Age: 19
Location: Buckinghamshire
Occupation: I have currently been on a gap year where I have been volunteering as a youth colleague at Barnardo’s and sat on the Youth Voice Steering Group at the British Youth Council. In September, I am going to be studying Education Studies at Buckinghamshire New University.
Why did you join the Inspiring Futures Youth Reference Group?
Being a part of the Youth Reference Group (YRG) will allow me to shape the direction of the evaluation process of the Inspiring Futures Programme, whilst allowing me to develop industry-specific skills such as digital, research and evaluation. I am excited to gain invaluable experience and broaden my knowledge in this field, to transition into a policy orientated role in the future.
What has been your highlight of being on the YRG so far?
I had a limited understanding of evaluation before sitting on the advisory board, the YRG introduced me to how evaluation operates in practice. We brainstormed ideas on how to improve a variety of research questions that could be addressed. This narrowed our focus and gave us a better understanding of what research approach to take. Some methods included interviews and creating videos to explore the contribution made by the programme. I am excited for the future and keen to conclude whether young people were supported during the pandemic.