The British Youth Council may be a small charity, but its impact is big
There’s a common misconception both in the charity sector and in society as a whole that a big impact can only really be delivered by a big charity. Yet I believe it’s the defining aspects of small charities – critical work delivered jointly by members, staff and trustees, underpinned by a close working relationship between
- Published in Blogs
Volunteering for a youth-led charity is rewarding
I never pictured myself as a trustee before I became one. I thought of trustees as old, balding white men in bad suits sitting around big boardroom tables in stuffy rooms. And it’s true that there are lots of charity boards in the UK that don’t look like the communities that the organisations work with
- Published in Blogs
Last words from outgoing UK Young Ambassador to the European Youth Forum
This April I visited Brussels for my fifth and final assembly meeting as the UK Young Ambassador to the European Youth Forum, which I attended alongside Lucia Jones. At this meeting, which brings together around 150 young representatives from across Europe, we usually discuss and pass resolutions on continent-wide issues as well as elect people
- Published in Blogs
Should I vote on May the 23rd?
You might have heard that on May the 23rd that the UK will be voting for Members of the European Parliament, but aren’t we leaving the European Union? Why should I bother voting when it won’t matter anyway? Isn’t it just a waste of time? Europe and the EU have always been controversial topics within
- Published in Blogs, UK Young Ambassadors
Young Ambassadors visit Romania for the EU Youth Dialogue
Eddie O’Sullivan, Megan Doherty and I, three of the four UK Young Ambassadors to the EU Youth Dialogue (the successor to the EU Structured Dialogue) have returned from the first European Union Youth Conference in Bucharest, Romania. The conference was focused on the Romanian Presidency’s key priority for young people: the future of work. Our
- Published in Blogs, UK Young Ambassadors
Could school ‘own clothes days’ be the future of youth voice funding?
On Friday the 15th of February, I organised an own clothes day at my secondary school, Ysgol Bro Pedr. The day was a complete success, with pupils and staff alike revelling in the freedom of wearing their own clothes; and supporting a meaningful charity like the British Youth Council. This blog post is to promote
- Published in Blogs, Fundraising
Access to public transport remains an issue for young people
With our broad and diverse membership, our organisation represents voices of young people in all areas of the country. Often, youth councils, scout and guides groups, and our other members are the only access to opportunities for young people in rural areas, and therefore many of our policies and aims focus on these regions. The
- Published in Blogs
Changing London’s approach to tackling violent extremism
On the 29th January, we had the privilege to visit City Hall and participate in the Countering Violent Extremism programme, representing young people from the London Faith Forum. A few months previously we took part in a focus group led by the ICIC at Westminster Youth Council; they asked us about our opinions in regards
- Published in Blogs
Ensuring young voices are at the heart of the Bank of England
In a world that’s changing so quickly, with amazing new technologies appearing everyday, it’s more important than ever that some of society’s most established institutions open both their doors and their minds to the ideas and voices of young people. It’s brilliant to be able to say that, working closely with the British Youth Council
- Published in Blogs
Commonwealth Youth Roundtable (feat. HRH The Duke of Sussex)
Surreal is the only way to describe walking into one of the most famous and prestigious buildings in the UK. The walls and rooms were so decadent that it was so easy to feel out of place. But it also served as a reminder of why exactly we were there: to discuss solutions to the
- Published in Blogs