generation Insta reel, and Agri Culture Podcast
Attended key parliamentary events: UK Fruit and Vegetable Coalition launch, Bridging the Gap report launch, and the House of Commons roundtable on Food, Farming & Sustainability and the National Curriculum.
Set up the UK Youth Food and Farming Forum: A group of young people working in farming, or studying the food system, were supported to create the UK Youth Food and Farming Forum. The forum is youth-led, and working to raise the voices of young people in farming, and to call for food system transformation to secure young people’s future in food. Beyond the end of the Back the Future programme, the forum will now operate independently (with Sustain sitting on the advisory group).
South Somerset, UK.. Credit: Phil Kieran | shutterstock
Sustainable Farming Campaign: Pushing for the integration of sustainable farming into local, regional and national government policies.
