Meet the young people leading change in communities across the UK

At The National Lottery Community Fund, we believe that communities are stronger when children and young people are listened to, valued and can directly shape decisions which affect their lives. We know from our work across the UK that when young people are trusted with influence and decision-making power, they help create stronger communities and more effective solutions to local challenges.

That's why we create opportunities for young people to influence decisions, shape funding and help direct change in their communities. Over the last 3 years, 867 National Lottery-funded projects (totalling £245 million) were co-created or shaped by young people, enabling them to lead initiatives and influence decisions alongside trusted adults and community partners.

Since introducing our first Youth Voice team in 2020, we've continued to strengthen youth participation across the organisation. This year, we've recruited 8 new young people. Six of them are dedicated to our environment mission for the first time.

Meet our new youth voice advisors and panel members

Gajaan, 23, Youth Voice Advisor, England

Gajaan is based in London with a background in law. He sits on the Transport for London Youth Board, serves as Vice Chair of the British Transport Police Youth Independent Advisory Group, and is also a school governor.

His commitment to youth voice began after noticing how often young people were being talked about rather than talked with. Since then he's been a Youth Collaborator on the National Youth Strategy for Greater London and a Youth Ambassador to the Attorney General's Office Rule of Law Unit.

"The National Lottery Community Fund gives young people a direct role in decision-making on significant investment, which is rare. I wanted to contribute to that process and help hold organisations to a high standard on participation and co-production.

I also really value working alongside other young people from all 4 nations of the UK. Hearing how issues play out in different places broadens my perspective and makes our assessments stronger. Ultimately, I'd like the projects we support to make a lasting difference for the young people and communities they serve."

Niamh, 19, Youth Voice Advisor, Northern Ireland

Niamh lives in Belfast and is currently studying a degree in Physics with Spanish at Queen's University Belfast.

Her main experience with youth voice is through Girlguiding UK, where she was a member of their national Youth Steering Group for 3 years before becoming co-chair. She is also her county's Assistant Commissioner, a role focused on improving the experience for young members in the area, and a Unit Helper with Guides and Rangers.

"I have loved having the opportunity to speak directly with young people affected by our decisions, and hearing about the amazing things they have achieved through the organisations they are part of. I am looking forward to virtually attending decision making panels and seeing the impact we have as Youth Voice Advisors!

If youth voice is embedded in The National Lottery Community Fund's work, it's given weight, which will thus influence the organisations and projects we fund which work with young people to also value their voices, contributing to a wider culture of accountability to the people supported by funding."

Yolay, 19, Youth Voice Advisor (Environment), Wales

Originally from Cowbridge in South Wales, Yolay is now based in Norwich and has just started her first year studying Medicine at the University of East Anglia.

Her journey with youth voice and the environment has developed through her role as Chair of Youth Climate Ambassadors Wales, where she works alongside other young people to raise awareness of climate issues and ensure young people play a meaningful role in environmental decision-making.

"I've seen first-hand how important it is to move beyond simply asking young people for their opinions. Ultimately, youth voice should not be an additional consideration. It should be a meaningful part of how The National Lottery Community Fund thinks, makes decisions and measures its impact.

For me, success in the role would be seeing a local idea become a practical project, with the young people involved able to explain what they changed and feeling confident enough to take their next idea forward."

Fatima, 21, Youth Voice Advisor (Environment), Scotland

Fatima is an activist, intersectional feminist and is qualifying as a social worker. She works with organisations including Co-Op Foundation, HUDL, and The Charlie Waller Trust amongst many others.

Fatima's youth voice journey began in 2020 through her local youth council, followed by her election to the Scottish Youth Parliament in 2022. Since then, she's worked on several advisory groups, governance positions, and youth work roles across the UK, developing skills in leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving.

"I strongly believe that we cannot achieve climate justice without social justice, and I am interested in creating inclusive spaces to co-create solutions.

I think it's important for youth voice to be embedded in The National Lottery Community Fund's work as children and young people have a right to have their voices heard and given due weight in decisions that affect them. Young people should be in all spaces where decisions are made relating to them – as active contributors!"

Nilo, 22, Youth Voice Advisor (Environment), England

Nilo is currently studying MSc Ecological Survey Skills with Placement at the University of Reading. Their passion for youth action arose in secondary school redesigning the PSHE curriculum to better reflect youth perspectives.

Nilo has since taken on roles such as Treasurer of the Autistic Students' Society and as an Academic Mentor, helping to make higher education more accessible to disabled and neurodiverse young people.

"I am most looking forward to being able to support amazing youth causes and continue to help diversify the climate and conservation sector. Youth are the future, so we do not want to isolate them from important decisions. The youth have totally different experiences and barriers which should be taken into account when funding projects."

Jessica, 21, Youth Voice Advisor (Environment), Northern Ireland

Jessica is currently studying biological sciences at Queen's University Belfast with a focus on ecology. She found out about the new role during her summer abroad, where she worked on organic farms around Europe.

At university, she has become the vice-president of Nightline, a student-led mental health charity. Through this role, she engages with young people across the wider Queen's student community, which has brought a greater sense of belonging for her. She hopes to now help others feel the same.

"I am really excited to take on the Youth Voice Advisor role. Meaningful involvement means listening to us from the beginning and showing how our contributions influence decisions. Embedding youth voice in The National Lottery Community Fund's work can help ensure the projects it supports reflect those concerns and give young people a meaningful role in addressing them."

Ines, 23, Climate Action Fund Panel Member, England

Inés is a social sustainability and youth changemaker focused on community-led approaches to climate action.

She currently works as a Communities Officer within her local authority in the West Midlands, but her work spans across grassroots climate campaigning, international development and the grant-making space.

"I am excited to be joining the Climate Action Fund Panel because it brings together my past experience in climate advocacy, local government, and grant making, but most importantly it funds climate work within communities. My dream.

I truly believe funding is such a vital part of facilitating social change within our current systems. It legitimises what is worth caring for. Funders like The National Lottery Community Fund have a crucial role in highlighting those voices and giving space for experimentation and creativity, bringing together communities for effective solution building. To me this is social justice, which is the basis of climate justice."

Finlay, 21, Climate Action Fund Panel Member, Scotland

Finlay is an Undergraduate LLB Law student at the University of Edinburgh. He is committed to making a positive impact in his community through his interest in social justice, rights advocacy, and policy development, all of which he has actively engaged with through his extensive volunteering experiences.

Currently, Finlay is a Board Trustee for Partners in Advocacy and Young Scot, as well as being a panel member within Scotland's Children's Hearings System.

"I'm delighted to have joined the Climate Action Fund Panel. Over the past few years, much of my work and volunteering has centred on advocacy, youth participation and grant-making. I've grown up in a rural community in Southwest Scotland and been an advocate for children and young people's rights.

I understand the substantial impact that The National Lottery Community Fund can have on communities, including those like my own. It provides a unique opportunity to link my experiences and interests, and to make a positive difference to people's lives across the UK. I'm most excited to go on this learning journey to enshrine youth participation in many of our decisions."

Next steps

Young people shaping their future

Over the coming months, our new youth voice advisors and Climate Action Fund panel members will work alongside colleagues, grant holders and communities across the UK. We look forward to sharing more about their experiences and the impact of their involvement.