Within the education sector, Alev empowers students to play a leadership role and take action on social issues. Drawing on her background in education, consultancy, and project management, Alev leads programmes and partnerships, as well as being a vital member of our Executive Team.

An experienced educator with 20+ years working in challenging environments, Kaytea leads on the Youth Commission for Leaders Unlocked, working with PCCs and police forces around the country. Kaytea manages our team of regional coordinators, and is a key member of our Executive Team.

Gabrielle manages two important projects for us in the Nottinghamshire region – the Youth Commission and MH:2K. Gabby started as a volunteer on the Youth Commission in 2015 and since then she has progressed to become a well-respected leader in her region.

Kelese supports two important projects in Nottinghamshire – the Youth Commission and MH:2K. She is passionate about supporting young people to have a voice. Kelese started as a volunteer with us, while studying Youth Studies at university, and since then she has progressed to become a member of the staff team in the region.

Folade is the project manager for the Mental Health Foundation Young Leaders project. She is passionate about facilitating safe, non-judgemental spaces for young people to share their ideas and experiences. Folade did an internship with us during her undergraduate studies, and then joined the staff team in 2020.

Emily is a project manager within our policing team, and is currently managing both the North and West Yorkshire Youth Commissions. Emily has a keen interest in public policy and is passionate about utilising co-production to improve policing and community services for young people.

Deborah started her journey with Leaders Unlocked as a Young Leader on the Childfair State Inquiry. She is now Project Assistant for the Mental Health Foundation Young Leaders Project, where she encourages young people to voice their opinions and experiences and directly impact mental health research, policy and campaigning. Deborah is passionate about holistic Mental Health prevention and intervention which takes intersectionality into account.

Hafizah is a Project Coordinator for the Youth Commission in Wiltshire & Swindon. Whilst studying BSc Politics and Sociology, Hafizah broadened her knowledge on policy, leadership and social issues. Joining the Youth Commission as a member, and then becoming a coordinator, has allowed her to promote diversity and inclusion, and the idea that the youth are the heart of our communities. In her spare time Hafizah enjoys writing poetry.

Romaine leads on Take the Lead Stories, which is a story writing and creative project he created as part of his internship with LU. His goal is to champion the voices of young people from unrepresented communities and backgrounds, enabling them to tell their stories and have them published in the places that they feel they will be most impactful. Romaine is also an experienced youth worker from Bristol.

Bhavan was a citizen researcher for the MH:2K Derbyshire project and progressed onto the role of project assistant after finishing her A - levels. Now as a psychology student, Bhavan is able to fulfil her passion for advocating for youth welfare and inclusion, helping to crack down on all areas of mental health stigma and tackle the ongoing mental health crisis.

An experienced community organiser with over 10 years in the sector, Nairn leads our first project in Scotland – North Ayrshire Mental Health Commission – which will empower young people to create change around mental health. Nairn is passionate about empowering young people to have their voices heard.

Suzanne leads on our internship programme and project developments in Scotland. Having spent 30+ years working in the arts, education and widening participation, she is a passionate advocate for equality of opportunity and the empowerment of young people.