30 Under 30
One Week to go until Gef’s 30 Under 30
Gef’s 30 Under 30 wants to shake off that age-old myth that the Isle of Man is boring and has nothing to offer young people but the Laxey Wheel and a long, slow march to death.
The nominations have been sent. (We know). The judging has been done. (We KNOW) The winners have been revealed. (WE KNOW) I KNOW YOU KNOW. I KNOW YOU KNOW, ALRIGHT. I’M DOING IT TO BUILD SUSPENSE. Right. Let’s start again because you RUINED IT. I’m sorry for shouting. The nomina- forget it. I’ll just get to the main point.
There’s just one week – SEVEN DAYS – to go until Gef’s 30 Under 30 WINNER’S PARTY. *Rapturous applause* There will be a waterfall – like what Gringotts Bank has in Harry Potter where it detects anyone in disguise – in place outside the venue to catch any losers trying to sneak in. LOSERS BE WARNED. I’m just kidding. There are no real losers because everyone who was nominated is a winner just for being nominated. But the waterfall will be there.
The metaphorical red carpet (we ran out of money) is being rolled out for the island’s shining stars of tomorrow – the future leaders, the incredible innovators, the dynamic disruptors of society. It’s a night for getting tipsy on booze and/or good vibes and basking in the beaming glow of the bright sparks who have won Gef’s 30 Under 30.
After meeting most of them during the interview stage of the campaign, I can confirm that, on top of being incredibly intelligent and successful in their various fields at such a young age, they’re also all gorgeously lovely people with fashion sense to boot. Sickening isn’t it? I know they’re all impressive but being nice on top of that is just taking the p*ss.
These winners are doing wonders in the community. Some are saving the planet, others are acting as role models to inspire minority groups into industries where there aren’t many people of colour, and some are using their innovative brains to bring a new nightlife to the Isle of Man. My main achievement of late was getting up before 2pm on a Saturday.
If you’re new here, welcome! Let me tell about Gef’s 30 Under 30. It wasn’t a request. Sit back down and LET ME tell you about Gef’s 30 Under 30. It’s a campaign that recognises and celebrates our island’s exceptional young people over ten different categories; Achievement, Collaboration, Community Impact, Creativity, Disruptors, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Leadership, Sustainability and Trailblazers.
Each category has three wonderful winners under the age of 30 – DID WE MENTION HOW YOUNG AND IMPRESSIVE THEY ARE *starts sobbing* – decided on by our brilliant panel of judges. The sheer number of exceptional nominations sent in this year made the judges job very difficult. One ended up having a mental breakdown. I hope you’re happy.
Apart from giving these impressive youngsters a platform on which to shine – in the sweaty sense of the word, the spotlights are very big and hot – the campaign also aims to highlight the Isle of Man as a vibrant place for impressive young people to live, work, stay on, or return to. It wants to shake off that age-old myth that the Isle of Man is boring and has nothing to offer young people but the Laxey Wheel and a long, slow march to death.
Not to toot our own horn but because last year was such a roaring success, the team at Media Isle of Man and Gef have grown the campaign and programme of events behind Gef’s 30 Under 30 to be bigger and better than EVER BEFORE. It’s going to knock your socks off. What do you mean you don’t wear socks? Put some socks on you loafer-wearing hipster.
Then after the winner’s party we all go home, some with awards, others with new friends, and a couple with comparison complexes and something to talk to their therapist about, satiated with a wonderful night of success until next year’s campaign. NOT ON GEF’S WATCH. THIS BAD BOY GOES ALLLLLL YEAR ROUND SO GET COMFORTABLE.
The campaign has an increased number of opportunities for partners and winners to connect, engage, stop, collaborate, and listen. Throughout the year, Gef’s 30 Under 30 will be putting on mixers, activities in the community, and discussion-based events, all designed to drive solutions to challenges navigated by youth on the Isle of Man. All accompanied by EVEN MORE media and digital coverage of the winners stories, we’re going full on 90s paparazzi style here, at www.gef.im.
I would say I’ll see you there but last year I was caught trying to get into the party by the loser-catching waterfall and was forced to spend the night sat outside crying, making the guests uncomfortable.
