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British Youth Council Board of Trustees
Candidate Statements 2016
Chair
1. Anna Barker
2. Sam Foulder-Hughes
VC Finance
1. Areeq Chowdhury
2. Luke Thornton
VC Participation and Development
1. Billy Howells
2. Ife Grillo
VC Campaigns and Communications
1. Jake Pitt 2. Sam Johnson
Trustees: (4 x 2 yr vacancies and1 x 1 yr)
1. Areeq Chowdhury 2. Hannah Sharp 3. Kamara Bennett 4. Lawrence Thompson 5. Lewis Addlington-Lee 6. Mariam Inayat 7. Michael Hatcher 8. Poppie Simmonds 9. Sarah Staples 10. Shayne Tshabalala
.
Chair (2 candidates)
1. Anna Barker
My name is Anna Rose Barker. I am 24 years old and I am
determined to make a positive impact on society through youth
leadership and youth engagement. I'm a previous member of
Youth Parliament, Chair of Dorset Youth Council, Leader of
AIESEC (the largest youth-led organisation in the world) and a
volunteer mentor for young people. I have established the early
part of my career in the youth and charity sectors, in the UK and
abroad. During my time as Chairperson I will be working and
living in London building on my experience over the past couple
of years. As Chair I will strive to focus on the following three
areas: 1) A greater emphasis on member engagement, retention and recruitment 2)
Diversified revenue generation and growth in income 3) Simplified activity of BYC to ensure
a more impactful effect. Clear and concise messaging to internal and external stakeholders.
In the role of Chair it is essential to have a visionary mind-set with a pragmatic attitude. I
believe my passion, experience and belief in young people and their ability to change the
world, coupled with my commitment to action and results is the very mind-set that is needed
for BYC's next Chairperson. Throughout the past 10 years I have dedicated my voluntary
time and my professional career to the improvement of young people's lives both inside and
outside of the UK. These roles include: the Chair of Dorset Youth Council; Member of Youth
Parliament; President of AIESEC Southampton; National Vice President of AIESEC UK;
mentor for disadvantaged young people; National Programmes Executive at The Prince's
Trust and Zimbabwe Group Leader with Progressio. Originally, I am from a 300-person
village in Dorset, in the South West. I lived and worked there until I was 18. My journey with
the youth sector started here at the age of 16 when I campaigned for better transport for
young people in rural communities. This resulted in a a successful petition and an invitation
to Downing Street. I was also awarded a Dorset Award for my efforts. From here my
excitement and enthusiasm for youth participation began. I went on to university to study
Politics and Economics while joining AIESEC. I quickly moved from member, to leader within
three years and the organisation was awarded with the BYC Youth On-Board Award. My
next step was at The Prince's Trust, helping the most hard to reach young people in society
get into training, education or work. I started this role at the same time as being Vice Chair
for BYC. After 18 months, I took up an exciting opportunity to lead a team of 11 young
people in Zimbabwe to assist the community in income generating activities. When I return
to London in July, I will be freelancing on youth engagement and development whilst looking
for my next opportunity within the sector. I am passionate about the work of BYC and I would
relish the chance at being Chair and building on the work I have done as Vice Chair for the
past year. I hope that you will see that I exemplify the values, behaviour, skills and passion
that is needed to lead the British Youth Council. I hope that I have your support in becoming
Chair over the term 16/17.
Email: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/annarosebarker
LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/annarosebarker
2. Sam Foulder-Hughes
I’m a student and have been an active campaigner since I was fifteen
on a range issues from local bus services to youth services to
keeping Britain in the EU. During the past five years I’ve had
countless people telling me to stop being so involved in activism
some of my favourite quotes have been; ‘you’re being brainwashed
by your teachers’, ‘you didn’t live through the war’ and most
memorably ‘you’re a bender’. I don’t believe any young person should
have to put up with this level of vitriol simply for wanting to have a say
on what they see happening in society. That goes for all young people regardless of what
they believe. I’ve been a trustee of the BYC for the past two years and before that an active
participant in Somerset’s youth council and a Procedures Group member of UK Youth
Parliament. During my time on the board I have attended every single meeting, been an
active member of the financial strategy group, and represented BYC at Scout events,
Equality 4 U, the Tolpuddle Martyrs festival in Dorset, Unite youth workers’ conference, in i:D
magazine, on Fubar Radio, at national member meetings and at youth voice conventions in
the South West and the North West. My time on the board has taught me so much about
myself; I never thought I'd have the confidence to speak at events or to lead sessions, but
now I have the confidence and self worth to lead and mentor others. Outside of BYC I’ve
volunteered with people of all ages struggling with debt at South Somerset Citizens’ Advice
Bureau as a gateway assessor and worked with young people with special educational
needs and disabilities in school as a learning support assistant and key worker. These
experiences have given me such a huge passion for inclusion for all young people no matter
who they are or where they come from, this is a passion I would love to bring to the role of
chair. Outside of campaigning and being a trustee I’m an occasional blogger, a rare gym
goer, a massive Power Rangers fan (I am currently writing my own Power Rangers fan fic
movie), a devourer of biographies about pop stars and world leaders and a wannabe real
housewife of Cheshire.
Just 1% of young workers are trade unionists, just 0.6% of charity trustees are aged
between 16 and 24, and I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that our generation are far less likely
to vote than that of our parents and grandparents. The board I would chair would look at a
society where young people are left voiceless and powerless and make it our central mission
to change that. That means all decisions we make about BYC’s strategy should be guided
by the principle that BYC exists to give power in civil and political society to young people
whatever their background. If I am lucky enough to be elected chair I would assemble a
Power Rangers style team of BYC alumni with experience in a variety of relevant sectors to
ensure the board has the training and expertise it needs to develop a sustainable financial
strategy and to be effective decision makers on legal issues, governance and strategy.
Given that the BYC is going through a period of change it is really important that any chair
ensures that these basics are met so that we can make the changes we want to see in
society. I would work with the Vice Chairs and CEO to make sure that all parts of our
membership feel engaged in our work and campaigns, and that you feel BYC adds to the
work that you do. Board accountability would be a priority for me. I would produce a monthly
chair’s report with contributions from the rest of the board and direct members to our minutes
when they are published online. I would also help out at as many membership events as I
can; as stakeholders in our work I believe it’s important that you are listened to by your
board. The Chair of BYC’s board should also be an unflinching advocate for youth work and
youth workers. I would use my position to work with the Vice Chairs and other youth sector
leaders to ensure that youth policy in this country is taken seriously by governments in all
nations in UK, and by local authorities. A good chair in my view should achieve things
through partnership with members and the staff team. I would make it my mission to listen to
everyone with something to say.
Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SamF_H Facebook: Sam Foulder-Hughes
Mobile: 07849846886 #SFH4BYC
Vice Chair Finance
1. Areeq Chowdhury
“My name’s Areeq Chowdhury, I’m 23 years old and I’m standing
for the position of Vice-Chair (Finance). I’ve spent the past
decade campaigning and working with, and for, young people. As
I approach my penultimate year of being a ‘young person’, I wish
to give back and contribute my skills and experience to help an
organisation that helped me back when I first became involved as
a Deputy Member of the UK Youth Parliament in 2008. I live in
East London, but I’m originally from Manchester. I graduated with
a degree in Economics and Political Science from the University
of Birmingham in 2013. I currently work full-time in Public Sector
and Healthcare Audit for KPMG, in Canary Wharf, London. This is a role which involves
providing confidence over the finances and governance processes of organisations such as
charities, local councils, government departments, the NHS, and universities. As part of this,
I am currently studying towards two finance and accountancy qualifications. The first is the
Graduate Diploma in Accounting and Finance with BPP University, which I expect to
complete by September 2016. The second is the Associate Chartered Accountant
qualification with the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales, which I
expect to complete by 2018. In addition to this, I am the Founder and Chief Executive of
WebRoots Democracy, which is a voluntary organisation campaigning for greater voter
participation and the introduction of online voting in UK elections and referenda. I have been
running WebRoots Democracy for two years now and this has involved working with a
variety of different groups such as young people, charities, politicians, government, media,
and technology companies. As part of this role, I’ve led the campaign for online voting on a
national and international scale and had policy research cited in various media outlets, and
on the floors of Parliaments in the UK and abroad. As Vice Chair (Finance), I will aim to use
my skills and experience to help ensure a financially sustainable future for the British Youth
Council, help build beneficial relationships with organisations across the private and public
sectors, and ensure that value for money is fully achieved and communicated.
I'm standing to be Vice Chair (Finance) because I wish to give back to an organisation which
helped me grow in confidence back when I got involved with the Youth Parliament in 2008.
When I was 13 years old, I began volunteering at a local primary school, and since then I
have continued to be involved in youth work and youth campaigns right up to this very day
over 10 years later. The issues I've campaigned on over the years have included cheaper
fares for young people, food poverty, racism, and more recently voter participation. I'm the
Chief Executive of WebRoots Democracy, which I started in 2014, and I've been leading the
campaign for the introduction of online voting in elections and referenda in the UK. This
campaign has heavily involved young people, and young people are one of the main
beneficiaries of such a reform. With the experience and knowledge I have developed in my
current role with KPMG, and my previous career experience working at the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office, the London Assembly, and the Department for Culture, Media and
Sport, I have gained a strong understanding of the governance processes and complications
of non-profit organisations. I believe that this, coupled with my first-hand understanding of
youth issues and my first-hand experience of running a non-profit organisation will help
make me a strong Vice Chair (Finance) for the British Youth Council.”
Please feel free to get in touch with me on Twitter @AreeqChowdhury or via email on
2. Luke Thornton
My name is Luke Thornton, I'm 22 years old and I'm the current
Vice Chair, Finance of BYC! I'm from Cheshire and by the time of
the ACM I'll hopefully have graduated with a joint honours degree
in Engineering with Business studies from the University of
Warwick. I'm about to start back working at a large accountancy
firm having done a placement year with them in Aberdeen, where I
have a training contract to become a chartered accountant. I am a
proud member of The Scout Association, having been a youth
member, adult volunteer and trustee at various levels of the
organisation. I have a range of financial experience. Professionally, I work with multi-billion
dollar businesses to audit specific parts of their financial statements but also with their
financial controls and governance more widely. Through this, I have to communicate
complex finance and accounting issues to executives across the globe. As Vice Chair
Finance of BYC I've also developed an in depth understanding of our accounts. I have
worked alongside the CEO to deliver clear but thorough financial reports to the Board to
ensure that everybody can be involved in our financial decisions. I have also chaired the
Financial Strategy Group this year, bringing in external expertise to underpin our youth led
decision making structure. During my term of office, I would work on three things: 1)
Diversify our income. By continuing what we've started by engaging with alumni and
corporates, I would look to protect our organisation against austerity by diversifying our
revenue streams, whilst protecting the values and image that BYC is rightly so proud of. 2)
Communication is key. Continue improving the communication of our finances both at a
board level and within our staff team, so that everybody can share a sense of ownership and
understanding in our finances. To improve our governance structures, I'd look to improve our
communication and engagement with members to make BYC work better for you.
3) Keeping members at the centre of everything we do. Through our local conventions and
national members days, look to support our members to be financially sustainable through
these tough times.
This year I've had the privilege of being the Vice Chair, Finance of BYC. We have had some
amazing successes behind the scenes, such as the renegotiation of the Youth Voice
Contract with the cabinet office, several grant wins, and all amongst the backdrop of a really
harsh funding environment. I have been really mindful that finance can often remain just a
behind the scenes activity and as such have made the effort to get out to as many events as
possible to meet our wonderful members, volunteers, youth workers, and employees that
make BYC such a special organisation. I have attended regional conventions in Birmingham,
All Party Parliamentary Group meetings on Mental Health, Parliamentary Receptions, the
launch of The Scout Associations' A Million Hands project and National Members Meetings
to name a few. I am perpetually inspired by the work that our members achieve as part of
BYC and how despite funding decreasing, our impact just keeps growing. With more and
more young people having the chance to have their voices heard and such a high period of
change for BYC, I've never been more passionate or excited by the work we are
undertaking. I'm hoping you'll allow me the privilege to continue this work, so please vote for
Luke Thornton to be your Vice Chair, Finance.
Please reach out to me with any questions, about my candidacy or about BYC's finances in
general. Twitter: @TlukeT1993 Email: [email protected]
Vice Chair Participation and Development
1. Billy Howells
“My name is Billy Howells, I am 19 years old and I am from a village
in Staffordshire. I am currently at the University of Sunderland
studying Politics with Youth and Community Engagement. I am also
a part time Promoter for various night clubs, as well as a voluntary
consultant for senior executives in the student’s union. At this
moment in time I am not from a member organisation of the BYC,
however have previously been with Staffordshire Youth Action
Kouncil (YAK), before the closure of the youth service in 2015.
My reason for applying are very simple, at that is youth empowerment. I have been a
volunteer for various youth organisations over the past 11 years, and if there’s one thing that
I have always been, its empowered. I would like to echo this out to other young people so
they can achieve, aspire and influence. With representation of young people from across the
whole of the UK in constant motion it is frustrating to see so many people under represented
or in many cases in the west Midlands not. With funding cuts for everyone coming in from
left, right and centre, it is now the time we need to unify our membership and expand, so that
as many young people can be given the opportunity, and democratic mandate they deserve.
Some of the roles I have held are the following: Procedures Group Representative for the
West Midlands; Vice President for Equality and Environment, then VP for Communications
on my student’s union at college; Member and Deputy Member of Youth Parliament; Youth
Councillor for Staffordshire; Chair of East Staffordshire Youth Forum; Vice Chair of NHS
Youth forum in Burton Upon-Trent; with many other positions on different forums and
groups. I am currently apart of Sunderland Universities Students union, with the new
executive coming in next year, I was a part of the campaign team, now to be advising them
on various issues that students may have. I have good contacts throughout many NHS
outlets, North East Charities and Marketing groups. Links all over the west midlands with
various youth groups and charities. Good links with the Local MEP’s for Labour in the west
midlands, MEP’s for the Greens in England, a couple of UKIP ones and a couple of
Conservative too nationally.”
Contact info: email [email protected] facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billy.howells.5
2. Ife Grillo Hey change-makers! I'm Ife Grillo, I'm 17 and a student from Hackney who dreams of working with others to change this world! For the last two years I have had the honour of being Vice Chair Campaigns and Communications to BYC and have loved it! Being Vice Chair Campaigns during the General Election, Local Elections and EU Referendum really threw me into the deep end and it's been an amazing experience. I've spent the last two years meeting you all and trying to learn about everything you do, and honestly you're all amazing! The most important part of any job is growth and learning to improve. I love campaigns and I'm so thankful that you have let me do the role for two years but it is time to move on. Participation and Development is about working with our members and making sure your voice is heard in BYC and you get the most out of being part of this organisation. I really to spend time working with members to make sure you're getting the best deal possible. With that, I stand for P&D on a 4 point platform: 1) Recognising Individuality - Our members are diverse and different and we should treat you as such. I want to work with members to see how we can adapt what we offer each member to make sure it gets to the core of what you need. Whether that is training, spaces to promote your work or learning from what others are doing. I want to help members feel BYC treats them as an individual, not just as a broad collective. 2) Showcasing Talent - While we have positive stories and the Youth on Board awards, I still feel there is more scope to showcase the amazing work you all do. I want to work with members and staff to work out what is the best way to highlight and support the work you do as individuals and organisations. 3) Supporting Diversity - I think one of things which makes BYC stand out is that we have such a diverse membership, however I want to see how we can make better use of it. I aim to ensure all our events our inclusive, and diversity isn't just tolerated but used to achieve our vision for a better world for us all. I want to speak to both national members and local members to see what they do to promote diversity and see what BYC can do. 4) Insightful Governance - Rooted in all of this is our Governance Review, which I will ensure members are at the heart of so BYC is truly a member driven organisation. Strong governance is essential to all we do and I want to make sure members understand what it means, and feel that they are properly represented in the process. Facebook - Ife Grillo Twitter - @IfeGrillo Email - Ife,[email protected] #IfeG4PD
Vice Chair Campaigns and Communications
1. Jake Pitt
My name is Jake Pitt, I'm 20 years old and currently in my second year of
studying Law at the University of Kent. Originally I'm from Wells, in
Somerset, and I'm passionate about grassroots campaigns and looking at
ways of creating change in our communities. I want to be on the board of
the British Youth Council to provide a strong voice for all our member organisations and the
incredible activists and individuals that operate within them, who's hard work and dedication
isn't recognised enough. Our members should be at the heart of everything we do - from the
campaigns we run, to the events we organise and the values we champion in our society. I
want to reaffirm the notion that being a member of the BYC to means being an organisation
which stands up for the role that young people have in every aspect of our communities. My
experience in the British Youth Council includes serving as a Member of Youth Parliament
for four years from 2011 to 2015, where I campaigned successfully against cuts to youth
services and to promote positive representation of young people in the media. I've also
represented the South West on the National Scrutiny Group and spoken up in favour of
votes at 16 at the UKYP House of Commons debate in 2013. Outside of BYC work, I'm also
on the board of directors of Learn to Lead, a youth-led community interest company that
works with schools and local government on putting young people and other service users at
the heart of their decision making processes. In my student union at the University of Kent,
I'm a part-time time officer and member of the Union Executive which oversees the strategy
and campaigns of the union.
I'm standing to be Vice Chair Campaigns & Communications of the British Youth Council
because the way we do campaigns needs to evolve to work better at a local level, whilst
doing even more to promote our national campaigning. Here's what I would achieve if you
elect me to serve on the board: - Make Campaigning Local. I'll work to develop a BYC
framework for running local campaigns and create a best practise guide based on successful
campaigns by member organisations, whether that's youth council, youth parliament groups
or young mayors. I believe that good campaigns run in our communities can build great
national campaigns that can change the lives of young people right across the country -
that's why this is something which I think is so important to the BYC. - Increasing our media
presence. The work that our activists and campaigners do doesn't get enough attention in
the media. Promoting the fantastic work being done by our members is central to
establishing the BYC brand as a campaigning organisation that really is the voice of young
people in this country and I'll build a media strategy working with staff and member
organisations that acknowledges that different member organisations operate differently, but
that we still have a collective set of values which are hugely important. - A BYC National
Policy Forum. It's not always easy to directly consult all of our members on policy when
there are policy requests submitted to the BYC, but where possible I'd like our members to
have a key role in determining our policy, particularly when it comes to pressing national
issues. This is about what we stand for as an organisation; our values and mission should be
underlined by those of our membership, the bedrock of the BYC, so it's important that our
policy fully reflects this. Please feel free to get in touch with me through Facebook
(www.facebook.com/thejakepitt), by twitter (@jakepitt_) or drop me an email at
[email protected] - I look forward to hearing from you!
2. Sam Johnson
I am Sam Johnson, 20 years of age from Stockport near Manchester.
I currently am a student studying Economics(Hons) Bsc at the
University of Central Lancashire as well as working part time within
my Students' Union. I was previously a member and secretary of
Manchester Youth Council. During my term in office I will be making
some MAMMOTH promises, I :
- PROMISE Be pushing for more collaboration with other
organisations on BYC campaigns making the campaigns more powerful and effective when
lobbying decision makers.
- PROMISE to work with political party youth sections as well as the political parties
themselves in order to promote our manifesto within their party's policies.
- PROMISE to lobby the government for votes at 16 within local elections and regional
assemblies and parliaments for 2017/2018, to use as a stepping stone for votes at 16
throughout the UK in all elections.
- PROMISE to work with local councils and organisations to run register to vote campaigns
so that young people eligible to vote are voicing their opinions in the elections.
- PROMISE that young people throughout the UK will be able to give feedback on our
campaigns so that young people are always at the heart of our effective campaigns.
- PROMISE leadership opportunities in BYC campaigns throughout the country so that you
can be a local leader. I make these promises for the betterment of young people throughout
the UK, making sure that we cover issues relating to all of our members, and that we are an
effective campaigning organisation for ALL OF US! #MammothPromises #Sam4VCCC
I have applied for this role to support and strengthen the views of young people within the
UK. I personally believe it is time for young people at the ages of 16 and 17 to have the
ability to vote and I promise to deliver votes in local elections for young people up and down
these great nations! My background is in campaigning that is why I have ran for Vice Chair
Campaigns and Communications, this is about us as a youth movement letting our voices be
heard to the decision makers in the UK which I want to dedicate my time to supporting. I
have applied for this role because I believe that for too long young voices and campaigns
have been ignored, unheard, or patronised; now is time for a different angle, a change in our
campaigning techniques let's work together to ensure that MPs, councillors listen to what we
have to say and we make them accountable to us. I have previously been a member and
secretary of Manchester Youth Council in 2013/2014. I was a student governor for Xaverian
College between 2012 and 2014, representing the views and opinions of students on policy
and accounts to the board of governors. I am a founding member of the Campaign for Young
Leadership, a group that educate young people about leadership and democracy within the
UK as well as campaigning for more young people to move into positions of leadership. This
campaign is a sign of my support for principles of BYC along with support for votes at 16
along with more young people in positions of leadership at local and regional levels.
You can find me on Facebook by this link - https://www.facebook.com/Mammoth345 or by
typing in Sam Mammoth Johnson in the search bar. You can find me on Twitter by this link -
https://twitter.com/Sammoth345 or by my tag @Sammoth345 I have decided to make a
specific campaign email for this election - [email protected] Feel free to contact me
at any point during the elections or afterwards if you have any queries about what I want to
do for the British Youth Council.
Trustees
1. Areeq Chowdhury
My name’s Areeq Chowdhury, I’m 23 years old and I’m standing for the
position of trustee. I’ve spent the past decade campaigning and working
with, and for, young people. As I approach my penultimate year of being
a ‘young person’, I wish to give back and contribute my skills and
experience to help an organisation that helped me back when I first
became involved as a Deputy Member of the UK Youth Parliament in 2008. I live in East
London, but I’m originally from Manchester. I graduated with a degree in Economics and
Political Science from the University of Birmingham in 2013. I currently work full-time in
Public Sector and Healthcare Audit for KPMG, in Canary Wharf, London. This is a role which
involves providing confidence over the finances and governance processes of organisations
such as charities, local councils, government departments, the NHS, and universities. As
part of this, I am currently studying towards two finance and accountancy qualifications. The
first is the Graduate Diploma in Accounting and Finance with BPP University, which I expect
to complete by September 2016. The second is the Associate Chartered Accountant
qualification with the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales, which I
expect to complete by 2018. In addition to this, I am the Founder and Chief Executive of
WebRoots Democracy, which is a voluntary organisation campaigning for greater voter
participation and the introduction of online voting in UK elections and referenda. I have been
running WebRoots Democracy for two years now and this has involved working with a
variety of different groups such as young people, charities, politicians, government, media,
and technology companies. As part of this role, I’ve led the campaign for online voting on a
national and international scale and had policy research cited in various media outlets, and
on the floors of Parliaments in the UK and abroad. As a trustee, I will aim to use my skills
and experience to help ensure a financially sustainable future for the British Youth Council,
help build beneficial relationships with organisations across the private and public sectors,
and ensure that value for money is fully achieved and communicated.
I'm standing to be a trustee because I wish to give back to an organisation which helped me
grow in confidence back when I got involved with the Youth Parliament in 2008. When I was
13 years old, I began volunteering at a local primary school, and since then I have continued
to be involved in youth work and youth campaigns right up to this very day over 10 years
later. The issues I've campaigned on over the years have included cheaper fares for young
people, food poverty, racism, and more recently voter participation. I'm the Chief Executive
of WebRoots Democracy, which I started in 2014, and I've been leading the campaign for
the introduction of online voting in elections and referenda in the UK. This campaign has
heavily involved young people, and young people are one of the main beneficiaries of such a
reform. With the experience and knowledge I have developed in my current role with KPMG,
and my previous career experience working at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the
London Assembly, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, I have gained a strong
understanding of the governance processes and complications of non-profit organisations. I
believe that this, coupled with my first-hand understanding of youth issues and my first-hand
experience of running a non-profit organisation will help make me a strong trustee for the
British Youth Council.” Please feel free to get in touch with me on
Twitter @AreeqChowdhury or via email on
Hannah Sharp
“My name is Hannah Sharp and I'm 16 years old. I live in Trafford and
am an active member of Trafford Youth Cabinet. Currently I am
studying for my GCSE's however next year I plan to study A Level's in
Maths, Economics, Geography and Computing with a hope to go on to
study Politics and Economics at university. During my term in office, my
main priority would be working to represent you. BYC is about the
young people within it and without them it would be an incredibly boring
and pretty pointless organisation! I would ensure to talk with young people about what they
want. Talking with, not to, other young people is incredibly important. Often, people will have
a conversation with young people and tell them lots of different things but they won't really
listen to what the young people have to say back - they do it to tick a box and say they have
consulted with young people. I want to make sure that BYC continues to really engage with
and to reach out to even more young people than it does now to help the organisation to
continue to grow. I also want to make sure that the information that comes out of those
conversations is taken to decision makers and that those who are responsible are held to
account. BYC is a major voice for young people in the world of Politics and it is important
that politicians engage with us in the way that we want to engage with young people - talking
with, not to. There is a lots of valuable knowledge that can be gained from listening to young
people, we are the experts when it comes to our lives and we have a right to not just be
heard by politicians but to be involved in the decisions that they are making, especially those
which are about us.
As well as being involved in my local youth council, I am part of a group called GIFT which
were commissioned several years ago by NHS England/Department of Health to deliver
young people's participation work across England with regards to mental health services.
This was part of a larger project which was to improve young people's access to mental
healthcare. With the same group I have had lots of experience representing young people
both nationally and internationally. Nationally, I have attended meetings with governmental
decision makers where I have successfully represented the views of young people all across
England. Internationally, I have been part of a project to create a report advising all
European member states on their policy surrounding young people's mental health. As part
of this I have travelled to conferences all across Europe but most notably, to the European
Parliament in Brussels where I gave a presentation about the benefits of young people's
participation in the development their mental healthcare and service. I have also informed
policy in The Netherlands when I presented at the European Conference of Youth Mental
Health on the same topic which was run as part of the Dutch presidency of the EU. I always
work passionately to make sure that whenever I attend one of these events, I am
representing the views of as many different young people as I possibly can. I love the work
that I am involved in and it would be amazing to be involved even further with BYC.”
Facebook: Hannah Sharp (https://www.facebook.com/Hannah-Sharp-797258937015286/)
Twitter: @hannahsharp99 Instagram: @hannahsharp99 Email:
2. Kamara Bennett
My name is Kamara Bennett. I am a 24 year old from Birmingham and
a recent Computer Science and English Language graduate. Currently
working for a local production company, I have a wide range of
creative, technical and strategy skills that I wish to utilise as BYC
trustee, in addition to my long history of youth participation and related
activities, which include my experiences of fulfilling a board member
role previously.
Like BYC, I strongly believe that young people should be respected and
able to influence and inform the decisions that affect their lives, and this belief is very much
demonstrable through my active participation in community and social action campaigns
over the last 8/9 years. Such participation includes a position on my local Youth Action Team
(2007/2008), my role as an UnLtd Young Researcher, which involved investigating and
disseminating a report based on the barriers faced by young entrepreneurs (2008/2009) and
being a member of UnLtd’s Decision-making Panel, which involved working with a small
team to interview and decide upon applicants to receive funding of up to £10,000 (2010).
Additional positions of responsibility include my role as ‘The Youth of Today’ E-News Editor,
which involved implementing a key part of the communications strategy for The Youth of
Today, a consortium of leading organisations, including Prince’s Trust, British Youth Council
and UK Youth Parliament, that collaborated to increase the quality and diversity of
opportunities for young people (2010/2011). Similarly, from 2008 - 2011, and as a part of
Vodafone’s World of Difference initiative, I volunteered and worked with youth leadership
charity Changemakers to deliver various youth participation projects, with external
stakeholders including companies such Bauer Media. Like BYC, I also believe in the
importance of recognising young people’s achievements, and this is evident through my
championing and management of Aston Student 100, a multi-platform poster campaign that
outlined and celebrated the extracurricular achievements of university students. Additionally,
I have also had my personal achievements and contributions to the area of youth
participation recognised, as a recipient of a vInspired Regional Award for Best Team Activity
(2011) and a runner-up prize from the Young Achievers Trust, for my community project Sew
Your Own (2011). Having graduated from Birmingham City Council’s Young People on Arts
Boards programme, where I received thorough training on the responsibilities and duties
involved in being a board member, and having served on the board of a renowned arts
charity for over a year, I am an experienced trustee who understands the role and
responsibilities involved. With this in mind, as a BYC trustee I believe that I can make a
valuable and sustained contribution to the achievement of BYC’s core and enabling
objectives through the governance of the charity and by utilising my past experiences and
the practical skills developed during this time.
I can be contacted via my email address: [email protected]
3. Lawrence Thompson
Lawrence Thompson 21 Walsall, Birmingham BA Philosophy and
Politics, University of Leeds. Current Occupation: NCS
Programme Leader, Student Minds Advisory Board During term of
office: Civil Service Project Delivery Fast Stream.
I’ve always been passionate about mental health activism and
whilst at the University of Leeds I was a leading member of a
successful campaign calling on the University to improve their
mental health provision for students on campus I’ve campaigned
against the counter-terrorism PREVENT plan because it was felt it
unfairly stigmatised Muslim students and those experiencing mental health problems. This
passion for student welfare led me to become the Welfare Rep, articulating the concerns of
welfare societies within Leeds University Union. Since graduating I’ve sat on the advisory
board for Student Minds, the national charity for student Mental Health and have fed into
their long-term corporate strategy. Most recently I’ve worked as a junior consultant at
UltraTec, a solar-power company based in Uganda. I was tasked with channelling the
strategic vision of the organisation and then assisting in its implementation through
operational planning and project management. Thus giving me an understanding of the
daily, weekly and monthly steps needed to enact large-scale and complex change. This
experience led to me being accepted onto the Civil Service’s graduate scheme, starting in
September. If I was fortunate enough to become your trustee, this would be my focus:
ensuring the passion of activists is matched with a strategy to meet their goals. Over the
past four years I’ve been a leader in the National Citizen Service. Here’s what I’ve learned:
Young people care passionately about anti-racism and anti-homophobia; they feel deeply
about the environment; they’re committed to expanding access to higher education and they
think improving a broken mental health system should be a priority. Most significantly, our
young people have often taken the lead on advocating for a more compassionate response
to what is happening in the world beyond our borders. The flagship BYC campaign for votes
at 16 is a means of enlarging young people’s influence on these issues. But political
organising involves more than expanding the number of people who can vote; it concerns
seeking out allies within government, both local and national; learning how to navigate and
feed in to evidence-giving sessions and ensuring those who can already vote, do so. It’s
about seeking out the most marginalised amongst our membership, rather than reflecting the
views of those who speak loudest. This is the starting point of political change and it requires
a long-term strategic focus. This is what I hope to bring to BYC as a trustee.
Facebook: Lawrence Thompson Twitter: @laawrenncee Email:
[email protected] Whatsapp: +447817413460
4. Lewis Addlington-Lee
Hi there! My name is Lewis, I'm 20, and I'm a drama student at the
University of Birmingham. Originally I'm from near Clacton-On-Sea
in Essex, which is where I first starting getting involved in
community action projects and youth engagement. I'm coming into
my second year as the lead delegate for the Scouts to the BYC,
and I've had fantastic experiences with the charity so far. Whether
that’s seeing Council almost unanimously support my motion to
outlaw Conversion/Reparative therapy across the UK at ACM last
year, or wrapping up in a cold lodge in the peak district whilst
talking with St Johns and NUS about BYC Governance – it’s been awesome. Outside of
BYC I help to run a UK wide project called A Million Hands, which looks at tackling issues
like mental health and social isolation by giving 500,000 young people across the UK the
tools and support they need to make change! As well as doing my degree at University, this
year I've been the Community Action Officer in my Students Union, a role in which I've
dedicated most of my time to campaigning to save maintenance grants for low income
students like myself, organising with students and MPs across the West Midlands and in
Westminster. On top of all that, I like to volunteer in Birmingham on Tuesday nights for my
local Scout group, and spend some time on the weekends campaigning for my local Labour
party.
Whether it’s been briefing the Department of Education on mental health peer support, or
budgeting on my student council to see if we could afford that extra water fountain – the last
few years of my life have been entirely consumed by trying to make change for young
people, and I've loved it. Now I want to bring the skills and experiences I've gained through
my volunteering, and see how I can contribute more to BYC. BYC is the leading organisation
representing young people’s voices to the media and decision makers in the UK and having
a strong board of trustees underpins all of this. I feel that my experiences as Community
Action Officer in my Students Union and as Chancellor of my Student Council, have provided
me the experience needed to contribute effectively as a leader and decision maker on the
BYC Board. As trustee I would work towards breaking down the barriers between National
Members and UKYP, Youth Councils, and Young Mayors. Annual Council Meeting last year
was the first time I was able to meet and learn about the incredible things grassroots
activists like Young Mayors do in their communities, it was also when I realised that there is
very little interaction between National Members and local Youth Representatives, aside
from through ACM. As a Scout Leader, Student Union Officer, and as a Party Activist, I have
learnt a great deal about grassroots organising and so feel I would be well equipped to bring
together the wealth of resources and volunteers from National Members, and the grass-roots
experience and local connections of Youth Representatives to see how together we can
make even bigger impacts. If elected I will use my substantial knowledge of the Scouts and
Student Unions to bring together the national member organisations and see how we
contribute more in our relationships with BYC, and with each other. There are so many
crossovers in what our organisations want to achieve: BYC has a Priority Campaign this
year around Mental Health – NUS, Girlguiding, Young Methodists, and many more all have
resources that focus on this same issue. I want to bring together the incredible skill sets and
experiences of our organisations and see how National Members can work together to help
BYC continue to make a lasting impact on young people and society. Continued/
Email: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/lewis.addlingtonlee.7 Twitter:
@Lewis_ALee If you have any questions or would like a phone call to chat more about
anything then feel free to drop me a message/email! Thanks :)
5. Mariam Inayat
I’m Mariam Inayat, 21 from Oldham. I am a former member of
UKYP, Oldham Youth Council and Youthforia NW. After my year
out, I hope to study Government and European Union Studies at
university. I have been a BYC trustee since 2013 and found it was
such a rewarding experience - I am reapplying! I am also a trustee
for Youth Focus NW. Being a young trustee has been one of the
best experiences I have had. I want to continue giving back to
charities such as the BYC as I believe in their mission and vision
wholeheartedly. Next year, I plan on continuing my work to
represent young peoples views on national and international
platforms. I will also continue blogging about my journey as I feel
this has been a great way to share opportunities with other young people passionate about
making a difference
I am re-applying to be a trustee as I want to use the knowledge and skills gained from my
first term to ensure BYC is steered in the right direction. Following changes to our budget,
the BYC is currently evolving. I have two years of experience familiarising myself with BYCs
mission, values and policies which I believe is crucial for a BYC trustee, now more than ever.
I started my youth voice journey at 16 on the Oldham Youth Council when I was also elected
a member of UKYP. I have worked on Youthforia’s steering group to engage young people
in youth voice since 2013. In addition, I have been invited to represent young peoples views
on various issues at European Parliament (EYE 2014 and 2016) and the Council of Europe
(29th & 30th Session of Congress). Moreover, I have participated in a variety of conferences
as a youth delegate (World Forum for Democracy 2014, IDEA-C 2014/15) and I am
passionate about youth participation on a local, regional, national and international level.
Some of my previous work has been on holocaust education, human rights, promoting the
UNCRC, womens rights, minority rights and youth political engagement. Recently, I have
worked with the Council of Europe on a toolkit to foster inter-religious dialogue in local
communities across Europe. I have represented the views of young Muslims by speaking on
the Government's Prevent agenda and radicalisation at a local level. I am currently involved
with the New European Citizens movement that is a pan-European youth initiative working
towards recommendations for decision makers for a better Europe. I am also a current
trustee for Youth Focus NW, further demonstrating my passion for youth participation.
www.twitter.com/mariamiwaseem www.mariaminayat.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/mariamiwaseem
6. Mike Hatcher
I am a Cardiff University student studying Economics and History
with a determination to challenge prejudices and hateful attitudes
towards minority groups both in the UK and internationally,
through youth activism, education, and engagement. As an active
campaigner in the Cardiff branch of Student Action for Refugees
(STAR) we have achieved great success in campaigning for
‘Equal Access’ to higher education for asylum seekers and
refugees in Wales. This society recently won the award for best
large event for Refugee Rhythms. Our annual event was attended
by over 500 people and highlights that refugees and asylum seekers are welcome here in
Cardiff. As the English Coordinator in the society, we provide English conversation classes
to over 100 refugees and asylum seekers each week. Refugee youth’s, as British Citizens,
have the right to be represented and as a BYC trustee and President of the society, I intend
to ensure refugees have a voice on the UK’s national youth platform as part of the BYC. I
want to push for greater youth representation in Wales. Welsh youth representation in the
BYC is minimal, with a total of only 8 member organisations in the whole of Wales. Under my
term of office, I want to have a voter registration drive across schools and colleges in Wales
on behalf of the BYC, with the long term goal of establishing a National Youth Assembly for
Wales as well as youth mayors & councils for every local authority. Through links with the
Welsh government I want to empower young people in Wales to start a campaign to
establish this. Further to this, I want to continue the British Youth Council’s campaign for
Votes at 16 in Wales. With the power of voter registration devolved to the Welsh Assembly, I
want to make Wales the second country in the UK to allow 16 and 17 year olds the right to
vote. Professionally, I am interested in finance, accounting, and fundraising. I am due to
undertake an internship in consultancy with PwC, leading global accountancy firm, this
summer and if appointed as trustee would love the opportunity to be part of the finance
subcommittee.
Originally from Taunton in Somerset, I was a student governor of Richard Huish College,
representing the youth voice on a senior manager and governor level. The role also involved
being an active member of the sixth form colleges student union, this was an NUS affiliated
Student Union, and enabled us to make changes around the college. I have also completed
an International Citizen Service (ICS) placement overseas with the Department for
International Development (DIFD), living with a South African family and working for a local
education NGO called ‘ABC for Life’ in Cape Town. Whilst there, we did a survey on the
perception on disabled people. This identified a stigma in the community against people with
disabilities, we created our own lesson on different forms of disability and worked with
children to promote the equal treatment of people living with disabilities. This was put into
action in a disability awareness day in partnership with the local disability charity, pairing up
students from both schools to work on projects and tasks. Before I went on this placement, I
raised £1500 for Skilshare International. As a National Citizen Service (NCS) participant and
senior mentor on the programme. I have also completed the ‘UpRrising’ leadership
programme and am currently delivering a social action campaign, in partnership with the
Welsh Refugee Council which will effectively advise refugees on employment and higher
education opportunities. Therefore, I have worked with young people both in the UK and
internationally and this experience In terms of challenging prejudices, I work with the Hope
not Hate campaign group to provide anti-racist rhetoric and campaigning in the run up the
Assembly Elections and EU referendum. As a gay individual, I am a supporter of campaigns
improving the lives of those in the LGBT community, such as Stonewalls #RainbowLaces
challenging transphobia, biphobia, and homophobia in sports. As well as being part of the
Welsh Refugee Council’s LGBT asylum seeker and refugee support group. In summary, I
already have board level experience, with a background in campaigning and youth work both
in the UK and internationally, I believe I would be a good trustee for the BYC. In addition, I
live in a part of the UK that has no national youth council and a weak youth sector; I’d like to
be a part of changing that.
Facebook: Mike Hatcher Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/michael-hatcher-758a30a7
7. Poppie Simmonds
I'm Poppie, a 21 year old Computer Science student at the
University of Birmingham. I'll be going into the 4th and final year
of my degree in 2016/17. I am a currently serving trustee,
elected in 2014, seeking your re-election for another 2 years. My
history in BYC comes from local youth councils (Blaby District
YC and Leicestershire County YC), the UK Youth Parliament
(Member for Leicestershire, East Midlands PG) and also my first
term as a BYC trustee.
I wish to continue my time on BYC's board, as I feel that my time
isn't up yet! I still have so much more to give and a renewed
passion for the work we do, having seen it from the other side. I think that the board has
suffered in previous years from a lack of longevity due to a high turnover of trustees. I wish
to be re-elected in order to carry over some experience from the previous two years, and
become a longer standing trustee with first-hand knowledge of our recent history. I feel I
have been an effective trustee since 2014, bringing my logical, rational and reasoned
approach from the nature of my Computer Science degree to board discussions. I am not
afraid to ask difficult questions and scrutinise the work we do, but also to be positive, praise
where it is due, and offer solutions. My journey from youth councils to UKYP shows that I
have started right from a local level, and progressed through the stages to national -
meaning that I therefore have a good working understanding of the different levels of
membership within BYC. This length of involvement plus continued dedication to youth
participation makes me a brilliant trustee, and I hope you will choose to re-elect me for
another two years.
I'm @poppiesimmonds on twitter, or drop me an email on [email protected]
8. Sarah Staples
I’m Sarah Staples, I’m a 19 year old student from Plymouth.
I am a former Member of Youth Parliament for my awesome
hometown for two years. I am hoping to go to university in
September to study Social Policy with Management at the
university of Bristol, and alongside my studies I work part time as
a Beauty Consultant.
I am applying for this trustee position because I want to be able to
help guide the organisation that gave me so many opportunities. I
have been both a Deputy and a Member of Youth Parliament for Plymouth, this was my first
introduction to BYC and from this I learnt about the work and campaigns that the
organisation leads. UKYP is just one of many of the groups within BYC but I feel like the
work I was able to do, and what I have been able to learn from BYC trustees from this role
that I would be able to bring my experience as a campaigner to the board of trustees. In just
two short years I have seen myself grow into the person I am now – and so much of that is
because of the people I have met and the support I have been given by the BYC. As part of
being an MYP, I was also part of the Plymouth Youth Cabinet. During my time there I got to
lead the youth consultation on a city wide commissioning project for young people’s mental
health provisions in schools which will be rolled out across the city in September. During this
I got to see what can happen when local youth cabinets, councils and forums can achieve
when they act as a platform for young people in their local area. Outside of Youth Parliament
I'm an active member of the Labour Party. As the Youth Officer for my constituency and as
the co-ordinator of Plymouth Young Labour I have been able to make sure that young
people are a priority for my local party. Both of these roles, alongside my role as the Youth
Representative on the Labour Party’s South West regional board have given me the
opportunity to try and promote the views of young people in every way possible What I want
to get across is the chance of a lifetime this would be, to give back to the organisation which
helped me find my voice. I want to be able to use that voice to help boost yours, so that your
voice can inspire others. And not just that, I want young people from all backgrounds, all
areas of the country to act. To show what we can achieve when we work together, because
as my Mum always said “nothing changes if it isn’t challenged”
email - [email protected] Twitter - @sarahVStaples
9. Shayne Tshabalala
I was born and raised in Zimbabwe and moved to the UK at the
age of 17, I took some time off to gain life experience before going
to university and currently work as a Support worker for young
people with learning disabilities which is thoroughly rewarding. I
will begin a degree in Economics Politics and Law this October
which will be my main occupation through the duration of my term
in office.
In my occupation and youth activism I am merely a servant of the
people, I am applying for the position so I can be in a better
position to continue serving and all I need just like so many young
people out there is an opportunity. I am driven by a desire to solve problems and create
positive change and this is demonstrated in my work to create and execute a global social
action plan. I was on the British Council Active Citizens program in 2015 where i developed
an organization for international students around the globe to come together and collaborate
on projects that will improve every part of the globe that international students come from.
On the Merit of this social action plan I was selected as a UK Youth delegate by Plan
International to attend the International Job Creation summit in Morocco as well as invited to
share it at the 11th Conference of Youth in Paris. Born and raised in a developing country I
have a desire to become a global change maker and pursue a career in international
development which is why i am a fervent supporter and member of Amnesty international as
well as Global citizens.
Twitter @shayneofficiall or email [email protected]