Empowering the Next Generation: Kavina Upadhyay-Fear on Purpose, Impact, and Leading with Heart

In this blogpost, George Murichu shares some nuggets as part of the Future Leaders Innovation Programme (FLIP) of the University of Oxford which involved a project with Ocean Generation.

 Join this fireside chat with Kavina Upadhyay-Fear who is a strategic leader in youth engagement with over 17 years' experience working with young people. She is currently serving as Head of Youth Engagement at Ocean Generation, a global environmental charity. Kavina has transformed youth participation in environmental issues, growing annual impact from 8,265 to 843,853 young people since 2020. Previously, at the Roundhouse, she managed pastoral support for 5,000+ young creatives. Based in Bristol, she specialises in facilitating organisational growth and unlocking collective potential.

Pictured: Kavina Upadhyay-Fear, Head of Youth Engagement at Ocean Generation

Imagine planning your career as if you're navigating through a dense fog. Kavina, a successful professional, had no clear vision of her career path 20 years ago. Her journey was shaped by her interactions, experiences, and the gradual clarification of her skills, passions, and values. If you' are seeking 100% certainty about your future, it's time to change your metric for success.

I. Look for Themes

Kavina's career, in her words, was a "squiggly, wiggly" path. Looking back, she can identify consistent themes that emerged from her experiences and interactions. These themes became her key skills and values, propelling her forward. Reflect on your life and identify the recurring themes. These will guide you in your career and personal growth journey.

II. Stay Grounded, Grateful, and Generous

Kavina's story begins in Belgium, where she was born to Indian immigrant parents. Her

parents ensured she had strong roots and connections to India, spending summers there every year. This grounding instilled a deep sense of gratitude in Kavina. Despite the challenges, she learned to appreciate what she had and developed a desire to share her blessings with others.

What is it that grounds you? How can you cultivate gratitude and generosity in an often ungrateful and individualistic culture?

III. The Importance of Boredom

Boredom played a significant role in Kavina's life. It pushed her to engage in meaningful activities, from volunteering at an orphanage to supporting young people with disabilities. These experiences taught her the value of staying engaged and finding purpose in her actions. The Englishman says, “Necessity is the mother of invention”. This is a timely reminder not to waste our boredom but to reframe it as an opportunity for creative enterprise.

IV. Meaningful Engagement and Rest

At the University of Southampton, Kavina studied English and Philosophy. She chose a broad degree to allow space for reflection and critical thinking. Even at university, she sought volunteering opportunities, believing that free time can be optimised through purposeful activities. However, she also recognized the importance of rest, a balance she continues to strive for. This is especially useful for students, young professionals, budding leaders, enthusiastic entrepreneurs eager to make an impact. Make sure you have breathing space and healthy boundaries!

V. Volunteer and Explore

Kavina's volunteering journey continued at university, where she supported fellow students and engaged in fundraising activities. After graduation, she considered a career in marketing and advertising but missed the boat on graduate schemes. Her parents gave the safety net of returning home to Belgium, but she was eager to support herself financially. Determined to stay, she took a job in recruitment, a challenging yet enlightening experience. What opportunities do you have to volunteer around you?

VI. Navigating Toxic Work Environments

Kavina's recruitment job exposed her to a toxic work culture. Despite being hired for her "soft skills," she struggled with the ruthless nature of the job. This experience revealed her love for building relationships and talking to people. However, the long hours and low salary left her exhausted and questioning the purpose of her work

VII. Travel and Gain Global Experience

Kavina's breakthrough came when she discovered a volunteering program run by VSO , a global charity. She participated in the Global Exchange program, which immersed her in a community in Zambia for three months. This experience was transformative, reinforcing her commitment to meaningful work and community engagement. Kavina's journey took a transformative turn when she discovered the Global Exchange program run by VSO, a global charity. This program, later known as International Citizen Service, offered a unique opportunity for volunteers to immerse themselves in communities abroad. Kavina fundraised to participate and spent three months in Choma, Zambia. This experience was humbling, teaching her the value of reciprocal exchange and deepening her connections with her Zambian host family.

VIII. Clarify Purpose

Living in Zambia, Kavina realized she didn't know what she didn't know. This speaks to the importance of discerning our blind spots and areas of growth. The reciprocal nature of the programme, where Zambian volunteers also spent three months in the UK, highlighted the importance of community development and volunteer engagement. This experience clarified for her that working in community-focused roles was her true calling. She embraced every opportunity, going beyond the required work placements to fully immerse herself in the experience. Are you ready to go the extra mile in the quest for your vocation?

IX. Empower Youth Voices

Kavina's passion for youth engagement led her to work on campaigns that amplified youth voices and challenged existing structures. She believed in the power of youth-led action and ensuring that beneficiaries were part of the conversation. Her work at the National Citizen Service program focused on promoting social action and creating connections outside of school groups. Kavina quickly moved into programme development, driven by her desire to create meaningful outputs and maximize benefits for those involved.

X. Drive Inclusion

Kavina's next role was as a Learning and Youth Support Manager at The Roundhouse, an arts venue in Camden, North London. She oversaw pastoral support for young people using the space for projects and studio work, ensuring their experiences were valuable and inclusive. Kavina's focus on informal education and community engagement helped create a sense of belonging and collaboration among participants.

XI. Get all hands-on Deck

At Plastic Ocean UK, later renamed Ocean Generation, Kavina was offered the opportunity to lead programme development. She noticed a lack of representation from the global majority in environmental movements and aimed to create a more inclusive program. Kavina's idea was to bring youth engagement principles to empower young people from diverse backgrounds, allowing them to take the lead in their experiences. She believed that everyone has the potential within them and that navigating opportunities in a dense world is key.

XII. Add Value and Multiply Impact

This vision led to the creation of Wavemakers, a programme designed to empower young people and foster inclusive participation in environmental movements. The statistics speak volumes on the scale of annual impact through their programmes from 8,265 to 843,853 young people since 2020. For young professionals, lifelong learners, and those on a quest to lead more purposeful lives, her story offers valuable lessons in resilience, gratitude, and meaningful engagement.

Kavina's squiggly and wiggly trajectory highlights the power of embracing uncertainty, finding purpose in every experience, and staying grounded in one's values.

As a young professional, student, and emerging leader, this story offers gold nuggets and can be a list you keep in mind as you embrace your own adventure, look for themes in your experiences, and let clarifying values guide you forward.