Our People

Felix has worked in a variety of roles in the further education sector. He has been responsible for financial management, planning, audit and the wider corporate services. Felix has been involved in new business start-ups in the education and commercial sectors. He is passionate about lifelong learning.

Matthew supports the delivery of our Impact and Development grant programme. He has almost 10 years of working in the grant making environment working with people and communities to overcome challenges and realise their aspirations. Prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation he worked as a Grants & Awards Manager at the British Heart Foundation, and the National Lottery Community Fund in a number of roles across the grant lifecycle.

Andrea is an enthusiastic analyst, interested in improving data infrastructure on underserved communities. Before this, Andrea was a Senior Analyst at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. She has finished a PhD in Economics at the University of York.

In July 2020, Andrea gave evidence to the Women and Equalities Committee on the unequal impact of coronavirus on ethnic minorities. Andrea has also appeared on EuroNews, Bloomberg Radio, and in print to discuss issues related to employment and groups.

Jen supports the Grants Team as part of the 2027 Associate programme, which recruits people from diverse backgrounds to offer their lived experience of communities that Grant-giving organisations aim to serve. Jen has frontline experience working in grassroots organisations, developing, and delivering projects within a range of sectors including youth, volunteering, education, and women’s rights. She has a keen interest in building the capacity of communities to find creative solutions and influence systemic change at a national level.

Dr Jane Colechin is a social researcher with a decade of experience working on high profile labour market, education and welfare reform evaluations and studies. Jane has particular expertise in theory-led evaluations and ensuring co-design is part of evaluation and programme delivery and ensures that rigorous and youth-informed principles are used in all of YFF’s evaluation and evidence processes.

Anna shapes and delivers our organisational strategy by leading our stakeholder management and connecting insights to find solutions to drive systemic change. Key to this is developing our relationships with youth and youth employment organisations, public bodies, Government departments and employers. Anna is also driving forward Youth Voice, ensuring young people are at the heart of everything we do. Prior to Youth Futures, Anna worked in youth policy for central government, as well as in a range of frontline, policy and research roles in the charity and voluntary sector. Anna has been involved in youth and community initiatives from a young age, and outside of work she volunteers to support children and young people.

Bal is a Relationship Manager in the Connected Futures Team. She leads on the work to expand Connected Futures to young people and communities with Bangladeshi or Pakistani heritage.

Her professional background includes Employability, ESOL, Management, Training and community engagement in both voluntary & statutory organizations. She has a passion for equality and empowerment and fair access for all.

Michael is a Relationship Manager for the Connected Futures Fund supporting the local partnerships Connected Futures are investing in to tackle some of the wider systemic issues young people face within youth employment services.

Prior to joining Youth Futures Michael worked for a G15 housing association project managing a plethora of social and economic investment projects aimed at improving the lives of local people in the Hackney and Barnet boroughs of London.

Talia joined the Research team earlier this year where she worked on ensuring that the voices and interests of young people affected by inequality and discrimination in employment were well represented in research.

She has now moved over to the Strategy team as Senior Participation Officer, working on meaningful youth participation across Youth Futures Foundation.

Prior to joining YFF, Talia worked for a youth democratic engagement organisation and completed a Masters in Race, Media and Social Justice.

Barry joined Youth Futures Foundation as CEO in January 2023. Barry’s career has been dedicated to supporting people into work and helping young people fulfil their potential. Prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation Barry spent 3 years as CEO at Career Connect a youth focused Charity based in the North West. He began his career at Ingeus, spending 15 years at this large, health, youth, employment and skills provider, with his final role leading the UK business as Managing Director.

Barry is passionate about increasing social mobility and supporting the most marginalised in society. This is reflected in the non-executive roles he has previously undertaken including  serving on the Board of Youth Employment UK, ERSA, Careers England, and Chair of The Way Youth Zone, part of the Onside network.

Gillian sits within our Finance and Resources team and leads the development and improvement of our processes and systems. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience having managed UK wide grant programmes throughout her career in the charity sector, working with the Prince’s Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and more recently CITB. Outside of the office, Gillian enjoys learning piano and long walks with her family in the countryside.

Aron supports our grant holders with the delivery of their grants, enabling them to deliver high quality, impactful projects. He manages a varied portfolio of grant holders, with a particular focus on the Infrastructure programme. Aron began his career in Accounting and Finance, before moving to grant making with Leeds Community Foundation.

Chris leads our Impact and Evidence team. Previously he was Deputy Director of Evidence and Impact at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, where he has worked as Head and Deputy Director of Policy and Research, since joining the organisation as Poverty Programme Manager in 2003. He previously served as a policy analyst with the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and Senior Research Officer at the Home Office. He was a member of the Social Security Advisory Committee for 10 years from 2012-22.

Nicole is Executive Assistant to our CEO, providing high-quality secretarial and administrative support ensuring the smooth running of our Executive Office. She is a confidential, conscientious and proactive professional with a wealth of PA/EA secretarial, business administration and event management experience across various industries, including investment banking, automotive, manufacturing, recruitment, retail and non-profit organisations.

Outside of work, Nicole dedicates her time to caring for the welfare of vulnerable animals, volunteering and supporting animal shelters in need of extra support.

Megan is a Relationship Manager for the Connected Futures Fund, she supports partnerships that Youth Futures is investing in to address the need for structural change in youth employment services.

Before joining Youth Futures, Megan worked in local government specialising in employment and skills. Her roles included project and relationship management on various employment initiatives in Birmingham, both city wide and at a neighbourhood level. Most recently she worked on delivery of a large scale European Social Fund/Youth Employment Initiative project in Birmingham and Solihull.

Eve has experience working in policy and campaigning in children’s social care and domestic abuse sectors. In her previous role, Eve led a campaign to get more care experienced young people the support they are entitled to at university, as well as successfully campaigning for higher foster carer allowances to support children and young people in care. Eve also has a Masters in Human Rights and in her spare time likes to swim in the sea as much as she can.

Charlie is involved in the operations and every day running of the business to help support with the processing of transactions in the company to ensure that we meet our financial obligations as a charity. He helps support the management of accurate data including the grants sector to ensure that we are in-line with our predictions mentioned in our business plan and are on track with the budgets set out each year. Charlie is also involved in a steering group with partnerships for young London – supporting many aspects of careleavers – including employment.

Ryan is responsible for developing and delivering influencing strategies that will help Youth Futures to engage policymakers – pushing our mission to narrow employment gaps for young people from marginalised backgrounds up the agenda and working constructively with others to make the case for compelling policy solutions. Ryan joined Youth Futures in April 2021, working as Strategy Manager until taking his current role as Senior Policy Manager at the end of 2022.

Before joining Youth Futures, Ryan worked in local government, most recently making the case for further investment into Greater Cambridge as part of the local City Deal, and developing approaches to deliver sustainable economic growth, including responding to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nkechi has spent most of her career in the voluntary and higher education sectors, most recently as the administrator for a professional body for internal auditors in higher education. Nkechi is passionate about good governance and the difference that can make in organisations and is keen to continue her journey of working with Boards, Committees and senior leaders and the learning that goes with it. She is really excited to be part of Youth Futures Foundation’s mission to make a difference in the lives of young people.

Vera Stiefler Johnson has experience in designing and implementing research and evaluation projects in social service settings across the United States and England. Prior to joining YFF, she worked in the Research & Evaluation Center at Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, managing research and evaluation projects for mental and behavioural health interventions, family support services, early childhood services, and community innovation programmes. She is interested in participatory study design; data synthesis and visualisation; and linking theory, research, and practice towards the goal of improved design and delivery of social services and policies.

Dan Jones leads Connected Futures, Youth Futures’ place-based programme aiming at whole system change. Prior to joining Youth Futures, he established the Centre for Ageing Better’s first programmes, including place-based approaches to employment in Greater Manchester and community transport in Leeds. He has a long track record in innovation and systems change in the UK and internationally.

Vicki leads our policy team, jobsharing with Jacqui Shurlock. She started her career as a parliamentary researcher in the House of Commons before moving to The Fostering Network. Vicki's campaigning work led to the introduction of legislation to extend foster care to young people to the age of 21. She co-chaired the Alliance for children in care and care leavers, working in partnership with 50 organisations to co-ordinate influencing activity as well as regularly representing The Fostering Network in the media. In her spare time, Vicki loves to cycle in the Surrey Hills and plays netball for Kingston Tigers. 

Rosie's role and interests:

• Particularly interested in the dissemination and implementation of learning, why I work in evaluation
• Managing a portfolio of evaluations across multiple workstreams at YFF (not sure if you call them workstreams but like Infrastructure, WW and CF)
• I have worked in the charity sector for the majority of my career and before that, education
• Outside of work, I like reading and listening to music (pretty standard) and rewatching Friends & Modern Family – feel like my knowledge of these things must be close to unmatched but not sure I want that challenged!

Danielle is a Grants Officer here at Youth Futures, responsible for supporting the delivery of our What Works and Connected Futures Programmes. Danielle is also a staff champion for our Future Voices Invest Sub-Group, and a member of our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Danielle has a background in business development and finance having spent three years at one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms, Ernst & Young (EY). Danielle is extremely passionate about supporting young people to develop key skills and transition into meaningful employment and has worked and/or volunteered with a number of frontline delivery organisations such as: The EY Foundation, The National Citizens Service, Princes Trust, Childreach International, The Chartered Management Institute, The Duke of Edinburgh Award, Young Enterprise and more.

Dr Amanda Mackey is an evaluation researcher with experience in qualitative and mixed-methods research. She has particular interest in questionnaire design and focus groups. Prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation, she worked with STEM Learning on evaluating the STEM Ambassadors programme, and with Family Fund, a charity that supports families raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people. Her doctoral work focused on evaluating the goals and milestones of gender equality in English cathedral choirs. Outside of work, Amanda is a hospital volunteer with the Royal Voluntary Service, and a roller derby on-skates referee.

Jane is a mixed methods researcher with nearly ten years’ experience working in research and evaluation. At Youth Futures Foundation she is responsible for managing the evaluation of a portfolio of funded projects and exploring what works to support young people into employment. Prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation, Jane worked as the lead evaluator at Good Things Foundation (a digital inclusion charity) and spent 6 years working in the market research industry. Outside of work Jane enjoys running, getting out into nature, and is a keen Olympics enthusiast.

Tony has a background in data and systems management in charity and international development contexts. He supports the delivery of our Evaluation and Research grants and coordinates the Impact and Evidence Team.  He also has an interest in collecting punk vinyl and likes to think his record collection is unparelled.

Annum is a Partnerships Manager with an interest in stakeholder engagement and collaboration. Annum supports the delivery of our Youth Futures Foundation Strategy with a particular focus on developing relationships with youth employment organisations, public bodies, employers, Government departments and young people. Prior to joining the Youth Futures Foundation, Annum worked on key initiatives such as Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps helping to shape and deliver programmes, projects and partnerships. Annum has a passion for breaking down barriers that exist in marginalised young people accessing educational and employment opportunities and outside of work actively volunteers for local charities and community organisations.

Moira joined YFF in October 2021 and has oversight of our governance and legal functions.

Moira has a background in law and international law and has spent her career in the charity sector.  Her focus, for the last 15 years, has been on charity governance.  Moira has worked with a variety of domestic and international charities at a senior level.  Many of these roles have extended beyond governance and her experience includes responsibility for legal and compliance functions.

Eleanor is an experienced project manager and has worked in the youth charity sector for over a decade. In her role as Strategy Manager, she drives our strategic aim to better our understanding of employer needs and influence their role in the youth employment system. By engaging a variety of stakeholders in activity and collective learning, she supports us to translate our research findings into tangible ways to influence employer behaviour and practice.

Prior to joining us, she worked in roles partnering with stakeholders such as UNHCR, The Careers and Enterprise Company, Department for Education, Comic Relief and others. She is passionate about movements for social change, especially in centring the voices of marginalised young people. Eleanor mentors a young person with The Girls Network and is engaged with LGBTQ+ activism in the South East. She is a member of our internal EDI Committee.

Alison is a research officer supporting several of our evidence reviews, writing on the youth employment toolkit, and supporting various projects across Youth Futures.

In her previous role, Alison was a Youth Programme Coordinator for the National Citizenship Service in London. Her focus was on the delivery of employability skills sessions, particularly for young people with additional support needs.

Before that Alison did her Masters in Humanitarianism and Conflict Response at The University of Manchester. Her dissertation explored the efficacy of cash-based humanitarian interventions targeting young people.

Lisa is our Head of People, who’s role is to shape and lead Youth Futures Foundation people agenda and culture by ensuring systems, processes, people and business operations are in place to enable the organisation to deliver its strategy.

A CIPD Level 7 HR professional with over 20 years progressive experience of working in both operational and strategic roles across a range of sectors, but predominantly within the not-for-profit sector. Lisa joined Youth Futures Foundation from a community and adult education charity based in Leeds and has run her own HR consultancy company since 2012.

In her spare time Lisa is the Chair of Governors at a Leeds based inner-city primary school and has a passion to ensure that children have access to high-quality learning to secure an adult future that is wholesome, positive, and rewarding.

Hannah manages evaluations of our funded programmes to provide evidence of effective approaches to support young people into meaningful work. She is a social researcher with experience in theory-led evaluation and participatory approaches. Prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation, Hannah was a Research Manager at Learning and Work Institute where she conducted research and evaluation projects spanning labour market, welfare reform and skills policy.

Rosie is a team coordinator working across both the Grants and Strategy & Innovation Teams. She has over 14 years of youth work experience in a variety of settings and holds a BA(Hons) and Postgraduate Diploma in Youth and Community Work. Alongside working at Youth Futures Foundation she leads youth sessions and holds positions as a Council Member for the Institute of Youth Work, a Trustee for The Door Youth Project, and is part of the steering group for In Defence of Youth Work.  Prior to YFF, Rosie spent a year elected as Students’ Union President at Newman University, Birmingham.

Lekan oversees the delivery of our ‘What Works’ grant programmes. His career, prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation, includes experience within a leading social investment fund, grant giving with a focus on young people and capacity building support. In his spare time Lekan has held charity Board positions and is currently involved as a trustee for a local youth focused organisation based in London.

Charlene is working as the Business Support Executive, providing operational support to the whole Youth Futures Foundation Team. Prior to this, she worked in the charity and non-profit sector and has experience in office management, executive support and human resources. Outside of work, Charlene practices music and art and volunteers at a local church.

Matthew leads the development and delivery of our grant making programmes. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise having built his career on working with people and communities with the National Lottery Community Fund and establishing Talent Match. Outside of the office, Matthew is committed to supporting and coaching young people and is heavily involved with local youth work in the West Midlands.

Louise supports the development and delivery of Youth Futures Foundation’s grant making programmes. She has been working within the not-for-profit sector in Birmingham for almost 10 years, most recently working at a local infrastructure organisation. Her roles included contract and strategic relationship management for various programmes including a £6million Ageing Better programme and a strategic support and development programme for civil society organisations in Birmingham.

Lauren is a Team Coordinator for the Engagement Team. She loves being organised and helpful and has previously worked in PA jobs, most recently at a property investment company. In her personal time, she enjoys doing charity work. She has raised £20k by organising various fundraising events, and visited North Africa to carry out charity work at children’s hospitals, schools and women’s refuges. She also enjoys big walks and spending time with family and friends.

Andy is a Relationships Manager, supporting the delivery of Youth Futures’ Impact and Development grant programme. With a background in commercial and corporate banking followed by 14 years’ experience of providing and managing grants and loans in the VCSE sector, he joins us from the Architectural Heritage Fund where he headed up its social investment team for 10 years. Away from work, he enjoys creative writing, reading Russian literature, and waiting for Grimsby Town Football Club to start winning again.

Anna Round is Head of Research and Impact at the Youth Futures Foundation. Her research experience includes extensive work on education and skills, regional labour markets and economies, and young people’s issues. Before joining YFF she worked at IPPR North, after over a decade as a researcher in higher education and in government.

Ravinder is our Finance & IT Manager, with over 20 years’ experience at Senior Manager level in Finance, covering all aspects of Finance functions.  Previously working in the Public/Third Sector, having worked for Charities, Social Landlord(s), and Local Authority.  Ravinder has implemented various systems, and processes to enable the delivery of rewarding work undertaken by frontline staff and partners, in the easiest and most efficient way.  Ravinder is also a Trustee of a small local Youth & Community centre.

Jacqui leads our policy team, job sharing with Vicki Jones. Jacqui’s career has focussed on using evidence and lived experience to influence strategic and policy change. Jacqui was a civil servant for twelve years, working on a range of social policy areas before moving to the voluntary sector to lead a project on early intervention for children and young people with learning disabilities. Jacqui led children’s policy at the Challenging Behaviour Foundation (CBF) before joining Vicki for their first jobshare role at The Fostering Network. At the CBF Jacqui pioneered work to explore better ways of seeking the views of children and young people who do not communicate verbally and during holidays and weekends she works for a local charity on engagement activities for young people. Jacqui does lots of her policy thinking on long dog walks. 

Reena is a communications creative with an interest in developing accessible content. She supports the delivery of our marketing and communications strategy. Prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation, Reena worked to influence mental health policy, welfare support and wellbeing initiatives in Scotland and England; as part of the Scottish Government’s flagship campaign ‘Think Positive’, and as Sheffield Students’ Union’s Welfare Officer. She also has an interest in audio production and has an unmatched knowledge of Desert Island Discs.

Jodie is the Media and Communications Manager at Youth Futures Foundation. In her role, Jodie is responsible for increasing awareness for Youth Futures, and its work, through a communications strategy and media relations.

Before joining Youth Futures, Jodie worked at a Birmingham-based PR agency, where she led on both strategy and delivery for clients across industries including arts and culture, hospitality and organisations in the third sector.

In her spare time Jodie volunteers for Let’s Feed Brum, supporting at its Monday night soup kitchen, and assisting with social media and marketing. She also volunteers as a mentor to students and graduates at Birmingham City University.

Peter is Research Manager in the Research and Impact team and will manage a diverse portfolio of work. A mixed methods researcher Peter has over fifteen years of experience in academia and the third sector. His most recent research has explored initiatives focused on crime and youth crime, funded by among others the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Nuffield Foundation and the Ministry of Justice. In 2017 he completed an ESRC funded PhD at the Centre for Criminal Justice Studies at the University of Leeds, for which he explored why some young people carry knives. In his spare time Peter likes to exercise and visit the cinema.

Zach is an analyst, who is passionate about bettering the employment outcomes for marginalised youth. In conjunction with his role at YFF, he is completing a PhD in Economics at the University of Birmingham.

Zach has been involved in labour market research, both in the economics and commercial sectors.

Natassja leads our Marketing and Communications team, bringing over 12 years’ experience of building audience-focused strategies, delivering impactful campaigns and improving communications planning in trade associations and charities including Mayhew and the British Red Cross. Natassja spent a formative part of her career at Girlguiding, co-creating campaigns, content and channels with members, which sparked a passion for empowering young people and amplifying youth voice through comms. Natassja is kept busy outside of work by her small, scruffy dog and less small, equally scruffy toddler.