Stories Sustain Us #22 – Encore of Season 1, Episode #3, A Young Voice Creating a Positive Future

As the holiday season is upon us, I’m taking this time to revisit some of the most impactful episodes from Season 1. Today, we’re bringing back Season 1, Episode 3, featuring a youth activist from Great Britian, Ramandeep Nijjar. 

Ramandeep Nijjar, a second-year zoology student, shares her journey as a young changemaker and her passion for making a positive difference. She discusses her upbringing, the support of her family, and her early experiences in volunteering. Ramandeep emphasizes the importance of self-belief, community, and the power of nature. She also talks about her transition to university, her involvement in various extracurricular activities, and her co-founding of the Hedgehog Society. Ramandeep shares her experiences and passion for nature conservation and youth activism. She discusses her involvement in various organizations and projects, including the Hedgehog Society, UK Youth for Nature, and the British Trust for Ornithology. Ramandeep emphasizes the importance of kindness, positivity, and collaboration in creating a better future. She encourages people to take small actions, connect with others, and support young voices in making a positive difference.

🎙️ Stories Sustain Us is more than a podcast—it's a powerful platform that shares inspiring stories from people working to make the world a better place. Through honest, heartfelt conversations, host Steven Schauer explores the connections between people, planet, and purpose. From climate change and environmental justice to cultural preservation and human resilience, each episode aims to ignite meaningful action toward a more sustainable future.

🌍 Learn more about the podcast, explore past episodes, and discover how storytelling drives change at storiessustainus.com.

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Transcript

00:00:01
Steven
Welcome back to Stories Sustain Us. I'm your host, Steven Schauer, and during this holiday season, I'm thrilled to bring you some of the most impactful episodes from season one, as we celebrate the inspiring voices that have shaped this show. Today we're revisiting episode three, which originally aired on July 2nd, 2024, featuring the remarkable Ramandeep Najjar.

Ramandeep is a UK-based youth activist and a third-year zoology student at the University of Reading, currently undertaking her placement year with the Global Rewilding Alliance. She's a key organizer and spokesperson for UK Youth for Nature, a trustee for the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust, a youth representative for the British Trust of Ornithology, and an ambassador for Nature Positive Universities.

Ramandeep is also part of the team behind an upcoming youth storytelling podcast titled Generation Nature. And if that's not enough, I just found out Ramandeep is one of the three finalists for the BBC Country File Young Countryside Champion Award, which I believe the winner will be revealed this coming week. So Ramandeep, as you will see and hear in this episode.

is truly an amazing youth activist and I was so pleased to have interviewed her a few months ago and happy to revisit this interview during this holiday season with you. Now in this episode three of Stories Sustain Us, Ramandeep shares her powerful journey of self-belief and developing a strong mindset to create meaningful change. She emphasizes the importance of a supportive network of family and friends.

explores the deep fulfillment that comes from volunteering and engaging in charity work, and highlights the importance of open conversations about mental health and seeking support for personal wellbeing. We also discuss how university life can provide countless opportunities to pursue your passions, connect with like-minded individuals, and make an impact through organizations and projects focused on nature conservation and youth activism. Throughout our conversation,

Ramandeep encourages us to approach life with kindness, positivity, and support for one another. She passionately advocates for amplifying youth voices and taking small actions that contribute to a brighter future. So, sit back, relax, and get ready to be re-inspired by the incredible Ramandeep Najjar here on Stories Sustain Us, where we are inspiring action through the power of storytelling.

00:02:40
Steven Schauer
right. Well, welcome, Ramandeep. Thank you so much for joining me on Story Sustain Us. How are you? I guess this afternoon you're you're over in England. It's morning for me over here in Seattle. So how are you doing today?

00:02:53
Ramandeep Nijjar
I'm very well. Thank you. And thank you for inviting me to be a guest on your podcast. So I'm excited to discuss with you certain things.

00:02:59
Steven Schauer
Yeah, well, I'm super excited to have you. It's, have been, I don't know, you, so it's nice to meet you. Kind of. For the first time today in, in, we met through, a mutual acquaintance who who I had on the show, last week. so it's, I appreciate his kind of connecting us through the Changemakers alliance and.

00:03:21
Steven Schauer
And you're a young changemaker. You are, a young university student over in at the University of Redding. Is that correct?

00:03:28
Ramandeep Nijjar
yes. That's correct. So I'm a second year symbology student. I like getting involved with lots of different things, and I think I never really thought of myself as a changemaker, but over two years, I feel like when you start, I guess doing things, people kind of give you that label. And I've now realized that maybe, it's not a bad thing to want to make things better.

00:03:49
Ramandeep Nijjar
So I know I'm proud to say that I'm a young changemaker and yeah, like everything that I do.

00:03:55
Steven Schauer
Yeah. Well you you're doing, an amazing amount of things. way more than I was doing in at your age. I was, when I was at university. At your age, I was, playing football. We called soccer over here, but I was just. That was like, that's what I did. And you're just doing all of these things, and we'll get to that in a minute.

00:04:17
Steven Schauer
But first, tell me a little bit about your journey. Like, where are you from? You know, what's what kind of family you from? What have you been doing prior to getting to university? How did you get to this point in your life? What's what's your story, Ramandeep?

00:04:33
Ramandeep Nijjar
So, I'm 19, so, probably. What are you going to be one of you younger, I guess. But, I guess it all began for me in primary school. and I'm really thankful for that school because I think it's set me up for the rest of my life because we had a slogan which was, believe it, achieve it.

00:04:49
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I feel like that's always been ingrained in me, like, if you have faith to do something and you have an up, strong mindset that you can do anything that you want to. so yeah, I think I really enjoyed my time there. I was definitely a tomboy like you. I would come home with grass stains on my shirt.

00:05:08
Ramandeep Nijjar
So we playing football at lunch time. but I think it just really. And, teachers were really supportive and they really instilled in us as young people that whatever we wanted to achieve, if we wanted to do it, we could give it a go. And I think that was really great, because you need to instill in young people that sense of self-belief, because then who knows what they could achieve.

00:05:32
Ramandeep Nijjar
Then after that, I went to, a selective grammar school. So I'm from, near Birmingham in the Midlands in the UK. And that was also another great experience because the they encourage you to do things outside of studies as well. And because I'm dyslexic, sometimes, studies can be a bit more challenging. So I could put my extra energy into sports.

00:05:55
Ramandeep Nijjar
Like any school, I would be content with. And then I always loved also charity work. So because I've always wanted to make a positive difference to others and people say that you're helping others, but I feel like it also helped me so much. So many of the volunteering and Jerry's charity things I do. Yeah, it's just so fulfilling.

00:06:14
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I don't know, you just make good people and I feel like everything I do, I'm just so thankful to be surrounded by such kind, lovely, good people to keep you on the right path. So I think, yeah, throughout my ten year school, I was able to do a lot of like events organizing, and I think that really has led me to do a lot of things at university.

00:06:37
Ramandeep Nijjar
so one of the things that I did in school was they had an anti-bullying team, and I was able to lead that in my final year, and we would have different monthly themes, which we focused on. So things like, day, LGBT, LG, BTec plus, History Month, History Month, and it was all about trying to celebrate different things to encourage more inclusion within the school.

00:07:02
Ramandeep Nijjar
And then I think I did other things as well. But I think also a lot of the stuff I did outside of school started Girlguiding since I was five. because I just Girlguiding is that.

00:07:14
Steven Schauer
Yeah, kind of like equivalent to what would be the Girl Scouts in the States.

00:07:19
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yeah. Similar to you. So we have scouts here as well. So very similar. So and I think because my parents were from an early age that I was most happiest outdoors, but I thought, let's put her in a group so that she's safe.

00:07:31
Steven Schauer
Sure, sure, sure.

00:07:33
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I really I'm very grateful that they let me to do that because some they're still some of my closest friends today. Because when you're out camping or out in nature, you've got no other. Like like, I will be talking to you guys, but you probably got no phone connection. So when you're connecting, you've just got that one on one connection.

00:07:51
Ramandeep Nijjar
And it's still something that I love, like being able to when you go, can you just completely disconnect and have a little nature bubble for a few days? Just. Yeah. To recharge. I was actually young needed for that unit for two years, but sadly it was during Covid. So we had a lot of zoom meetings, but it was still a challenging but new experience.

00:08:11
Ramandeep Nijjar
How to still make engaging sessions while you're on zoom. So we did a lot of things like virtual campout, a lot of virtual games. We did a quite a few virtual bake class, which was quite fun, like all the parents seeing the mess in their kitchens. But we had fun. Yeah.

00:08:30
Steven Schauer
I don't know how popular The Great British Bake Off is actually, in Britain, but it's like one of my favorite shows.

00:08:37
Ramandeep Nijjar
So no, it's definitely popular here. Like when you know it's on, it's a lot of people from even if they never had an interest with baking outside will be watching it still. And yeah, that everyone watches it and want to know what's going on. So yeah. Yeah.

00:08:53
Steven Schauer
We love it. That's great. So tell me let me back you up a little bit. And so you mentioned you parents. You have any other siblings or. Yeah. So tell me a little bit more about your family if that's okay. Like you know.

00:09:06
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yes of course. Yeah. so I'm from a Sikh background. okay. Faith and, Yes. And I feel, it's very something that I care a lot about because even though I study a science degree, I feel like it's given me great morals, my faith. And it's always something that I carry with me just as something.

00:09:27
Ramandeep Nijjar
Whenever you need something to turn back to, it's just always within me, I guess. I'm very lucky that my family is very supportive. I have an older sister, and she's always been very inspiring to me because she's always with similar things with whatever she's done. She's always done it with confidence, with Grace. And she's. Yeah, she's just been incredible.

00:09:46
Ramandeep Nijjar
So to have someone to follow, I guess is really amazing. And I think also my parents have also been very supportive in my passion. So if not probably understand it sometimes, like they sometimes I just think, oh, it's from a nature thing, but they've never held me back. And which has been really great. They've always pushed me to whatever my dreams of being is.

00:10:07
Ramandeep Nijjar
How can they support me and put me forward to that? So I know when we were growing up, we would often have, we'd have a static car ride which was near Stratford upon Avon, and that also had no internet. But often we'd spend weekends there, and it was just, for me, total bliss to be immersed in nature.

00:10:24
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I think if I didn't have that connection with nature from an early age, I don't think I would have wanted it. Well, I don't think I would have felt that. I want it to be my career, working, protecting it. And I think often young people have passions where they kind of die out, which I think is such a shame.

00:10:40
Ramandeep Nijjar
Whereas luckily that never happened for me because I always, continually supported that idea of like, how else can we, support women through her nature journey? And yeah, they've just always what we mean. And I think, like my both my parents have always said like, had the same thing, like, you can do anything you put your mind to.

00:10:59
Ramandeep Nijjar
And they've always supported me to like push myself and yeah, I just, yes, dream big and try and see what happens.

00:11:06
Steven Schauer
Yeah, well that's wonderful. Your parents sound like lovely people and and, I want to thank them for helping you along as well, because we need, folks like you that are going to, you know, work hard and do your best to try to help us out. Because folks my age and older have kind of made a mess of things.

00:11:23
Steven Schauer
So we so appreciate you coming along and, jumping into everything.

00:11:28
Ramandeep Nijjar
Well, I'm very grateful because, you know, tell them my sounding board, like, I would just be like, what's your advice on this? And who knows, even though you would need someone that you can just. Yeah, like have a conversation with just to check if you're on the right track.

00:11:41
Steven Schauer
Yeah. And that's wonderful. Not not everybody has that.

00:11:43
Ramandeep Nijjar
Kind.

00:11:44
Steven Schauer
Of with their family. So it's. Yeah. What a what a wonderful opportunity that you have to, to have that upbringing and, and carry that forward into your life. and so an older sister and, and is that your only sibling that you have as well?

00:12:00
Ramandeep Nijjar
yes. My own only sibling, I think, there is nine years between us, so I think, oh, yeah, quite a big gap. I think when I was younger we probably didn't, spend as much time together. We'll connect as much just because of the age gap. Like when I was in school, she was going to university. But I think now that I'm older, we connect a lot more.

00:12:21
Ramandeep Nijjar
just because. Yeah, I just I feel like when you're older, you're able to have probably have a better conversation than when there's an age gap. You out completely different, stages of your life.

00:12:33
Steven Schauer
Absolutely. I can I have a, my oldest sister is ten years older than me, and so I can it's very similar story. We connected more as adults than you know, as you said, when when I was eight and she was already out of the house and going to university, then, you know, what, are we going to talk about it?

00:12:49
Steven Schauer
So but yeah, as we have, grown older together, we've certainly become closer. And, you know, my middle sister as well, connected more with her as an adult. So, very similar understanding of your path there as well. So you're in, you know, grade school and you're starting to experience these things. You'd mentioned you'd already started doing volunteer work at a, at a young age.

00:13:15
Steven Schauer
What were some of the volunteer activities that you participated in prior to the the long list of things we're going to get into here shortly about what you're doing now, but it sounds like you've been active in volunteerism for quite a while. So what were some of the first things that you did that kind of gave you that understanding that you mentioned that when you're doing good for others, it also is, you know, beneficial to you too.

00:13:37
Steven Schauer
So what? Yeah.

00:13:40
Ramandeep Nijjar
so, while on the school, I think it was about, oh, three and a half to four years, I volunteered with the homeless charity. they were called little longer Service Society. So I think to like my faith. so they serve and they would serve anyone, any food they needed. it was once a week in Birmingham, and that was really nice because, sometimes I'd go with my father and we do it together.

00:14:03
Ramandeep Nijjar
So it was really nice that we were able to share that same, once a week, giving back to other people. I think that was also a really great experience because I can't remember the year is. But they every year at the main, train station in Birmingham, they do like a Christmas party where anyone who about 200 to 300 people from, homeless families or that's one actually able to just come have a full Christmas dinner, have gifts with Santa.

00:14:31
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I was able to volunteer, on one of the days. And that was a really lovely experience, just to dress up with a Santa hat, go round and nice and spread some, festive cheer, which is really lovely, but I think, yeah, I did that cook for quite a while and it was all weathers we would do it.

00:14:47
Ramandeep Nijjar
But I think when you even if, if it's cold and rainy, just to be able to give something back, I think was I would enjoy every single moment. And you always just felt part of the team. I think I then did a lot of my volunteering in school, so I did Girlguiding throughout quite did a lot of things within my school, were organizing charity events, do the when for example, when, Ukraine, the Ukraine fundraisers were going on, we did a whole week of fundraisers at my school and, things like that.

00:15:19
Ramandeep Nijjar
And just because of the school community. So with like every year different community drives. And I think it was just a really great stepping stone so that I could then develop those skills in a safe, environment. But I think volunteer has always been something that I've continued to do. So even when the pandemic came along and I was like, oh, there's probably no volunteering, you can do well, I discovered another project called Spreading Kindness and they were sending letters to elderly residents in care homes because they couldn't see that family.

00:15:50
Ramandeep Nijjar
So then I was then able to help write letters for them, just to say a little bit about what are we doing? And one actually wrote back and was really lovely. She was 98 and she said like, oh, we don't have much connection. But at the moment, staying in that bubbles. But your letters really lift my spirit because seeing someone being really energetic about life really helps keep them going.

00:16:11
Ramandeep Nijjar
And it was really funny because a lot of, children from primary schools like Saint drawings and artwork, I could never do artwork, so I had to stick to the letters. But yeah, things like that. I think it was really nice just to see that the community coming together and wanting to still do something.

00:16:29
Steven Schauer
That's wonderful and that's wonderful. I appreciate you sharing that, that story that that warmed my heart. That's lovely.

00:16:36
Ramandeep Nijjar
Well, I will me and it can be it gave me a perfect during lockdown I voted on night school, but it gave me something to look forward to. Like once a week, like, yeah, right. And I think now I do journaling from starting those letters just for my personal, thing, but it gave me something that means that you reflect on the way I think about what went well, what was good, what was not, and then journaling often is time to do so.

00:16:58
Ramandeep Nijjar
I yeah, so continue to do that.

00:17:00
Steven Schauer
I journal as well for those reasons. Yeah I tried I, I have a daily goal of journaling. I don't hit my daily but I certainly.

00:17:07
Ramandeep Nijjar
Catch on for two weeks.

00:17:08
Steven Schauer
Yeah, yeah I get it once or twice a week as well. That's about all I do. But it is a daily ambition. But it is such a powerful thing to kind of put your thoughts down in writing. It helps. It helps me. It sounds like it's similar to you. It helps me kind of process, you know, what's been going on, what I'm feeling, what I'm thinking.

00:17:29
Steven Schauer
so yeah, it's such a I.

00:17:38
Ramandeep Nijjar
Don't if you're going through day, you can just look back at your journal and see what another amazing day is that you've had before and then.

00:17:44
Steven Schauer
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Jeez, Louise, you've learned all this at such a young age. It took me. I was in my 30s before I realized the power of journaling. So,

00:17:53
Ramandeep Nijjar
There's a lot you've got to learn. A lot, a lot you do you.

00:17:57
Steven Schauer
But there's so much about you that I'm, I'm just thrilled to know and impressed by so, so. So you're finishing school, your grammar school, and you're getting ready to move on to university? I don't know if it's, you know, how does that work in the in the UK? do you get to me you have to apply to different universities and so, so tell me about that process, how you wound up, at the university where you are now.

00:18:24
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yes. so I was very lucky. so we did fetuses and then we did A-levels. so I currently study theology, but I, for a long period of time thought I was going to be doing veterinary just because I've always had that interest with animals. And I mean, if people say animals like, oh, become a vet. I did a placement, I think it was when I was 16 that was at a veterinary practice.

00:18:48
Ramandeep Nijjar
I loved it. It was a great few weeks, but just something didn't feel right. I was like, it's a really great experience. I can't see myself doing this every day. And then luckily, after the pandemic, I was looking for places to get work experience, and there was an outdoor conservation park near where I live where they.

00:19:07
Ramandeep Nijjar
It's like a zoo, but more for endangered animals. And, they took me on for a few weeks and that was life changing. Like the it's getting to be like like some people. It's not that, like ideal job, like feeding animal enclosures. But I guess this is to me who's so fascinated by animals going to have that unique experience of being able to be so close to them, and then also talk to members of the general public about these animals that I loved.

00:19:33
Ramandeep Nijjar
I've really enjoyed that those experiences, and I think they then met the keepers and they all told me, like their backgrounds, that they studied ecology. What a j. And for me that was all very neat. I never really thought that you could have whole degree dedicated these to these topics. So I then. Yeah. so okay, I'm going to so you see what I do because that's now my thing.

00:19:55
Ramandeep Nijjar
So you then do your A-levels and then you select five university and then you from that. If they like your personal statement, which is where you write a little bit about yourself, they will then, give you offers or not give you offers and then based on that you do your, you put like a ranking of, like, the second choice.

00:20:15
Ramandeep Nijjar
And then on results day, based on what grades you get, you hopefully get one of those first or second choices. Whereas for me, I actually went through something called clearing, which is where if you don't be a great, you then call around universities and say, okay, then have any spaces opened up. So, because what happened was I never really talk about this too much.

00:20:37
Ramandeep Nijjar
But during my final exams, one of my close friends sadly passed away.

00:20:44
Steven Schauer
Oh, no.

00:20:45
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yeah. So sorry. It's okay. Sorry. talk about it now. okay. But that meant, you try not to process it, but I because she. I caught the bus with her, like, every day. even though she wasn't in my group. Like it. Really? What? the peak of people that I caught the bus with. So I think I didn't do as well on one of my, one of my subjects that I wanted to, but in a way, it was kind of a blessing in disguise because the university that I'm at now wasn't actually on my break.

00:21:17
Ramandeep Nijjar
It was only when I was looking around for clearing. I called them and just said, hi, I'm looking for a zoology place, and they said, we've got some spaces available and we really like your personal statement, so why don't you come join us? And now I know I can't see any different because I'm so happy here at writing.

00:21:34
Ramandeep Nijjar
So yeah, everything happens for a reason.

00:21:37
Steven Schauer
Yeah, it's it's hard to see that in the, in the moment. So you know, I certainly, you know, send send you my condolences for the loss of your friend. That's it's hard at any at any age in, in that grief can certainly impact us. Right. So it makes sense that some of your, your testing didn't go as well during that time.

00:21:58
Steven Schauer
But yeah, what a what a positive outcome that you were able to make out of it by. Well I think.

00:22:02
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yeah, I think that's to me like I've always cared about mental health campaigning. Right. We'll talk more about the nature campaign too. But I think one of the like I care a lot about mental health campaigning. And I think since then it kind of spurred me on to do a lot more. yeah. Yeah. I guess because you never know what someone's going through and it's so hidden.

00:22:21
Ramandeep Nijjar
So, you know, that one conversation, that one post, that one thing might be the lifesaver will help make a difference for someone.

00:22:30
Steven Schauer
Yeah. That's great. That's a great sentiment. Great advice. Yeah. We, you know, tend to put up our masks and not let people know what's going on inside so that, you know, recognizing that, you know, everybody has something that they're dealing with on the inside and, you know, trying to live a life of empathy and compassion. that's such an important thing for me as well.

00:22:50
Steven Schauer
So, yeah.

00:22:52
Ramandeep Nijjar
And yeah, I just think, like, I'm quite an open book just because it's for me, it's too tiring to have two different personalities. But yeah, I'd say I know why people do that. Because I have to be scared of judgment or what people will think. but I just say that. Just be yourself, whatever it is. Because if you will connect with people, you will find people.

00:23:12
Ramandeep Nijjar
And it's so much easier. Like, you might not think about it initially, but for me, like now growing over the last few years, it's so much easier just to be my weird, crazy self because there are people out there that will have the same interests or connect with me at some point.

00:23:27
Steven Schauer
So yeah, yeah, that again, such wise thoughts and advice. I've got a guest coming on in a few weeks. It's, works in, in the field of, mental health and, and trying to normalize conversations around mental health issues so that people can find the support that they need in the hope that they need so they don't have to, you know, not only have whatever they're, you know, battling on the inside, but then I also have to deal with the fear of what if I tell somebody I need help, you know?

00:23:59
Steven Schauer
So that's such an important thing for me, as well as to provide people safe spaces to acknowledge they need help. And then,

00:24:07
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yeah, if you say.

00:24:16
Steven Schauer
To.

00:24:17
Ramandeep Nijjar
Them, even if you're not, you think you're in a good place or you want support, like it's not a bad thing to want that support, like it's right. because I know in my this year I university if you want to they offer like six counseling sessions. So I did that this year just because for you I, I don't know, just because I've always never done it before and I've always had a lot of imposter syndrome.

00:24:39
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I thought, well, I don't want to just stop what I'm doing. So let's actually work out why this is happening, what the roots are. And it was just a really great because for me, actually, that helped me to think about things a lot differently. And yeah, I think now I know a lot of the things that are probably sharing with you probably.

00:24:58
Ramandeep Nijjar
But what she said in the sessions. But it's really helped me. Yeah, you know that.

00:25:03
Steven Schauer
That's wonderful. I'm glad you've taken advantage of that. I am I've done therapy in my life as well, and I wouldn't be doing the show, and having conversations with strangers as well if, I didn't do some of the personal work that I needed to do and some of those inner things as well. So good for you.

00:25:21
Steven Schauer
you know, I'm really, happy to hear that, that it was a good experience and that it helped you and, great message for whoever might be listening or watching to this that, you know, help was available. You know, you don't have to do things, alone or suffer by yourself.

00:25:35
Ramandeep Nijjar
So stepping in. Yeah, even if it's not like a professional sport to seek out a friend or someone, like. Right. let's have a coffee or, like, have a conversation. I know it's really hard to start the conversation, but once you take that step, like, you know, it will really help. And yes, you will be more than happy to help you.

00:25:53
Ramandeep Nijjar
They just don't know what you're going through.

00:25:55
Steven Schauer
So yeah, that's been my experience as well, that that first step is always the hardest. But you know yeah, there's I've always found a close network of friends that are there. and then I can be there for them too, because, you know, we, we all need that support system. So that's wonderful. That's wonderful. So, tell me a little bit now.

00:26:16
Steven Schauer
So you've you've wound up at university. How far away is this your first time away from, your home and, you know, to, to move to a different part of the UK. What's the, what's the distance between you and and your, your family now?

00:26:30
Ramandeep Nijjar
yeah. So it's about two hours a day on the train. but it there's some we have some family nearby, so it's not too bad. And I think also the power of social media, like you can always stay up to date and connected. Like I'm always like on messages, like updating how my day is going, how it went.

00:26:45
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I think, yeah, it's been I think, yeah, the first it was a bit of an adjustment because obviously when you see your family every day and then moving away, I think once you have a routine, once you get things that you involved with, you find like a family away from family. And that makes sense. Like a lot of my absolute friends, I would call kind of my family a bit because just, you get really close really quickly once you have really big conversations.

00:27:09
Ramandeep Nijjar
And, I think a lot of my closest friends, I'd say like, oh, my. Cool. So I thought I was part of a hiking society. So you'd be going out on a weekend exploring new places together and the same thing that you haven't got your light devices. So you have to have meaningful conversations with one another. But yeah, a lot of conversations and the topics you talk about just being really interesting and you just get to know each other really well.

00:27:33
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I think locally as well, because we have like, like periods of time, which and so you can go back and you also you always connected. So I think it's made things a lot easier. And at least when I call them now, I've got really exciting things to talk to them about. And they also have exciting things to tell me.

00:27:53
Ramandeep Nijjar
So I'm really not good.

00:27:56
Steven Schauer
Good. So you're so zoology student and, you are involved in a lot of stuff outside of being a student. Tell me a little bit about, some of those things that you have a passion for that you're you're working on, that you're leading. You know, I know I don't want to steal your thunder. Yeah, I know you're you've, you founded some things, co-founded some things.

00:28:23
Steven Schauer
And so tell me a little bit about your, you know, journey now that you're in university and obviously paying attention to your grades and your classwork and everything, but all of this other extracurricular activity that you're doing, let me know what I had to like, because it's it's fascinating what I've seen you post on, LinkedIn and other places.

00:28:43
Steven Schauer
You're just involved in so many things.

00:28:46
Ramandeep Nijjar
yeah. So I wear a lot of different hats. you do? so I think what's being really great is, that school, we obviously have studies, but I think they were just more general. Also, they're not as specific to your passions was when you're at university and you're what you're studying is your passion. And, you're just surrounded by people that have that same energy, you for that subject that you do as well.

00:29:11
Ramandeep Nijjar
So it'd be really great to match my try and match my volunteer, role with that same passion of wanting to build those skill. So let's see if we can bring the two together. So in my first year we had, mammals lecture lecturer in our second term, and he was talking about the plight of UK mammals and he said like, oh, I'm really knowledgeable around hedgehogs and other mammals in the UK.

00:29:37
Ramandeep Nijjar
maybe we can set up a student group if anyone's keen, but I to say the same thing every year and no one's really keen. And then me, my friend, my friend and I looked at each other and said, well, you like organizing things. I've always wanted to do something, so why don't we join forces and set something up?

00:29:53
Ramandeep Nijjar
So we founded the Hedgehog Society, and, halfway through our first year, I wasn't originally planning on setting up a society because that's normally not what you do in your first year. You just join different ones. Sure. but I'm really glad that I did because we were able to set it up and we we've done so much with it, and I think it allows me to have like, find a purpose that the university and share my passion for event organizing and connecting people with events.

00:30:23
Ramandeep Nijjar
just creating lovely community. And I've always wanted to done like learn more hands on conservation skills like camera trapping, which is where you put like cameras around, mobile cameras around conference or like survey techniques. So we did something called a Footprint Journal survey, which is where you get these like cardboard tunnels. And then you put a piece of paper in an in the middle.

00:30:47
Ramandeep Nijjar
And then if an animal through the night has use the tunnel, you'll see its footprints. So you do it for a week. And then it's like an indirect way of trying to see what kind of animals might be there. So we would then see, like where are the actual hedgehogs on campus? And we're trying to help them. So it was really exciting.

00:31:02
Ramandeep Nijjar
Then when you get hedgehog prints, you're like, haha, we have found you. you're in this area. but yeah. So we, I've only we've just handed over to the new committee, but we, I, we run it for about 15 to 16 months with Nyla and we had about a team of 70 members. So I think it was my first role of such a big team.

00:32:22
Ramandeep Nijjar
How do we get all these different people engaged. And also it was really great. A lot of them aren't from zoology ecology courses, so it's like how do we still get them involved? And even though we were called the Hedgehog Society, we did a lot of broader wildlife nature events. It was just more about getting people engaged with nature, wildlife conservation things then that they might not have ever thought about before.

00:32:45
Ramandeep Nijjar
And then also so shows were also, because quite a lot, a drinker of like alcohol, like I don't drink alcohol and I'm not really a clubbing type of person, but I think sometimes at university you feel like you need to be that kind of person to socialize. And whereas with our society, we would do things like board game night, quiz night, craft night.

00:33:08
Ramandeep Nijjar
So other fun things like that. So then people that didn't find those things the most appealing, they had another safe space where they could make friends and get to know the people.

00:33:11
Steven Schauer
Yeah, wonderful.

00:33:12
Ramandeep Nijjar
But yeah, I think it's just I look back on it and it's really helped me grow my confidence because you then speak to wider university staff, different university. We connected with a lot of people like outside the university, like local environmental groups and just I think like that. I guess it just gives you that if you're representing something, you've got like a little thing to start a conversation with, like, oh, I'm representing this group.

00:33:35
Ramandeep Nijjar
Do you want to hear a little bit more about it? So after I did that, then, there was a David Attenborough series, Wild Owls. probably heard of it because. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And they then had a campaign afterwards could save our wild Owls, which was encouraging community initiatives to get involved with different things. So after that, I then looked like, what can I do?

00:34:00
Ramandeep Nijjar
Because I really like running the society, but I'm a bit more like one of the bigger picture things. So that's when I then discovered the UK campaigning group called UK for nature. So we're a team of okay youth creative campaigners and we try and make campaigning exciting and do that creative, spin offs on that to get more young people engaged with nature.

00:34:20
Ramandeep Nijjar
And then so I, then I had the introduction call with them. I think that may last year, but I then didn't properly start getting involved until after my exams. So I think it was about July, because then June to July, as you can see, I'm always doing things. I was in Croatia moving for a month where I was, based in Kirk National Park during like a month of different, taxonomic surveys with the organization Operation Wallasey.

00:34:51
Ramandeep Nijjar
And that was a really great experience because you have this, you do your course and it's all about different animals and species, but you never really get that, like seeing them in real life. So to have a whole month of being able to go with the experienced survey leaders, and I actually see these species in person and then have to survey them and watch them record them.

00:35:11
Ramandeep Nijjar
It was amazing. And then I then on that trip realized.

00:35:15
Steven Schauer
And what species are were you recording and observing what what were you thoughts?

00:35:20
Ramandeep Nijjar
So sweet. So like loads of different reptiles. We saw like different insects for the survey. Like to do with that. Crickets and grasshoppers. we got one of the big highlights was we didn't see them, but we saw palm prints of wolf tracks. Oh, and that was our first time in that area. So the group that I was with when we saw them with that survey ladies, we all had that same like, oh my goodness, this is just incredible.

00:35:46
Ramandeep Nijjar
yeah. And then of course, when they, when on the evening survey they did, they found a and did hedgehog that needed like, was dehydrated. And of course they then called me and then I, it's very that like, found that they dated hedgehog. So then me and then to the people from the mammal team, then they placed it into a plastic box and we then gave it some water, and then it meant that we could then eventually release it.

00:36:13
Ramandeep Nijjar
But there was just. Yeah. it's a really great experience because normally people come for like one week, two weeks, but, I went for a month because in my, I think it was when I was 16 or 17, they were organizing at my school like a charity trip to Nepal, but obviously Covid hit. So that all got canceled.

00:36:32
Ramandeep Nijjar
So I'd fundraised all this money to take me on this trip, but I couldn't then spend it because it got canceled. So I always had that money ready to go. And then as soon as I saw this, I thought, well, why not use it to help me get that, survey experience? Because I thought all that effort and trying to fundraise it.

00:36:51
Ramandeep Nijjar
So, first two weeks, you then get put for like on the different survey data, you get a voter. So you then told which survey you can get involved with. And then often there's optional survey. So if you want to get a bit more experience, you can just sign up to those. So I basically did as much as I could just because I thought I'm here, I might be completely exhausted, but let's just make the most of it.

00:37:13
Ramandeep Nijjar
And then after that, you because I was in for another two weeks after we could take a move, a leadership role. So when new team, new people were coming to the beach, we then show them around, tell them how things work. We also had quite a few, high school students come, so I was able to then with a friend, give a guest lecture on the importance of the work we were doing at the base.

00:37:33
Ramandeep Nijjar
Like what? How it contributes to the science and things like that. So that was really exciting because I'd not really done a lecture before like of that scale or that those topics. So to be able to say like, oh, I've jointly given a lecture, with a really nice experience, and then to also think of activities to get them involved.

00:37:53
Ramandeep Nijjar
So we then had a specific team that we had to join for the final two weeks. So I chose the birthdays just because I really found on that trip that for some reason the birds just captivated me. Like even though it's very early morning starts because we'd have to go before like the dawn chorus, which is like normally quite early, like 4 or 5:00 starts in the morning.

00:38:11
Ramandeep Nijjar
Sure. but just to see the sunrise and like in the early morning for me was just pure magic. And I didn't mind the early start. So. Yeah. So that then naturally after that trip thinking, oh, I still want to do something with birds, what's, what's out there? And then that discovered how we discovered the British Trust for an apology, was recruiting new members for the youth team.

00:38:33
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I thought, well, yeah, I have a thing for bird, so let's just see where it goes. I'm not as much knowledgeable as probably people in the youth team would be, but. But angel bird watching that I. But you have to start somewhere. So I did the application process on an interview and then I ended up joining.

00:38:50
Ramandeep Nijjar
So then in the first appeared in a few days in September, then got to go along to the annual get together and meet a lot of the team. And since then, I'm still part of that team. And now, burning a few birding events for people in different areas. getting to lead it and lead them to get give them a safe space for them to learn about bird watching with another group, young people, and then with them.

00:39:14
Ramandeep Nijjar
It seems to be really exciting. So I really care about like equity, diversity, inclusion. So I now lead the working group, focus on that, and we now work with wider staff and different things. So that's been really great. So for example, we did a workshop on International Women's Day in March, and we've now just launched a women's network for BTO.

00:39:33
Ramandeep Nijjar
We had the first, meeting this week.

00:39:37
Steven Schauer
So what is BTO?

00:39:39
Ramandeep Nijjar
So that's the British Trust for ornithology.

00:39:42
Steven Schauer
Okay.

00:39:43
Ramandeep Nijjar
So yeah, I know I do a lot of things, so.

00:39:45
Steven Schauer
I guess yeah I know, yeah, yeah, that's the one I want to make sure that everybody understands what you what you're what you're chatting about. So you. So, continue. I just want to make sure we understood there was no, no no problem.

00:39:57
Ramandeep Nijjar
yeah. You're doing great. You did great. But yeah. So that's really, really great. And then with that as well, they did. They we've partnered with other organizations for in I think it was February. They did a Youth and Nature summit, which is where it was like a conference, but just for young people. and that was really great because like, the first day was all around, giving young people the skills that they needed to do.

00:40:20
Ramandeep Nijjar
So we, then was able to run a session with a friend, shyness, where we did something on youth campaigning and how encouraging young people like how they can use their voice to make a positive difference. And then the second day was.

00:40:32
Steven Schauer
It's like campaigning for ta ta for voting or getting people engaged in.

00:40:36
Ramandeep Nijjar
Anything.

00:40:37
Steven Schauer
I think any, any type of advocacy work.

00:40:39
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yeah. So any nature, climate, anything. I think it's more just trying to show the array of things that can be, sure. And voters come in expecting when people I say campaigning, they say like, oh, you have to write to me. Signing up protection. attend a protest. That's what campaigning is, which are all parts of campaigning.

00:40:58
Ramandeep Nijjar
But you can also write a song, you can write a social media post, you can write a poem, you can have a conversation with someone, you can draw a picture. You can, organize an event, just getting people together. You can go to your local cafe and just say, can I have a can we organize a session where we just get people to come together to discuss a certain topic that all forms of campaigning, so this great, very broad things that can be so like for example, one when we're campaigning might be filmmaking.

00:41:28
Ramandeep Nijjar
So that was also what we worked on in, some of the creation of a project for Young Voices for nature, where they got 200 young people across the UK, and we made, I think, collected them together about nature and what it means to us and, encouraging other young people like what our journeys were so they could then see that and then realize, like they can also take the step of doing something.

00:41:50
Ramandeep Nijjar
So we had people that, like, set up a community garden or take pictures of plants or, yeah, just I think it was just I really love being part of bigger movements or bigger things because you feel like that. Like often you can feel like, oh, I don't have the right skills for this, but if you join with a team of other people, then someone eventually in that team will have that skill that you need, and then together you can achieve something that's bigger and better.

00:42:18
Ramandeep Nijjar
And yeah, amazing, right?

00:42:22
Steven Schauer
So you said the film was Young Voices for nature. Did I get that correct? Correct. So is that available to be seen? Yeah. Can we post that as part of the show notes for people to see.

00:42:32
Ramandeep Nijjar
So it's on YouTube. So I'll share the link with you. So it's about a, it's a 20 minute, short film, but it's all it was made by young people for young people. So there was wonderful staff from RSPB. So that's a Royal Society protection for birds in the UK. WWF in the UK and the National Trust and.

00:42:53
Steven Schauer
The World Wildlife Foundation for for folks who may not know.

00:42:57
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yeah, there's a lot of good. Yeah. And then the National Trust in the UK and then there was a creative agency called World Pencil. So therefore staff teams basically came together to then be able to facilitate it, because often we'd have it was all done on zoom, but we'd have about 40 young people who all got that energy and got these ideas going off, but they don't know where to put it or how to structure it.

00:43:21
Ramandeep Nijjar
So that's why those staff came in to then moderate it, to make sure we stayed on track to actually be able to, bring the film together. But I think it was really nice because they never said something was a bad idea or not a good idea. This is more like, how can we adapt as many of these ideas together to have all of your visions, your ideas together, to make something special?

00:43:46
Steven Schauer
So I can't wait to see it. Looking forward to watching.

00:46:48
Ramandeep Nijjar
It's been, for me. It was really great as well, just to find like young people who were, wanting to use their voice. to make a difference. So since then, like 12 of us from that film project are now working on a new project, which is a unique podcast because we found each other through, that project.

00:47:06
Ramandeep Nijjar
And we were first and originally a bit worried, like, how will we actually get funding to actually make this happen? And then in April, another organization in the UK called The Woodlands Trust, they have a competition which is called Igniting Innovation, where they any young people have got any sort of like startup projects that they need funding for.

00:47:25
Ramandeep Nijjar
You can apply and you can enter this competition. And then in April, the final shorts selected for you will then pitch their ideas to a few of their judges. And then it's like a it's kind of like Dragon's Den. You're like, can we have this money? This is what we bring. Like please, please, let's. Yeah.

00:47:43
Steven Schauer
I think it's a similar show called Shark Tank. And in the, in the, in the US, I think where you're pitching your ideas to some folks who will, you know, support you or not support you depending on your progress.

00:47:55
Ramandeep Nijjar
Because it was a pot of money and there were six groups we all knew that we were going to get some funding, but something what was the level of funding? and then and then they also they pay you up with a mentor. So we, they were really sweet, actually. We were all very nervous, like, oh, we've got a little cute cause, like, how are we going to approach this together?

00:48:26
Ramandeep Nijjar
What do you all like when we all have that same vision or same professional, same direction? We want to go? And I think it just came out. And then in the end, we know from the what, 4,000 pounds funding and we've now just launched our website. So if you are interested I can share that with us. But that's more.

00:48:42
Steven Schauer
Yes please do.

00:48:44
Ramandeep Nijjar
Yeah, yeah. So we are youth storytelling for podcast about nature, but what we're really keen on is just to we know a lot of young people and a lot of us are on this journey. So we when I podcast, hopefully we'll couple people on that journey so that they're not established people. But how can people see them on that journey at the start of it?

00:49:03
Ramandeep Nijjar
And all of them have different interests. And also a lot of young people might, have the idea that you have to be fully into nature to care about it. What is that? You don't need to just be something when you walk to school or something. That's a side hobby. Like we need everyone to do that small part to make the difference for nature and planet beauty.

00:49:26
Steven Schauer
Absolutely, absolutely. Well, that is an amazing amount of work that you've done in two years. This Earth's, you know, somewhere around 18 months to 24 months. That is phenomenal. you know, I talk to the folks, you know, you know, much older than you that probably don't have a CV as that leg. These so far, so, really incredible.

00:49:51
Steven Schauer
I can't wait to support your podcast when you get it up and running and, and listen to it and like it and follow it. Make sure you're getting that support as well and encourage everybody to maybe listening to this podcast, to do the same thing.

00:50:04
Ramandeep Nijjar
you need to.

00:50:04
Steven Schauer
Support young people.

00:50:06
Ramandeep Nijjar
Like me. I'm part of a team of like, other young people. And I think that's what's really great is all of us astronomy highway in the sector, we all support one another. So if anyone sees an opportunity, we'll share it. We'll, I think that's what I will with family. lovely is because I with anything I do, I always want to share it with other people or share opportunities with other people because, often people say like, why do you do that?

00:51:29
Ramandeep Nijjar
You don't want to just keep the opportunity to yourself. And I said, but why not? If there's someone out there that could be perfect for that opportunity, like, right. Why I share it? Because like, not every opportunity might not be right for me, but there might be someone that I'm connected with that it's perfect for. And then they can then put an application in and then maybe get that opportunity.

00:51:48
Ramandeep Nijjar
So why not share?

00:51:51
Steven Schauer
That's such a healthy and beautiful way of of thinking about, you know, how to live your life, you know, connecting other people to opportunities because your opportunities are going to come to you and they might, you know, find something that, is better for you as well. So what a what a smart way.

00:52:08
Ramandeep Nijjar
And, and I think that's also a.

00:52:09
Steven Schauer
Healthy way of.

00:52:09
Ramandeep Nijjar
Looking at music. Obviously, I'm saying like a lot of smaller projects, but I think when I can. Yeah, if you do one thing, someone might lead you into the direction of the next thing. And being open to that, I guess, is really, really helped me with a lot of the things that I do and just keeping people that keep me connected with people just, I guess, being open to what's out there.

00:52:30
Ramandeep Nijjar
Because often people don't know about all these things happening, but all you have to do is look a little bit and you never know that. That's the advantage of the internet. The possibilities are endless. And even like I'm obviously telling you about the projects I've got successful, there's a long list of ones, a long list of opportunities that have not been successful.

00:52:48
Ramandeep Nijjar
But I think it's just knowing that you can give it a go, put the application in, and even though it's hard, if you get rejected like it might not be the right opportunity for you and something else will come your way. And I'm still learning this just because every time I put an application is I feel really passionate.

00:53:04
Ramandeep Nijjar
I'm like, oh, this would be amazing to be a part of and I really care so much. But I think it's taking a step back and knowing it's okay if it doesn't happen, because I've seen it before. That the right thing will hopefully come along when it is.

00:53:18
Steven Schauer
Absolutely. That is, try and putting yourself out there that opened those those doors at the right time. So Ramandeep what is as we're kind of getting, you know, towards towards the end here of the conversation, what's your call to action? What would you, you know, want folks who are listening to this or watching this, what would you want them to do?

00:53:40
Steven Schauer
How do they how can they support you or the different activities you're in? Or what would you suggest that they they do? So I'd love to hear your thoughts, about what people can, can do to get engaged or get involved or be supportive of of the many things that you're, so passionate about.

00:53:55
Ramandeep Nijjar
Definitely. So I'd say, firstly, if you want to get connected with me, you can you can share my LinkedIn. And that's probably the best place to get connected with me. I'd say for any of the organizations, you could just look them up on, on the internet, or we can share links to them. I know a lot of my UK focus, but I'd say wherever you are, there's probably whatever you want to do.

00:54:19
Ramandeep Nijjar
There's like, lot of opportunities. So just keep an eye out for them, look out for them. And then I guess, also, don't be afraid to put yourself out there because often people are afraid to ask the questions all sorts of something. But you never know where it might lead you to. So safe as a community garden group or, I don't know, a beginner birdwatching group, and you're like, oh, I don't know what it would be like.

00:54:42
Ramandeep Nijjar
Just please take this step because once you're in and once you find someone like, you never know what the benefits will be. And I guess also a lot of people get overwhelmed with the nature and the client process. And really, I think it's too big to do anything. But if we all do a small thing, like whatever it might be, whether it's talk to someone sharing an article, as I said before, like reading a book or writing a poem like some small action, if we all do it collectively will make a big impact.

00:55:14
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I guess just so if you know any young people like encouraging them to use their voice, just because I speak to a lot of young people and they, they have a lot of ideas, but they don't have the confidence. So I think maybe backing them and knowing that they have the support and they don't need to have everything figured out, like it's okay for them to not know, like I'm talking a lot about things, but I'm still always learning.

00:55:38
Ramandeep Nijjar
And we've all been kind enough to invite me on your podcast to actually share my thoughts. I think just giving young people that support because I think as soon as people feel find that confidence within themselves, that that self-esteem, that the world is that voice, they're like, who knows where they might go? They might then spread that, confidence with other people.

00:55:57
Ramandeep Nijjar
Like, that's what I do in a lot of my things. Like I'm really passionate. So I think of like, how can I use my spaces that I'm in to help create more opportunities for more young people to do that? So then they continue to then share it with other people. And I think just also knowing that there is like we were saying about this before, like there is hope and there was always a way forward and positive reference.

00:56:21
Ramandeep Nijjar
And if you feel like you're alone in being somewhere, like in a certain way, you know, there's so many online communities out there, like, for example, where you're all the way in America, I'm in the UK, but we both have that same passion for wanting to bring positive change, care a lot about sustainability and empowerment, and we connected through a virtual alliance.

00:56:43
Ramandeep Nijjar
So with social media that obviously there were some negatives. But I think also like you can connect with such incredible people. So yes, I guess, yeah, look out for those alliances, those networks, those opportunities and who knows who you might find or what opportunity might be out there for you.

00:57:03
Steven Schauer
Well, that's a that's a great list of things. Can the folks can do a definitely I'll talk with you offline cause I do want to get all the links to the organizations that you talked about, so we can share those in the show notes. And, you know, the, the connection and taking that step, all of that is, is, hard to do sometimes to get that first step.

00:57:23
Steven Schauer
But it's so important to do it, like you said. And and he touched on hope a little bit. And, and the importance of, of holding on to, to hope. And that's how I'm ending every podcast episode is, is talking with the guests about hope. hope is this idea that we can envision a better future and that we can do something to get there.

00:57:43
Steven Schauer
It's not that it won't be difficult and that we won't have, you know, setbacks and challenges, but there's a thought of a better future and a feeling of agency that I can do something to get to that better future. So I want to ask you a little bit about what makes you hopeful. and so I'm going to throw three questions at you.

00:58:03
Steven Schauer
And, just kind of give me your answers. This isn't, you know, kind of a rapid response, kind of question. And I look forward to hearing what your what your thoughts are. So the first question is, what is your vision for a better future? And it can be for you personally, professionally or for the world. Like what?

00:58:25
Steven Schauer
What are you hopeful for? What's your vision for a better future?

00:58:29
Ramandeep Nijjar
well, it's a big question. I think I want my vision would be people to kind of, just because I think people often you see in the news, there's so much negativity and hate, but we don't need that in this world. But we need more kindness, love, support. and even if it's just a simple conversation or just a simple smile that you never know where it could lead to.

00:58:54
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I think just. Yeah, I think just we need more positivity. So I'd say encourage you where you can to be that positive person. And you never know, that person might see you maybe having a really bad day and they just need a little pick me up and then they see you being really happy. And then, it spreads that joy to them.

00:59:11
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I think just. Yeah, I guess, often I found, like a lot of people, you see, not people want to, there's a lot of division or people think like they're always competing with one another. Whereas I don't know why we do that where everyone can if we're like, I get it in like the corporate world. And then often, like with how fast paced, you know, everything.

00:59:30
Ramandeep Nijjar
Everyone always seems to think that they need to do better than everyone. But I think together, I've seen if you're part of a bigger picture or a bigger difference, we can all make a big change together. And if you find those communities as teams, you can all strive together. So I guess connecting with other people and just sharing whatever skills or activity you have because someone will benefit from them that, you know, like be found with a lot of alliances, like when you found that thing that you're really interested in, there'll be someone out there that would benefit from you sharing that, and then they might share their expertise with you.

01:00:05
Ramandeep Nijjar
And then together you're both benefiting and both growing. So I guess sharing more. Yeah. Just yeah. Guessing. Yeah. Maybe being more kind. And then also I guess also I guess sharing the narrative is also sometimes okay to take a slow day or take a breather because I know I'm not as good as that. But I think when you do take these moments just to actually step back and enjoy life, that you can actually appreciate a lot more like the things that you have.

01:00:34
Ramandeep Nijjar
And yeah, just just be grateful for what life can offer you. I guess we always, when you're in that fast pace all the time, you don't often, sometimes take time to actually realize all the amazing things that you're doing or that you have. I guess.

01:00:49
Steven Schauer
Yeah. So I think you answered the second question already, but I'll I'll put it out there just to see if there's anything else you want to add. So you have a vision, for a future where there's people that are more kind and more loving and, and, taking time to enjoy and appreciate and be grateful for, for life and helpful to each other.

01:01:13
Steven Schauer
the. Why is that your vision? I think they said. I think you already answered that, but is there anything else you'd like to say? around.

01:01:19
Ramandeep Nijjar
I think just because, if people find that complex within themselves, it doesn't just help them. It helps everyone around them, because then they're more likely to then want to share what they can with the world. And I think I, I've, I've seen it with the change make the lens of other communities and part of like it's infectious.

01:01:37
Ramandeep Nijjar
Like you just feel so much more motivation and more inspiration when someone's just so kind or sharing like something that just, set that fire within them and you just it's contagious. Like, whenever I like, I love something like Ted talks, which are, like, talks from when they're like, short 10 to 20 minute talks. Yeah, experts. And when you just see someone, that's where they're meant to be and they're like sharing that those passions, those insights for the world, you just I don't know, it just there's something within you and you just feel like, oh, I can achieve anything that I want to do.

01:02:08
Ramandeep Nijjar
And I think more people need to feel that feeling because as you say, it's not going to be easy. Like if you want to chase your goals to, chase your dreams, but who knows what you can achieve if you just set on that journey for going after them. Or as often people don't start that journey. And we're not saying it will be easy, but who knows what's on the other side if you don't actually take the step, right?

01:02:30
Ramandeep Nijjar
Go for it. Right?

01:02:33
Steven Schauer
So last question. imagine your future vision is a reality that the world is a nicer, kinder place and and there's less hatred and division, and we're cooperating together and, trying to make the world a better place. So your your vision is real. It's happened. How do you feel? What's what's your feeling now?

01:02:58
Ramandeep Nijjar
I guess, like, happy, to say it's come true, and I just, I don't know, I just think. Yeah, I just see what you see. Pockets of that. It's just. Yeah, it makes you happy and it makes the world more positive. and I guess. Yeah. Just uplifted and, Yeah. Just the thing, just. I don't know how to describe.

01:03:20
Ramandeep Nijjar
I just feel that you have that really nice fuzzy feeling that everyone always really likes and just feel warm, and you just probably feel really content. And. Yeah, I think it's just, a really lovely feeling when people are just really like. I've had it when I've been TPU environment and it's just been the atmosphere been really loving.

01:03:39
Ramandeep Nijjar
And you, even after the event or the day after, you probably still have that same like uplifting, positive energy from that event. Because that atmosphere, that energy just kind of stayed with you throughout. Yeah.

01:03:53
Steven Schauer
Well, Ramandeep, thank you so much for your time today. it's been a real joy for me to get to, to know you and to be with you in that warm, fuzzy feeling you're describing. I'm kind of feeling it right now. I fed off of your positive energy and. And just your enthusiasm for everything that you're doing and the life that you're leading and I'm really, really grateful for the opportunity to have, talked with you today.

01:04:20
Steven Schauer
So thank you for your time. And, I look forward to sharing your journey and, you know, helping promote all the things that you're working on. So, so.

01:04:29
Ramandeep Nijjar
So I'm.

01:04:29
Steven Schauer
Very I'll leave you with the last word.

01:04:31
Ramandeep Nijjar
Grateful as well for you letting me speak on your podcast and yeah, just getting to share my thoughts and many thoughts and, experiences with you. And yeah, I have the same feeling to, just to. Yeah. Getting to speak to 1 to 1 and with you it's been really like, positive and really uplifting. So thank you again for letting me be on your podcast.

01:04:56
Steven Schauer
All right. Well, cheers and best wishes. for everything that you're, you have in front of you, it's, sounds like you've got a great adventure that you're on. So thank you again. And I look forward to, staying in touch with you as as you unfold your journey. So thank you. And and we'll talk later. Goodbye.

01:04:57
Steven Schauer
Thank you for joining me for this special encore of Stories Sustain Us. Revisiting the conversation with Ramandeep Najjar reminds me of the incredible potential young voices have to drive change and inspire hope. Her dedication to nature conservation and her passion for empowering others are a testament to the impact we can all have when we believe in ourselves and support one another. If Ramandeep's story resonated with you,

Please explore ways to get involved in your community or support youth led initiatives. And don't forget, you can revisit this and all the past episodes of Stories Sustain Us anytime to keep the inspiration flowing. You can also subscribe, rate and review Stories Sustain Us on your favorite podcast platform if you enjoyed the episode. And if you feel so moved by the episode, please share it with someone who might be inspired by Ramandeep's incredible journey. I appreciate all your support.

Stay tuned for more highlights from season one as we celebrate the stories that sustain us this holiday season. Coming up on December 10th, don't miss an incredible episode featuring an aquatic biologist who shares the fascinating story of one of the largest and most successful urban riverine ecosystem restoration projects in the United States. You'll also hear about the remarkable reintroduction of native mussel species into the river, a true triumph for conservation and biodiversity.

As always, this episode will be available at storiessustainus.com, wherever you listen to podcasts, and on YouTube. And don't forget, season two of Stories Sustain Us launches in January with brand new stories to inspire and ignite action. Until next time, I'm Steven Schauer. Please take care of yourself and each other. Take care.