Youth Voice Team

At The National Lottery Community Fund, we want to make sure young people’s voices are included in all our work, whether it’s through the grants we make, the people we influence or the things we learn- we support people and communities to thrive. We fund things that matter and in the last three years alone we’ve invested £861m in projects for children and young people – making us the biggest non-statutory funder of young people in the UK.

In 2020, we recruited 10 dynamic young people from across the projects we funded to work closely with our Head of Youth Voice and partner with us throughout 2020/21. The aim of the youth advisory panel, was to meet the issues young people and their communities were facing head on, with the aim of steering significant and positive change in communities and encourage others to embed youth voice within their own work.

The youth advisory panel had a huge impact on The National Lottery Community Fund, the sector and on inspiring other young people to use their voice to create change. During their time on the panel, they hosted and spoke at 20 national conferences reaching over 3000 stakeholders across Government and third sector; created toolkits for staff on how to embed youth voice and shared what the priorities of young people from our communities are. They gained positions of influence on our Board, England Committee and as employed staff within the Fund.

Following the success of our youth advisory panel, we are now welcoming new Youth Voice Teams for each country across the UK, including ten new young people to The National Lottery Community Fund in England to help us further embed youth voice.

The Youth Voice Teams will meet monthly with the Head of Youth Voice and decide as a team what work to focus on and how it should be achieved. They also receive support and guidance as part of a tailored training package to develop their skills and experience.

If you have any queries or would like to discuss the group further, please don’t hesitate to contact our Head of Youth Voice, Joanne Rich Joanne.rich@tnlcommunityfund.org.uk

Learn more about youth advisory panel's achievements and the role of Head of Youth Voice at The National Lottery Community Fund.

Read our Youth Led Peer Research - Impact and Response report

Read our Youth Voice strategy - 'The Journey of Youth Voice'

Emily (She/They) is 21 years old and lives in Liverpool, Merseyside. They are the Youth Empowerment Director at Comics Youth CIC- using creativity and campaign work to explore trauma and safety for marginalised young people.

What I am most passionate about: mental health, LGBTQIA+ rights and marginalised young people being at the forefront of change making.

“I am so excited to be working with The National Lottery Community Fund alongside my fellow The National Lottery Community Fund’s Youth Voice Team. I am excited to see policy change and system change happen for young people within the funding world, as well as resource allocation being made as accessible and inclusive as possible.”

Aliyah (She) is 24 and lives in South-East London. She works from home as a communications co-ordinator, for a charity called the Environmental Funders Network.

What I am most passionate about: intersectional environmentalism and environmental justice.

“I hope being a member of the Youth Voice Team will allow me develop some skills and knowledge to better do the work I care about in solving the massive ecological crisis we're facing. I think it's really important to have spaces like this, where the youth voice is recognised and valued because the youth voice is valuable! And it's important that every young person knows that.”

Cameron (He) is 19 years old and lives in Gateshead. He is an actor and works with Lawn-mowers theatre.

What I am most passionate about: improving access to the arts.

“I am passionate about improving access to the arts, particularly theatre, and employment for neurodivergent, particularly autistic, young people.”

Angelin (She) is 16 years old and lives in Newcastle. She was involved with the Newcastle City Council youth panel and is also part of the Young Peer Researcher’s programme.

What I am most passionate about: access to education.

“I joined the Youth Voice Team because this opportunity would allow me to make a difference in my life and in the lives of young people who would grow up in England after me.”

Izzy (She) is 16 years old and lives in North Yorkshire. She volunteers as a youth worker at The Barn in Tadcaster where she works with primary school aged children.

What I am most passionate about: educating younger generations on important issues.

“I am passionate about educating younger generations on important issues such as effective and inclusive sex education, LGBTQ+ inclusive learning, amongst many other things”

Natalia (She) is 16 years old and lives in Newcastle. She is involved with the Newcastle City Council youth panel and is currently raising money for the Newcastle Dog and Cat shelter.

What I am most passionate about: the climate.

“I am passionate about creating more opportunities and advocating for young people to give them a future they deserve through the England Youth Voice Team.”

Jennifer (She) is 23 years old and lives in Watford, Hertfordshire. She volunteers for the charity ‘Hope Support Services’, which supports young people living through a family health crisis.

What I am most passionate about: opening up conversations about childhood grief and exploring the challenges of living with a loved one with a serious illness.

“I’m excited to be a part of the Youth Voice Team to learn how to mobilise change on a national level, through future funding opportunities and decision making.”

Charlotte AKA Lottie (She) is 19 and comes from Wales but now lives and studies in Bristol.

What I am most passionate about: making our Earth a better place, for humans and animals.

“I am currently studying law as I feel it is the most efficient pathway to legitimate progressivism. I would love to work towards eradicating certain stigmas and misconceptions surrounding mental illness (ADHD & Borderline Personality Disorder particularly).”

Muhiyadin (He) is 18 and lives in London. He is part of a project called Our Second Home (OSH). He is a young leader at OSH and peer mentors young refugees and asylum seekers. He is also a football coach and is studying at college.

What I am most passionate about: supporting and being the voice for other young refugees and asylum seekers.

“I joined the Youth Voice Team to get to know what The National Lottery Community Fund do and how they fund projects. I have learnt many of these things already. It is important to access these opportunities as young people and I hope to use this experience in all my future roles”

Dante (He) is 19 years old and lives in Coventry. He is currently studying Ethical Hacking with Cybersecurity at Coventry University.

What I am most passionate about: music, computers and making positive changes in people's lives who have gone through tough times so they can see life differently and have a positive mindset.

“I'm more of a confident person compared to my past self. Someone who's nice, humble and always keen on trying new opportunities.”