Vlogstar Challenge 2019: Bella Roberts becomes fourth winner of the annual vlogging competition

If you were tasked with making a YouTube video about turning a challenge into something positive, what would it be?

For 17-year-old Bella Roberts, it was about how she learned to become a filmmaker, particularly the skills she picked up through YouTube. “Something only needs to be as hard as you think it should be,” she says wisely.

Last night, Roberts became the fourth person to win the Vlogstar Challenge. The yearly competition run by the charity Media Trust, in partnership with the Jack Petchey Foundation, aims to inspire a new generation of media influencers. It's supported by YouTube and the Evening Standard as its official media partner.

As a charity, Media Trust works in partnership with the media and creative industry to give marginalised groups and young people a stronger voice. It makes the charity well suited to work with the Jack Petchey Foundation which has invested over £124 million in programmes to inspire and celebrate young people aged 11-25 across London and Essex.

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The competition is a long process. Eight months ago, 1,500 16-25 year olds across London and Essex attended free vlogging workshops at Google’s Academy London in Victoria, to learn how to shoot, edit, and produce their own videos as well as how to establish and build a YouTube channel. Everyone who attends a workshop is invited to submit a video to the competition, which is then narrowed down to 150 and then a final 15.

At Google’s YouTube Space in Kings Cross, the 15 finalists and their friends and family gathered to watch the videos submitted and see who would be crowned the winner. The topics ranged from the environment to mental health and empowerment – told through speaking to the camera, song and even art. The Vlogstar Challenge is about serving young people and giving them a platform to have their voices be heard and they were heard loud and clear last night.

An all-star cast of judges, including YouTuber and body-positivity campaigner Grace F Victory, actor and Top Boy star Ashley Walters, Media Trust’s CEO Su-Mei Thompson, two of last year’s finalists, as well as Matt Rantell from the Jack Petchey Foundation, marked the videos on a criteria including originality, positivity and technical skills.

You can watch all the finalists' videos here on YouTube.

Speaking about the Vlogstar Challenge, Victory told the Standard: “YouTube has been a creative outlet for me and it came at a time in 2011 where I definitely needed something to have a passion about. And my career has come from YouTube; I’ve written a book, I’m a TEDx speaker, made TV shows and documentaries and I’ve become financially independent.

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“My hopes for the winner and everyone that took part is to feel their passion can come to life, to have the confidence and the resilience to go out into the world with the experience they’ve had doing this. This is something they can call their own and no one can take it from them.”

As for Roberts, she has won £2,000 for her school, which she says will go towards purchasing new production equipment as the previous set was unfortunately stolen recently, as well as £500 worth of production equipment for herself, mentoring from YouTube experts and work experience with Media Trust’s corporate partners.

On the night, Roberts said: “This is crazy, I’ve never won anything like this before. I hope this brings me towards my journey of becoming a film director and I want to thank you all and everyone I met through doing this.”

You can keep up with all her film exploits on her YouTube channel.

Gemma Juma, Director of Operations at the Jack Petchey Foundation said: "The Jack Petchey Foundation exists to inspire young people and recognise their achievements. We are proud to work with the Media Trust on the Vlogstar Challenge. Together, we provide young people with digital skills and a platform to shout about their passions. We’ve shown you don’t need expensive equipment to vlog and have your voice heard – all you need is a mobile phone.

"The talent of the young participants has been inspiring. Bella certainly has the skills to achieve her dream of becoming a director."

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