Reflecting on my natural voice: Youth Exchange 2025
James Whitehurst tells us how attending the Youth Exchange event organised by Erasmus+ this July helped him to reflect on his internal thoughts and feelings about stammering.
This year's Erasmus+ Youth Exchange brought together young people who stammer from across Europe for a week of activities, social events and fun! Throughout the week-long event we took part in a wide range of workshops, from sport-related ones to more introspective, therapeutic workshops, such as talking circles.
Every year, STAMMA funds a 'Team GB' to attend the Youth Exchange, which this year included me, Wajid, Olga and Liss, along with our team leader Catherine. As the theme of this year's event was 'Natural Voice', we were asked to think about our own natural stammering voice, to embrace it and let it out.
End of day reflections
At the end of each day, we spent 10 minutes reflecting on our feelings. I'll take you through my reflections by answering two questions: 'How did I feel?' and 'What have I learnt today and how will I embrace these learnings moving forward?'
Day 1: The beginning
Feeling refreshed, today I started to open myself up to others — especially in the natural voice workshop. It's easy to say 'just be open,' but being open with people I haven't met is a totally different challenge.
Learnings: we all have similar feelings and fears about making friends and being involved. It is okay to feel like this. Moving forward, I would like to be more open about my feelings with others — no matter how it comes out. To be free to accept myself and my speech.
Day 2: Getting into it
Today was about embracing the workshops and the awkwardness that some may bring. Not knowing exactly what to do, but learning that that's okay.
Learnings: the stress and success of building the team through workshops. This is not stammering — this is a normal feeling.
Day 3: Swimming in nature
For me, today was about enjoying the friends we've made over the first few days of the camp. Enjoying the sun, working in the forest nearby. Using the pool on the campsite to have fun and play games.
Learning: talking and taking up that space to talk is rewarding. No one cares about the stammer; it just takes time to realise this. Continuing to understand that it takes time to feel free to talk openly. This is okay! It's my space and time to talk. To take up that space freely.
Day 5: High on the feeling
I feel at peace with myself — I'm taking up space to speak in the 'talking circles' activity. Not speaking is more awkward than speaking. Grounding myself in the space, being in the moment and being 'free' to speak, however it comes out.
The main thing I took from this experience was that it's okay to feel different and to stammer...
Learning: the majority of people want to listen. We all know there are some ignorant fools in this world, but that's not for me to think about or be embarrassed about my stammer. That's their foolishness. Own how you talk — easier said than done, I know!
Day 7: The end
It's been a rollercoaster of a week — very emotional but never sad. Just learning to see me and not me with a stammer — getting past repressed feelings and putting on a confident 'front'. I know I am becoming comfortable in myself and will be better because of it. Being free to be emotional allows me to be raw and totally honest — opening up to be my authentic self.
Learning: I have always thought that it is okay to stammer and speak naturally, and I will always fight for this. It doesn't reduce the internal anxiety and the feeling I sometimes have that no one wants to listen to someone who can't speak fluently. This is something that I need to continually work on, but this event has shown me that others do want to listen and that all voices matter!
What has changed?
When I think about how the Youth Exchange has influenced me over the months since, I would say that it's an ongoing process. I hope that one day we can all be comfortable in how we speak. I feel that there are 'good' days and 'bad' days, but I fear that this representation of my feelings is overly simple.
Before going on the Youth Exchange, I would overthink constantly about how encounters and interactions went and what I would change about them, knowing full well that I couldn't change them. A feeling still remains when talking to new people that I don't know if what I'm saying is right or good enough, but I think I've learned that it's okay to feel like this.
The main thing I took from this experience was that it's okay to feel different and to stammer, and that others want to listen to those who stammer, in the most part. Some people just don't understand but mostly that's not malicious, it's a lack of awareness and that's okay. I continue to try and affirm my feelings and the raw emotions I felt during the Youth Exchange for good in myself. Like everything, it's an ongoing process that will never end… And that's okay!
If you would like to attend the 2026 Youth Exchange, we'll be accepting applications from early next year, so keep your eyes peeled on this website. Be the first to know: become a STAMMA member for free or sign up to our mailing list.
Funding for young people to attend the Youth Exchange is made possible thanks to legacy donations left by our members. If you would like to see how you can leave a gift to STAMMA in your will.
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