Youth Voice Forum

Who are you?

My name is Abdul, I’m currently at sixth form and based in Liverpool. I also work part time as a Sales Advisor.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join the EY Youth Voice Forum because I’m ambitious about my own development, but I’m equally driven by supporting others to access opportunities they might not see. Growing up, I saw how talented young people from low-income backgrounds often lacked guidance and representation. The Forum will give me a platform to turn that into impact, by sharing lived experience, influencing decisions, and advocating for more inclusive early-career pathways. It aligns with my ambition to be a leader who creates opportunities, not just benefits from them.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

By the end of my tenure, I hope to have used my voice to positively influence how EYF supports young people, particularly around social mobility and access to skills development. I want to help raise awareness of the barriers many young people face, ensuring lived experiences are reflected in decisions and programme design.

Alongside this, I hope to develop strong collaboration and communication skills by working with diverse peers and EYF professionals, contributing thoughtful feedback that helps strengthen existing initiatives. Ultimately, I want to leave knowing I’ve helped shape more inclusive, practical pathways into employment, while growing as a confident advocate and leader.

Interesting fact:

I love listening to football commentary and doing amateur scouting in my spare time which usually turns into hours on Football Manager, analysing players, tactics, and hidden gems like a budget analyst for real clubs.

Who are you?

I'm Amena and I live in London. I'm studying A Levels at Sixth Form, doing French, Business and Computer Science.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join EYF’s Youth Voice Forum because I truly care about social mobility and ensuring that young people from low-income backgrounds have access to meaningful opportunities. Having graduated from Smart Futures myself, I understand the impact EYF can have on the career development of young people. The forum also offers a unique chance to develop key skills such as leadership, communication and collaboration, while working alongside other amazing young people to influence change and represent youth perspectives.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

By the end of my tenure, I hope to have contributed to shaping EYF’s work by sharing completely transparent and honest youth insight, and supporting the development of existing programmes. I also aim to grow personally by strengthening my confidence, teamwork and advocacy skills, while making sure young people’s voices are actively listened to and valued. On the whole, I would like to see more accessible and inclusive pathways into employment, particularly for young people who face economic barriers. Through EYF’s work, I hope to help promote greater awareness of social mobility and support initiatives that empower young people with the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to succeed!

Interesting fact:

I love fashion and once won a scholarship to study it at a prestigious fashion school!

Who are you?

My name is Gabriel, I’m from Coventry, and I’m currently doing my Masters in International Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join the EY Foundation’s Youth Voice Forum because I have seen firsthand how structural barriers, rather than a lack of talent or ambition, shape the opportunities available to young people. Those experiences pushed me to look beyond individual success and focus on how systems can be redesigned to work more fairly and effectively.

I see this role not simply as a platform to be heard, but as a responsibility to contribute to meaningful, long-term change in how access, education, and work are approached.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

I hope to have contributed, drawing on my lived experience, to a clearer and more honest understanding of the barriers young people face in accessing education and employment, and how these can be addressed in practical ways. I would like to help ensure that young people’s lived experiences continue to inform the development of the EY Foundation’s work.

Interesting fact:

I was a background actor in the film Gladiator 2. I met and spoke to Denzel Washington.

Who are you?

Hi, my name is Humaira, and I’m from Blackburn. I am currently in sixth form, studying A Levels in Biology, Psychology, and Sociology.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join EY Foundation’s Youth Voice Forum because I am passionate about supporting other young people. I aspire to work in the mental health sector in the future, and being a part of the Forum would allow me to grow both personally and professionally while contributing to meaningful change that supports young people and social mobility.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

By the end of my tenure, I hope to have developed a deeper understanding of the challenges young people face in education, particularly around confidence and social mobility. I want to have contributed meaningful ideas, helped represent youth perspectives, and grown in confidence, communication, and leadership skills, while learning how to effectively amplify the voices of young people. Most importantly, I hope to know that my involvement has made a positive difference, even in small but impactful ways.

Interesting fact:

I have done a charity skydive!

Who are you?

I’m Isaac, I’m based in Central London, and I’m studying A Levels in History, Politics and Law.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join the YVF because I want to help shape the standard of how organisations and government support young people from low-income backgrounds. I also wanted to be part of a space that shows what is possible when we genuinely invest in young people.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

By the end of my time on the YVF, I want to leave having contributed to a variety of projects, knowing that I’ve represented the concerns and experiences of young people well. I also want to have challenged assumptions about our capability for success, and helped ensure that we are taken seriously in spaces like this.

Interesting fact:

I’ve spoken at the Houses of Parliament.

Who are you?

My name is Jennifer, I am from London and I am currently a degree apprentice working as a software engineer.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join the EYF’s Youth Voice Forum because I have a passion for social mobility and working with young people. I want to advocate for people whose voices may be quieter than the rest.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

By the end of my tenure, I hope to have built long lasting relationships with the members of the YVF and other people I meet through networking and events. Overall, I hope to make an impact towards EY Foundation's work supporting young people from low-income backgrounds.

Interesting fact:

I used to play netball competitively in school.

Who are you?

My name is Kyro. I’m from Birmingham and I’m currently a sixth form student.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join EY Foundation’s Youth Voice Forum because I’m passionate about social mobility and making sure young people from all backgrounds have access to opportunities, information, and support to succeed. I’m motivated by the chance to develop key skills such as communication, leadership, and problem-solving, while contributing to real conversations that can influence positive change.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

I would like to support the continued development of existing programmes by offering honest, youth-led insight on what works well and where improvements could be made. In particular, I hope to help ensure that opportunities feel accessible, relevant, and confidence-building for young people from diverse backgrounds.

More broadly, I want to contribute to positive change in youth employment and social mobility by using my voice to challenge barriers, highlight real experiences, and help shape approaches that genuinely empower young people to progress into further education, training, and sustainable careers.

Interesting fact:

I love running in my spare time, and am part of a large running club.

Who are you?

My name is Nana-Hasia, and I am a recent Politics with Anthropology graduate. I am excited to begin my Master's degree in Development Studies this year, specialising in African development.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

Discussions on social mobility can often exclude some voices. For me, social mobility is about empowering all people with the knowledge and resources to fulfil their full potential. I believe the EYF's Youth Voice Forum is a great place to include unconventional voices and take action to enhance social mobility.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

I hope to help broaden the discussion on social mobility to include more diverse voices, and help empower young people to pave their own path, by working alongside other members of the YVF and the partnerships the EYF has to offer. 

Interesting fact:

I have hiked Mount Snowdon!

Who are you?

I’m Sarah, I’m from London and I’m a university student studying Geography.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

What drew me most to the Youth Voice Forum was the chance to contribute to bridging the gap between lack of opportunity and connecting young people to more opportunities. I have also benefitted from social mobility schemes that helped me gain opportunities that would’ve been hard for me to experience had they not existed - and the EYF's commitment to helping young people access further guidance in their careers resonates with me strongly. 

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

I hope that I can contribute to projects that help reach young people and have their needs met, so they can be best represented in the programmes the Foundation produces. I'm also excited to learn more about how young people from different backgrounds experience employment issues and for the opportunity to collaborate with the other YVF members, as the more opinions we can gather, the greater the possible outcome! 

Interesting fact:

I enjoy learning languages and dancing! 

Who are you?

My name is Sumayyah and I'm currently on a gap year.

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

I wanted to join the Youth Voice Forum to be a part of creating more equitable outcomes for young people, regardless of their background. I'll have the opportunity to help give young people the confidence in their future, that I lacked whilst growing up.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

By the end of my tenure, I hope to have helped ensure that your background is no longer viewed as a barrier to education or employment.

Interesting fact:

I'm currently working towards becoming an actor!

Who are you?

Hi, I’m Tayiba and I'm from Luton. I’m currently studying my A Levels in Maths, Economics, and Psychology. 

Why did you want to join EYF's Youth Voice Forum?

Growing up in a low-economic area, I’ve seen firsthand how talent is often overlooked simply because of a postcode. I know the feeling of having the ambition but lacking the 'right' connections or a clear roadmap to success.

While I’ve worked hard to find my own path, I’m aware that many others are still locked out. I joined the Youth Voice Forum to turn my lived experience into advocacy: I want to help bridge that gap and ensure that 'opening doors' becomes the standard, not the exception.

What do you hope to achieve by the end of your tenure?

I hope to leave a legacy where youth voice is at the heart of decision-making. I’m looking to bridge the gap between untapped talent and employers, ensuring that the recruitment process is as diverse as the world we live in. By the end of my tenure, I want to have played a part in supporting EYF’s ambition to ensure that all young people eligible for free school meals have a clear, fair, and accessible path to a career they can flourish in.

Interesting fact:

I published my own eBook about how to manage your finances as a Muslim!