Young Social Impact Heroes: How Seraphina Malina-Derben of ‘Seraphina Speaks’ Is Helping To Make A Difference In Our World
By: Penny Bauder
Tags: Social Impact

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

You’re welcome — thank you for inviting me to take part!

Well, I guess the first thing to know about me is that I’m a triplet with my two brothers, Montgomery and Horatio but we’re part of a much bigger family. I have seven other older siblings, and people often ask what’s that like, and it’s a lot of fun! We’re all doing different things, and doing things we love, with mummy leading the way. It gets busy but we have a great team family spirit where we all help each other, share ideas and contribute to our home.

My mummy is a leadership thought-leader and podcaster, and it was seeing her doing her own podcast that got me thinking ‘I can do that too!’. Her podcast is different from mine, but it was what inspired me to start.

I live in the countryside in the UK, surrounded by fields and vineyards — it’s really lovely, and we’re also only fifteen minutes from the seaside, so I have lots of places to explore, find ideas and think about what I want to talk about and challenge. Going on walks in nature with my miniature Dachshund, Dickie, is one of my favourite activities.

You are currently leading an organization that aims to make a social impact. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?

My podcast is about challenging some of the fixed ideas we have about who can ask the questions and who we can or can’t listen to. One thing everyone says is that we need deep thinkers and leaders in the world, and I thought, well, why not kids my age? Why not me?

We need change to save our planet, we need to stop racism, and we need to see that everyone has a voice and to feel seen. We keep listening to the same people, but we do not see the changes we need.

So, why not listen to someone else? Why not listen to kids? We are leaders. We think differently. Let us lead!

That’s the change I want to make with my podcast. I want to have a voice and encourage others to have a voice too, and I want others to listen and ask the important questions — no matter how old they are.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?

I started to think about my podcast when I was six. My mummy has a podcast, and she interviews politicians, authors, leaders — all kinds of big people talking about things, and I used to sit in and listen. I learned to be really quiet when she was interviewing these important people.

And that’s when I thought, I think about these things too, and there are lots of questions and thoughts I have about different topics, so I said to my mummy that this is what I want to do.

Maybe some people think that’s too young, or I am too young, but that’s the whole point of why I wanted to do this. Why do we have to wait to be older to be listened to? I have thoughts and ideas, and I want to explore them and talk with others about them. I don’t just want to sit and listen to things; I want to be a part of the conversation. And I’m learning I can start new conversation too.

Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?

Well, I’m seven! And that’s the good thing when you’re seven, you get motivated to do things, and you just do them. I just kept telling mummy I wanted to do this, and she said, okay then, let’s do it!

Many young people don’t know the steps to take to start a new organization. But you did. What are some of the things or steps you took to get your project started?

I was lucky that my mummy is a podcaster, so she knew how to guide and support me, but it was me who made the ask, and I think that’s the first and biggest step. Once you know what you want to do, you have to make the ask. My ask was, can I start my own podcast, and the answer was yes!

Then I had to think about getting people on board — who did I need to support me? My mummy but she’s busy so who else could help me get set-up. Next, I made a plan about what I wanted to talk about and figure out what is important to me.

When I felt ready to start, I had to get the right equipment which was pretty easy again because mummy had everything I needed! And then I’ve just been taking it each episode at a time, staying focused on why I wanted to do this to start with and what the mission on my podcast is.

So, make the ask, get support, get organised, find the right resources and then get started!

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?

I have two I want to mention. The first was hearing that Johnie Boden of Boden clothes listened to my podcast. That made me happy because he runs a big company and has a lot of power to change things.

And the second is when I interviewed George Floyd’s uncle, Selwyn Jones in an episode about Racism and How to Stop It. This was the first time I interviewed someone on the podcast, and it meant a lot that it was about something we have all been thinking about more this year. It was a conversation I wanted to have, and it felt right to use my podcast to give someone else like Selwyn a platform and chance to talk about his work.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson or take away you learned from that?

Well, you will laugh at this because it is so silly, but one time when we recorded a new episode, we forgot to actually record it!

So I was just talking away to myself, and nothing got recorded, and we didn’t realise until I finished talking! It was annoying at the time because I had to do it all again and I couldn’t really remember what I had said. But it was a good lesson always to be patient and make sure you have set everything up correctly — and that you press record!

None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?

I’ve mentioned that my mummy is a big influence because of all her work and mostly her podcast — School for Mothers — which has really helped me to be confident in asking big questions. Mummy has been a great mentor too because she knows all about podcasts. Like, when I wanted to interview Selwyn Jones, mummy helped me work out what questions to ask and helped me to do the actual interview because I wasn’t sure how to do it yet, but I learned a lot from doing that with her.

In terms of cheerleaders, I have my brothers! And all my siblings really who support me and cheer me on. They all help me think of new ideas too. It’s safe to say we’re a deep thinking family!

Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?

I don’t really know of one particular individual, but I get lots of letters from listeners and especially from schools because there are whole schools who have subscribed to the podcast and who listen each week and that’s a really good feeling.

I wanted the podcast to be a starting point for all the conversations people my age get told they don’t need to talk about or don’t need to worry about. I also want to challenge some of the ways we think about who should have certain conversations. Not just age but whether you’re a boy or girl too. Which is why I did my episode called farts — that one’s been really popular! I get lots of letters about that one.

Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?

That’s easy:

Listen to young people — help them to have a voice! Accept that young people are leaders too, and we have big ideas about how things can be better. Invite more young people to be part of the big conversations in your community. Have youth forums, go to schools and ask questions, and listen to what we have to say.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.

JUST START — sometimes we try to make something perfect right from the beginning. We want to look like we are already experts, but we can’t know what we don’t know. I found that just starting my podcast showed me how to do it. I put off starting because I was worried I wouldn’t be good at it, but people tell me that’s not true so I could have started earlier. Be 100% YOU — I get more listeners when I’m completely myself rather than trying to be a “podcaster”. Who wants to listen to a po-faced presenter reading out a script? I don’t but for a little while, I thought that’s what I had to do. Now I deliver episodes with pure Seraphina OOMPH, and every day thousands of listeners from all over the globe become listeners because my voice is the best voice. Share what you CARE about — Not what you think your audience will want but what’s right to you! It’s tricky trying to be liked, isn’t it?! When I thought up the episode on farts I thought it might be a problem but luckily listeners love it. This is probably because it’s something we can all relate to! It’s okay to make a mistake — Remember messing up is okay and can be fun. I mess up all the time — like when I say words wrong. Truth is I have only one front tooth at the moment and a lot of my baby teeth are coming out so pronouncing some words is difficult. It’s a bit of a challenge when a podcast host can’t say the word subscribe, but I’m learning to get over perfection and just be me! You’re NEVER too young or old to try something new — Some people told me to wait until I was more grown-up. I didn’t listen to them because I knew what I wanted to do and why I wanted to do it. If I waited until I’m older, then I would just be like everyone I am trying to challenge by doing my podcast! Luckily, I have a mummy who encourages me to think big!

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

Don’t wait till grown-ups tell you’re a leader. YOU decide when you’re a leader, and YOU choose how to demonstrate that. But you have to act!

What you care about matters and the world needs your voice — it needs all of our voices, and it needs our action too. Nothing will change until we all decide to take action.

Even if you fail or it doesn’t work, you will learn a lot, and it will help you to try again.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

If I could have a private breakfast or lunch with anyone, it would be Oprah because she has been such a champion for young people, and everyone really, to share their stories and ask big questions and support each other. I like how she can be serious but fun at the same time, and she shows us that life is about the right mix of big and small stuff.

And that’s kind of what I’m trying to do with my podcast too! I’m talking about the big things and the little things, disrupting how we think young people should be or what they should say, and championing young voices.

How can our readers follow you online?

You can find my podcast and all my episodes at seraphinaspeaks.com, and I’m just starting to set up my social media too so you can follow me on Instagram — @seraphina.speaks.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!