LEADERSHIP IN ACTION: CIVIC LEADERS SHARE INSIGHTS AT CIVIC PANEL EVENT

Youth Leads UK hosted its ‘Your Turn to Lead’ Civic Panel event, where young people gained insight into decision-making roles in their community.

Decision-makers and young leaders gathered at Manchester’s HOME Theatre, for an evening of insight, networking and conversations about civic roles at Youth Leads UK’s ‘Your Turn to Lead’ Civic Panel event, in partnership with GMCA. 

This is the third in a series of successful panel events, created as part of Youth Leads UK’s Youth Civic Leadership Programme. These events are designed to inspire and support young people from underrepresented communities to step into civic leadership roles – from school governors to trustees and beyond. The programme’s aim is to raise awareness of these opportunities and ensure young people can access them, so they have a real say in the decisions that shape their lives.

The panel consisted of:

• Founder & CEO of Youth Leads and Civic Leader, Saeed Atcha MBE DL
• Councillor Jade Doswell, Fallowfield, Manchester City Council
• Forum Yadav, Trustee of the Manchester Metropolitan University Students’ Union
• Jack Liepa, Trustee and Chair of The Proud Trust
• Abdullah Abrar, Youth Leads UK Alumni, Youth Civic Leader, Trustee at Fahr Beyond and Co-chair of W/Youth.

They each shared their experiences with civic roles and their active involvement in their communities, discussing how their journey began, offering advice for other young people looking to get started, and providing insight into their decision-making process. 

Cllr Doswell spoke about the challenges she faced initially in her role and how she developed confidence:

“I didn’t believe I belonged in the room. I didn’t speak out, but I was encouraged by my friends. We often internalise what society tells us about ourselves and the roles we think we’re allowed to have. That was a reminder that confidence often comes from challenging those assumptions, rather than accepting them. If you don’t have lived experience and understanding, how can you create and influence policy? Have confidence in your own values and know that your perspective is needed.”

Saeed Atcha MBE DL, Civic Leader shared his belief that young people are needed in the room when decisions are made:

“Too many young people are made to feel they have to earn the right to be heard. If you’ve ever felt your experiences don’t matter, they do. Your generation is living through challenges that others haven’t faced, and your insight is invaluable. Decision-making should be about including those who will shape the future. We need you for better decision-making.”

Forum Yadav, Trustee, discussed how lived experience is its own expertise and that young people should be given the opportunity to influence change:

“Too often, young people are told they need years of experience before they can influence decisions. But we’re the ones living these issues every day. Lived experience is expertise, and meaningful youth engagement means giving young people the power to help make decisions, not just asking for their opinions.”

Jack Liepa, Chair and Trustee, also highlighted the importance of putting beneficiaries first, arguing that effective leadership sometimes means setting aside personal beliefs to make decisions in the best interests of others: 

“As a trustee, you have to separate your personal opinions from your role. Your responsibility is to act in the best interests of the people your organisation serves. Sometimes that means making decisions that aren’t the ones you would choose personally, because leadership is about serving your beneficiaries, not yourself.”

Abdullah, Trustee and Co-chair, shared his approach when making difficult decisions in his role:

“A hard decision is not necessarily about choosing between right and wrong, it’s about choosing between two reasonable options. You also have to be willing to be held accountable for the unpopular decisions you make.”

After the panel, audience members participated in a debate activity, discussing their views on issues related to education, youth, and civic roles. The evening ended with drinks and networking. 

Youth Leads UK helps young people turn ideas into action and lead change in the real world. This event is the first step towards creating an engaged community of young people who are both knowledgeable and passionate about civic roles.