Young people are at the heart of what we do. That's why we've created our first ever cohort of Youth Ambassadors. During their time, this talented group will help us to reach and engage with more young people so that our programmes support as many as possible.
Our Youth Ambassadors joined in August 2022. Our first cohort is made up of 3 enthusiastic students aged between 15 and 21, who each have a passion for our mission - to create an equal start line for young people regardless of their ethnic or social background.
Here's a quick introduction of each team member.
Meeting our first Youth Ambassadors
Abraham
Abraham joins the team after completing our WYZ For Work employability course. He gained a range of skills on the course to help his future career. Since then, Abraham has completed 2 work experience programmes through us in Sports Coaching and Law and has grown in confidence throughout. Abraham is currently completing his GCSEs and has already brought lots of exciting ideas to the team.
Dicle
Dicle is currently a university undergraduate and is very enthusiastic about promoting diversity and inclusion. She has already contributed great recommendations to help to grow the charity's reach. Dicle brings a positive can-do attitude and a willingness to share her own experiences to engage and inspire young people.
Ezo
Ezo is also a university undergraduate, keen to use her skills to support our growth. Her enthusiasm and willingness to work with others to make positive change, will help her in the role:
"I am very excited to be working with Open Palm and engaging with young people! Make sure to follow us to stay updated on what's to come."
Opportunities to lead
Our Youth Ambassador roles are designed to provide leadership opportunities for young people. Each volunteer is able to suggest and drive forward ideas, and collaborate with our other volunteer teams. The students are developing important skills such as creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and proactivity, which will help as they progress with their studies or enter the world of work.
In addition, Youth Ambassadors will be supporting our workshops and in-person events. This enables them to network with their peers and engage other young people in a relatable way.
Each student joins us for a period of six-months and will gain experience across the charity. This is a great opportunity for them to contribute broadly to various initiatives.
"We're hoping that this group will come in and form a good connection with the young people we serve. We can't wait to see how they engage and help to drive the charity forward." - Ralph, Co-Founder and Trustee
Volunteering is an excellent way to gain experience, skills and networks. We're committed to making volunteering as engaging and rewarding as possible.
If you'd like to explore volunteering with us, you get in touch quickly and easily here.