Guidance

Youth and Expert Advisory Groups

Published 5 March 2025

Applies to England

Youth Advisory Group members

Yahye Abdi, Youth Development Coordinator, The Hope Collective

• Youth Development Coordinator with the Hope Collective and the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Violence Reduction Network
• Trustee of Citizens UK

Charlotte Atherton/Hilary Balogan, Girlguiding Advocacy Panel

Charlotte Atherton

• Represents Girlguiding at events and campaigns to raise awareness on issues such as mental health and body image
• Legal Assistant at Bond Turner in Liverpool
• Member of the Access and Assistance Campaign, which seeks to improve access to further education colleges

Hilary Balogan

• Currently a member of Girlguiding’s Advocate Panel, which involves talking to MPs and politicians, acting as media spokespeople for Girlguiding and speaking at events
• Previously attended a meeting with Minister Peacock to mark the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence 2024 and discuss what girls need from the new Youth Strategy
• Particularly passionate about combating misogyny, ensuring equal healthcare for women and girls, and raising awareness about the disability rights movement

Reuben Byfield, Youth Advisory Board member, NCS Trust

• Youth Advisory Board member with the National Citizen Service Trust

• iwill Ambassador, Bite Back Ambassador and Squad Leader with My Life My Say

Koby Davis, Youth Justice Case Manager, Leicestershire County Council

• Currently working for the Youth and Justice service in Leicestershire Council
• Previously worked as Policy Advisor for the Department of Health
• Has a degree in Youth and Community work
• Speaks about his experiences growing up in the care system

Sami Gichki, Co-Chair, #iwill Movement

• Became co-chair in 2023 in recognition of his skills and commitment to youth social action
• Holds voluntary positions in several organisations including Manchester City of Sanctuary, Young Roots, and is a Governor at Stretford High School
• Speaks about issues related to the UK asylum system, EDI and youth leadership

Jhemar Jones, youth worker and consultant

• Member of London’s Violence Reduction Unit Young People’s Action Group
• Has consulted for the Met police, Google and others on youth culture and violence prevention
• Mentors young people and is a musician

Zafeera Karim, Member of Youth Parliament for Gloucester and Forest of Dean

• Elected to be a Member of Youth Parliament in March 2024
• Vice Chair of House of Common’s Youth Select Committee
• Advocates for votes for 16 year olds, political literacy education in schools, and lack of amenities in deprived areas

Dan Lawes, Co-CEO of My Life My Say and an #iwill ambassador

• Has been Co-CEO of My Life My Say for the past 7 months, prior to that worked as Head of Partnerships
• Founded Youth Politics UK to encourage political participation in young people and ensure they are listened to
• Deputy Chair of Trustees at Young Manchester and Trustee at the Diana Award

Sophie Pender, founder, The 93% Club and Foundation

• Founded The 93% Club in 2016 as a social mobility organisation aimed at improving experiences of university for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds
• Formed The 93% Foundation in 2020 to provide students with access to networks, skills training and employment opportunities
• Also works as a solicitor

Lauren Roberts-Turner, researcher and campaigner

• Specialises in issues related to young people and the welfare state, poverty and the economics of social justice
• Was a young leader in the ChildFair State Inquiry which sought the views of young people on a welfare state that children need
• Was a Youth Board Member at Leaders Unlocked
• Scholar at King’s College London

Joe Seddon, Founder and CEO, Zero Gravity

• Created a tech start up, Zero Gravity, over 6 years ago in order to support students from low-opportunity areas into university, work, and life
• Was previously a Trustee at the British Youth Council and Governor at Lister Community School

Munachiso Thornton, Volunteer with Sea Cadet Corp

• Former cadet and current volunteer with the Sea Cadet Corp
• Volunteered with various charities in Sheffield
• SCC National Cadet Voice representative 2023
• Heritage Youth Partnership advocate, particularly for uniformed groups
• University student ambassador and course representative

Serene Weibe, campaigner, boxing coach and mentor at Empire Fighting Chance

• Campaigner, boxing coach and youth mentor
• Attended Empire Fighting Chance in Bristol since the age of 16, now works there as a coach for other young people
• Attended a roundtable in July on youth opportunity, at St James’s Palace with The King, Idris Elba, DCMS SoS, and the Prime Minister as well as the first annual Knife Crime Summit at Downing Street in July

Expert Advisory Group members

Kadra Abdinasir, Associate Director of Policy at the Centre for Mental Health

• Oversees the Centre’s policy and public affairs activities and manages the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition team, a network of over 270 organisations, hosted by the Centre
• Has over a decade of experience working with young people in youth policy, research, and engagement
• Mental Health Working Group Member for the NHS Race and Health Observatory.

Jason Arthur, CEO, Mission 44

• CEO of the charitable foundation created by Sir Lewis Hamilton to boost social mobility in the UK
• Director of Impact for Sir Lewis Hamilton
• Previously worked as Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Strategy and Communications for the #iwill Campaign
• Was a senior local councillor in London

Harris Bokhari OBE, Chair, National Citizen Service Trust

• Appointed Chair of the NCS Trust in July 2023
• Created Patchwork Foundation to promote integration of disadvantaged communities in British democracy and civil society
• Founded the Naz Legacy Foundation
• Member of the Community and Voluntary Service of the Honours Committee

Professor Joht Singh Chandan, Clinical Professor of Public Health, University of Birmingham

• Works on designing and delivering a public health approach to abuse and violence Scientific advisor for the Lancet Commission on Violence against Women and Children
• Co-director for the Centre for Crime, Justice and Policing
• Honorary Public Health Consultant, NHS England

Alex Goat, CEO, Livity

• Leads Livity, a youth-led creative network
• Co-founded Open_ internship programme which supports young people to build careers in marketing and communications and to promote social mobility into the industry
• Co-founded the Great British Diversity Experiment which explored the impact of diverse leadership in the creative industries

Isa Guha, founder/chair of Take Her Lead and Presenter/Commentator for BBC and Fox

• Founded Take Her Lead to make cricket a more inclusive environment for women and girls
• Former England Cricket player
• Presenter/Commentator for BBC and Fox Sports
• MPhil in Neuroscience

Alex Holmes OBE, Deputy CEO, Diana Award

• Founded the Anti-Bullying Ambassador Programme at The Diana Award Director at BBC Children in Need ‘We Move FWD’ Fund
• Sits on a number of social media companies’ global trust and safety advisory boards, including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify, Yubo, Minecraft
• One of 7 committee members of Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee (legacy programme(s)/monument)

Jonathan Hopkins, public affairs consultant

• Founded Citadel Policy and Communications in 2005
• Associate at independent think tank Centre on Young Lives
• Former Parliamentary adviser and political aide
• Particular interest in education, youth work and social inclusion

David Knott, CEO, The National Lottery Community Fund

• Appointed CEO of The National Lottery Community Fund (TNLCF) in 2021
• Prior to this worked as Director of the Office for Civil Society, international development adviser, and with the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit

Paul Lindley OBE, entrepreneur, campaigner and author

• Founder of Ella’s Kitchen
• Advocates on issues such as child nutrition, hunger and play
• Paul’s recent book ‘Raising the Nation’ argues for focus on play as a policy area, he created and leads the ‘Raising the Nation Commission on Play’

Jamie Masraff, CEO, OnSide

• Worked at OnSide since 2017 and became CEO in 2023
• Chairs the Back Youth Alliance, an alliance of youth charities and representatives campaigning for investment and support for the youth sector
• Fellow at the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce

Leigh Middleton OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency

• CEO of the NYA since 2017
• Prior to this worked as commissioner and Youth Development Officer for Surrey County Council
• Represents the National Youth Sector Advisory Board, a forum for policy and practice for the youth sector, for which the NYA is Secretariat

Mickey Perkins, Head of Artist Management, Off the Rells

• Head of Artist Management at Off The Rells record label/talent management agency
• Head of Production at FALSE 9 creative agency
• Tour Manager for AJ Tracey and MK

Ciaran Thapar, Director of Public Affairs and Communications, Youth Endowment Fund

• Director of Public Affairs and Communications at YEF since December 2023
• Author, freelance writer and Lecturer at the University of London
• Provides support to criminal defence teams as an expert witness on gangs, social media and youth culture