Guidance

Youth and Expert Advisory Groups

Updated 2 May 2025

Applies to England

Youth Advisory Group members

Yahye Abdi, Youth Development Coordinator, The Hope Collective

Yahye Abdi is a Youth Development Coordinator at The Hope Collective, driving community change by empowering young people and communities through ‘Hope Hacks.’ Yahye also contributes as a Youth Development Coordinator at LLR Violence Reduction Network, developing and implementing strategies to build safer, more inclusive communities. Yahye is a Trustee at Citizens UK, providing strategic oversight and guidance to one of the nation’s leading civil society alliances.

Charlotte Atherton/Hilary Balogun, Girlguiding Advocacy Panel

Charlotte Atherton

Charlotte Atherton represents Girlguiding at events and campaigns to raise awareness on issues such as mental health and body image. Charlotte is also a Legal Assistant at Bond Turner in Liverpool and a member of the Access and Assistance Campaign, which seeks to improve access to further education colleges.

Hilary Balogun

Hilary Balogun is currently a member of Girlguiding’s Advocate Panel, engaging with MPs and politicians, acting as a media spokesperson for Girlguiding, and speaking at events. Hilary previously attended a meeting with Minister Peacock to mark the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence 2024, discussing what girls need from the new Youth Strategy. Hilary is 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

Reuben Byfield is a Youth Advisory Board member with the National Citizen Service Trust. Reuben is also an iwill Ambassador, Bite Back Ambassador, and Squad Leader with My Life My Say.

Koby Davis, Youth Justice Case Manager, Leicestershire County Council

Koby Davis currently works for the Youth and Justice service in Leicestershire Council. Previously, Koby worked as a Policy Advisor for the Department of Health. Koby holds a degree in Youth and Community work and speaks about personal experiences growing up in the care system.

Sami Gichki, Co-Chair, #iwill Movement

Sami Gichki is a cross-sector strategic governance leader with an emphasis on advocacy, campaigning, and EDI. Sami currently co-chairs the #iWill Movement and holds cross-sector NED roles. Sami supports enabling lived experience to be embedded within clinical mental health research, working with institutes such as KCL, University of Oxford, and University of Maastricht. This work is rooted in Sami’s experiences of being an asylum seeker.

Jhemar Jones, youth worker and consultant

Jhemar Jones is a youth worker and consultant. Jhemar is a member of London’s Violence Reduction Unit Young People’s Action Group and has consulted for the Metropolitan Police, Google, and others on youth culture and violence prevention. Jhemar mentors young people and is a musician.

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

Zafeera Karim was elected to be a Member of Youth Parliament in March 2024. Zafeera serves as the Vice Chair of the House of Commons’ Youth Select Committee. Zafeera advocates for votes for 16-year-olds, political literacy education in schools, and addressing the lack of amenities in deprived areas.

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

Dan Lawes is now the Co-CEO of My Life My Say, after working as Head of Partnerships. Dan founded Youth Politics UK to encourage political participation in young people and ensure they are listened to. Dan also serves as the Deputy Chair of Trustees at Young Manchester and as a Trustee at the Diana Award.

Sophie Pender, founder, The 93% Club and Foundation

Sophie Pender founded The 93% Club in 2016. It is the UK’s largest network of state-educated people and was created to unlock and democratise knowledge, connections, and opportunities that have traditionally been contained within private school alumni networks. Sophie is an expert commentator on social mobility, including presenting the documentary ‘The 93% Club’ on BBC Radio 4, and speaks about living through parental domestic violence and substance abuse. Sophie also serves as a Trustee at the Mayor’s Fund for London and is a qualified solicitor.

Lauren Roberts-Turner, researcher and campaigner

Lauren Roberts-Turner specialises in issues related to young people and the welfare state, poverty, and the economics of social justice. Lauren was a young leader in the ChildFair State Inquiry, which sought the views of young people on a welfare state that children need. Lauren was also a Youth Board Member at Leaders Unlocked and is a Scholar at King’s College London.

Joe Seddon, Founder and CEO, Zero Gravity

Joe Seddon is the Founder and CEO of Zero Gravity, a tech start-up that has supported over 15,000 students from low-opportunity areas in accessing top universities and careers. Through Zero Gravity, Joe has fundraised over £2 million for scholarships to fund the journeys of students from low-income backgrounds through university. Previously, Joe was a trustee of the British Youth Council and a governor of Lister Community School.

Munachiso Thornton, Volunteer with Sea Cadet Corp

Munachiso Thornton is a former cadet and current volunteer with the Sea Cadet Corp. Munachiso is also an advocate with the Youth United Foundation and has volunteered with various charities in Sheffield. Munachiso served as the SCC National Cadet Voice representative in 2023 and is a Heritage Youth Partnership advocate, particularly for uniformed groups. Munachiso is also a university student ambassador and course representative.

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

Serena Weibe is a campaigner, boxing coach, and youth mentor. Serena attended Empire Fighting Chance in Bristol from the age of 16 and now works there as a coach for other young people. Serena attended a roundtable in July 2024 on youth opportunity at St James’s Palace with The King, Idris Elba, the DCMS SoS, and the Prime Minister, as well as the first annual Knife Crime Summit at Downing Street in July 2024.

Expert Advisory Group members

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

Kadra Abdinasir leads the Centre for Mental Health’s policy and advocacy efforts while managing the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition team, a network of nearly 400 organisations hosted by the Centre. Kadra has over a decade of experience working with young people in youth policy, campaigning, and research. Kadra also serves as a Mental Health Working Group Member for the NHS Race and Health Observatory.

Jason Arthur, CEO, Mission 44

Jason Arthur is the CEO of Mission 44, the charitable foundation created by Sir Lewis Hamilton to boost social mobility. Previously, Jason worked as Deputy Chief Executive for the #iwill campaign and served as a senior local councillor in London. Jason is also a former secondary school teacher.

Harris Bokhari OBE, Chair, National Citizen Service Trust

Harris Bokhari OBE was appointed Chair of the NCS Trust in July 2023. Harris founded the Patchwork Foundation to promote the integration of disadvantaged communities in British democracy and civil society. Harris also founded the Naz Legacy Foundation, an interfaith charity that helps young people by supporting their education while encouraging positive integration. Additionally, Harris serves as Chair of the Public Service Honours Committee.

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

Professor Joht Singh Chandan works on designing and delivering a public health approach to abuse and violence and is a Scientific Advisor for the Lancet Commission on Violence against Women and Children. Professor Chandan is also the Co-director for the Centre for Crime, Justice and Policing and an Honorary Public Health Consultant for NHS England.

Alex Goat, CEO, Livity

Alex Goat leads Livity, a youth-led creative network. Alex co-founded the Open_ internship program, which supports young people to build careers in marketing and communications and promotes social mobility into the industry. Additionally, Alex 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

Isa Guha founded Take Her Lead to make cricket a more inclusive environment for women and girls. Isa is a former England Cricket player and currently works as a Presenter/Commentator for BBC and Fox Sports. Isa also holds an MPhil in Neuroscience.

Alex Holmes OBE, Deputy CEO, Diana Award

Alex Holmes OBE founded the Anti-Bullying Ambassador Programme at The Diana Award. Alex serves as a Director at the BBC Children in Need ‘We Move FWD’ fund and sits on several social media companies’ global trust and safety advisory boards, including Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify, Yubo, and Minecraft. Alex is also one of seven committee members of the Queen Elizabeth Memorial Committee (legacy programs/monument).

Jonathan Hopkins, public affairs consultant

Jonathan Hopkins founded Citadel Policy and Communications in 2005. Jonathan is an Associate at the independent think tank Centre on Young Lives. Previously, Jonathan was a Parliamentary adviser and political aide. Jonathan has a particular interest in education, youth work, and social inclusion.

David Knott, CEO, The National Lottery Community Fund

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

Paul Lindley OBE, entrepreneur, campaigner and author

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

Jamie Masraff, CEO, OnSide

Jamie Masraff has worked at OnSide since 2017 and became CEO in 2023. Jamie chairs the Back Youth Alliance, an alliance of youth charities and representatives campaigning for investment and support for the youth sector. Jamie is also a Fellow at the Royal Society for the encouragement of the Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce.

Leigh Middleton OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency

Leigh Middleton OBE has been the CEO of the NYA since 2017. Prior to this, Leigh worked as a commissioner and Youth Development Officer for Surrey County Council. Leigh represents the National Youth Sector Advisory Board, a forum for policy and practice for the youth sector, for which the NYA is the Secretariat.

Mickey Perkins, Head of Artist Management, Off the Rells

Mickey Perkins is the Head of Artist Management at Off The Rells record label/talent management agency. Mickey also serves as the Head of Production at FALSE 9 creative agency and as Tour Manager for AJ Tracey and MK.

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

Ciaran Thapar is the Director of Public Affairs and Communications at YEF since December 2023. Ciaran is the author of ‘Cut Short,’ a journalist, and a Writing for Social Impact Lecturer at the University of London. Ciaran is also a former youth worker and criminal defence expert witness on gangs, social media, and youth culture.