What impact can youth work services play in young people’s lives? 

Register for our webinar here. Taking place on the 4th November at 12pm.

I’m a current student at SOAS and I study social sciences, which magnifies my interests in people and diversity. For two years, I was the spokeswoman for a Muslim and women of colour-led activist organisation called Help The World Oxford. At this organisation, they facilitated a space for young women to flourish in the social advocacy field. Growing up as the only Asian girl at school set a foundation of understanding the experience of feeling misrepresented. Youth work was an opening for me to recognise parts of my own identity in spaces of importance – such as social media, mental health and charities. My passion for youth work stems from a desire to diversify the third sector, and instil my own experiences of being an Asian woman into my work.

I’m a youth participation professional with a decade’s additional experience as a campaigner and volunteer centred on young people’s rights, health, and voices. I successfully campaigned for first aid to be taught in schools as a National First Aid Advocate with St John Ambulance, and I now volunteer as the organisation’s National Youth Participation Lead. I also champion youth social action through the #iWill movement, with whom I co-designed the youth strand of the 10-year national Vision for Volunteering strategy. As a trustee of Oxfordshire Youth, I bring my youth voice expertise and share my own experiences of living, studying, and working in Oxfordshire. I want to ensure young people across the county receive the support and opportunities they deserve.

I currently work as a Public Affairs and Media Officer for the UK’s ad regulator, the Advertising Standards Authority. I’ve been involved in youth voice since I was a teenager and it’s something I’ve remained passionate about ever since. I was previously a media spokesperson for Girl Guiding UK, and I also represented the organisation on their British Youth Council panel. In this role, I represented the voices of around 400,000 young women and girls. Now, I’m a young trustee for Oxfordshire Youth, a position which I find incredibly rewarding as I get to use my youth voice experience to impact real decision making.