Safa, 26

My number one highlight from this year has been collaborating with fellow Youth Advisory Board members to co-design Mission 44’s Youth Empowerment Programme, ensuring young people facing social injustice can influence decision-making in philanthropic spaces.

We’ve worked to develop the programme from a conceptual idea, are creating meaningful roles for young people in its delivery, and have engaged in challenging decision-making processes.

Together with learning partner The Social Innovation Partnership (TSIP), we have finalised a Theory of Change for the project and continue to shape the programme’s structure, including funding goals and learning labs through an ongoing co-design process.

Being part of this process for me has been incredibly rewarding. It has strengthened my confidence and shown me firsthand how young people can drive meaningful change in real-world projects.

Michael, 20

Looking back at the year, the Young People in Grantmaking session in May was a definitive highlight. It was fantastic to link up with other young people working in grantmaking to exchange ideas and experiences.

At the session, I was particularly proud to highlight Mission 44’s Impact Committee, highlighting the important leadership role that young people have within the organisation’s grantmaking process.

Bukunmi, 20

A highlight from 2025 has been consulting on the design of Mission 44’s Motorsport Scholarship programme. With the upcoming launch of the third cohort, I’ve been involved in workshops, Impact Committee meetings, and consultation sessions to refine the programme and support the scholars.

As an engineering student, it’s been exciting to bring my lived experience together with my understanding of Mission 44’s strategic priorities to help shape a stronger, more impactful programme.

Working closely with young people interested in motorsport has reinforced how important it is to create accessible pathways. Therefore, I’m proud to contribute to something that helps them turn their passion into opportunity.

Jada, 25

One of my highlights from this year was representing Mission 44 at the inaugural SXSW London event; I had the pleasure of moderating the ‘Who Decides Tomorrow?’ panel discussion, in which we explored the essentiality of young people’s voices, in policy, innovation and leadership, to creating meaningful change. Having access to the wider event was invaluable, enabling me to learn and connect with others at the intersection of tech, culture and creativity.

My second highlight is being a part of the efforts that took the YAB-led Youth Empowerment Programme from idea to preparation for launch. The co-design process has culminated in a programme designed to foster intergenerational collaboration, build youth agency and partner with corporates to reimagine grant-making!

Louis, 24

A highlight from this year was visiting one of Mission 44’s partners – The Advocacy Academy – to celebrate the end of their grant period with us. It was the first time I had visited one of our partners ‘in action’ and we had the chance to connect with and learn from the incredible young people they are working with and supporting.

It was really wonderful to be in a space full of diverse thought, energy and personality. You could feel that the group were ‘doers’ and I left feeling really motivated by their ability to collaborate and create a campaign around the new Ofsted report, which they were planning to demonstrate the following week!

Neisha, 19

This year, I joined Mission 44’s Trustee Away Day, co-led a youth consultation informing the latest Inclusive Education Strategy, and authored a blog launching Mission 44’s Youth Empowerment Strategy – made for young people, by young people.

Next year will be even bigger. Behind the scenes, we’re selecting the next Advisor cohort and working to launch a major intergenerational project with Mission 44. There’s still so much more to come, and I can’t wait to share everything we’re working on!

Youth Advisory Board,
Mission 44

A special thank you to our Youth Advisor Delivery Partner HUDL who we have been working closely with over the last three years, supporting our Advisors and helping to create inclusive spaces for young people to share their voices, influence decisions, and lead meaningful change.