Participation and Youth Voice Officer
Participation and Youth Voice Officer
What do you do at Become?
I’m the Participation and Youth Voice Officer at Become. My main role is to ensure that care-experienced young people’s voices are at the heart of everything we do, from campaigns to public messaging. Currently I’m involved in several exciting projects, including our “End the Care Cliff” and “Gone Too Far” campaigns, as well as “Voice Day,” which celebrates young people’s advocacy and the power of their voices.
Can you say a bit about your past experience and qualifications?
This is my first role in a charity, but I bring a wealth of experience from previous careers. I spent three and a half years as a teacher, running sessions with young people from all walks of life. Before that, I worked as a journalist, and one of my proudest achievements was getting a front-page feature on care leavers’ access to Higher Education. On a personal note, I have three foster brothers, as my mum has been a foster carer for seventeen years, which has deepened my commitment to this cause.
What do you like about working at Become?
Although I’m still very new, I’ve been truly struck by the team’s commitment to advocacy and improving the lives of care-experienced young people. It’s refreshing to see how young people’s voices and needs are at the forefront of everything Become does. I’m also already impressed by the motivation and hard work of the young people involved, which makes me even more excited to contribute to Become’s mission.
What drives you?
“The more radical the person is, the more fully he or she enters into reality so that, knowing it better, he or she can transform it. This individual is not afraid to confront, to listen, to see the world unveiled. This person is not afraid to meet the people or to enter into a dialogue with them. This person does not consider himself or herself the proprietor of history or of all people, or the liberator of the oppressed; but he or she does commit himself or herself, within history, to fight at their side.” – Paulo Freire
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working?
In my free time, I love music—both listening to live performances and DJing. I’m a big fan of sports, particularly skateboarding and rock climbing, and I’m trying to get into running more. I also enjoy diving into books and am currently (and somewhat clumsily) learning French to read French literature.