Youth Futures Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Committee members. The new Committee members bring a wide spread of expertise and skills to support Youth Futures in its role as the What Works Centre for youth employment.
The members bring experience from business, grant making and the wider charitable sector and will be joining the Grants and Evaluation and the People and Culture Committees who make a range of critical decisions that directly support Youth Futures’ mission.
Youth Futures Board member and Chair of the People and Culture Committee, Ruth Busby, said:
“All of us at Youth Futures are delighted to welcome Claire to the People and Culture Committee for Youth Futures Foundation. Claire is an exceptional HR professional and will help ensure that Youth Futures role models the type of working environment and culture that inspires and motivates people to be their best.”
Youth Futures Board member and Chair of the Grants and Evaluation Committee, Jenny North, said:
“I’m delighted that Sufina is joining the Grants and Evaluation committee. Her wealth of experience in grant making, strategy and performance, and her commitment to accountability, will help us as we build new programmes and deliver on those already underway.”
Youth Futures CEO, Barry Fletcher, said:
“We are excited to have Claire and Sufina join our Committees and provide us with important support as we strive to deliver our mission to reduce employment gaps for marginalised young people. Claire and Sufina are leaders in their fields and we know they will bring a huge amount of expertise and passion to our team.”
Joining the Committees as of the 1 December 2023 are:
Sufina Ahmad
Sufina joined John Ellerman Foundation in January 2020 as their Director, and in 2022, finished a two-year Executive MBA programme, with a specialism in Strategic Leadership, at Warwick Business School.
Before joining the Foundation, Sufina worked in corporate strategy and performance at the City of London Corporation. She has also worked for the National Lottery Community Fund and City Bridge Foundation in grant making, strategy and policy roles.
Sufina is also a Trustee for We Belong, The Charterhouse and the Association of Charitable Foundations. She is an honorary Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, having chaired their Expert Panel on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and also an RSA fellow. Sufina was awarded an MBE for charitable services in 2020.
Sufina said:
“I’m excited to be joining the Grants Committee at Youth Futures Foundation and learning about the ambitious civil society organisations seeking our funds to bring about a society where all young people have equitable access to good quality jobs, both now and in the future. I believe in the role of organisations like Youth Futures Foundation, with its commitment to working across sectors and industries, and to learning, impact, and building the evidence base on what works, that it is possible to narrow employment gaps meaningfully and change behaviour and practice.”
Claire Camara
As the Global Chief People Officer for EssenceMediacom, Claire works co-operatively to design and deliver people-centric strategies that deliver an inclusive and strategically aligned people plan. She leads a team of experts focused on fostering a culture of inclusivity, developing leaders globally, promoting engagement and recognition, enhancing inclusivity, and creating the conditions for every essential to deliver their best work.
Prior to joining the agency, Claire held several international roles including the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Baku 2015 First Olympic Games and the Baku 2017 Islamic Solidarity Games. She has also gained a breadth of commercial experience working in organisations such as The Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer PLC, Superdrug, and the Princes Youth Business Trust.
Claire said:
“I am thrilled to be joining the People and Culture Committee. This is a very important time for Youth Futures Foundation and I am thrilled and honoured to play my part in supporting them to deliver on their vision to make a difference in the lives of many young people through fair access to good quality jobs.”
