Young Manchester Arena survivors in New York to speak at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism

Nine young survivors of the Manchester Arena attack are in New York to speak at the UN Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism.

They will talk about their Bee the Difference research project which aims to help future young survivors of terror.

The conference will take place at the UN Headquarters in Manhattan on 8 and 9 September, with other attendees including United Nations secretary-general António Guterres, civil society organisations, experts and academics.

Whilst there, the survivors will advocate for improved support for children and young people whose lives are affected by terrorism and provide their unique perspective.

Alicia Taylor, 19, from Leyland, Lancashire, will present a panel address talking about the Bee The Difference survey. The survey was launched by young survivors of the Manchester attack for young people to share their experiences and bring about positive change with regards to terror. The survey was created in collaboration with UK disaster response charity, the National Emergencies Trust and Lancaster University and is open to all children and young people affected by the Manchester Arena attack and who were under 18 when it happened, including those impacted indirectly through a loved one or friend, and those who were present at the Arena when the attack took place.

Ms Taylor said: “Nobody should have to go through a traumatic event and feel like they are silenced afterwards. Nobody should feel undeserving of support. That’s why Bee The Difference is so important to us. It’s not about dwelling on what happened in Manchester but about how we can improve things for the future so that every child affected by terror can get the same support - and it’s there for them as soon as they need it.”

Dr Cath Hill, lead researcher on the project is herself a Manchester survivor, as is her son who was 10 at the time of the attack. She is also the co-founder of the Manchester Survivors Choir and a volunteer advisor to the National Emergencies Trust.

Dr Hill said: “As a social worker I appreciate that speaking to children and young people about something as sensitive as terrorism can feel difficult, but if we shy away from this then there’s a real risk that their unique needs will be overlooked and underserved by society. It’s incredible that the nine young survivors leading Bee The Difference are being given a global platform by the UN. I know they will inspire young voices to speak up.”

The Manchester Survivors Choir will also perform at the congress. They will sing a song written and composed for the event by Ellie Taylor from North Wales who was 15 at the time of the attack.

The Facebook and Instagram accounts of the National Emergencies Trust will be guest edited by Lucy Jarvis, 22, from Wigan, during their time in New York. She will be urging more people to take part in the Bee The Difference Survey and raise awareness of mental health support.

Ms Jarvis said: ‘I think a lot of young people don’t really talk that much about mental health to their families or older people. They might talk about it to themselves or to their friends the same age but it’s not something that is really spoken about between different generations.”

The survey is open for responses until 17th October and the findings will be shared with organisations who can help to create better outcomes for young survivors of terror, including government, healthcare and education providers, and other civic and charitable bodies.