Youth Practitioners' Advisory Board (YPAB)
The Youth Practitioners' Advisory Board (YPAB) is made up of experienced and specialised frontline youth workers and practitioners who share their unique perspective to help guide the work of the VRU.
The board provides deep frontline expertise and learning, helps the VRU to maintain and develop relationships across the sector and informs and influences how our decisions are made, ensuring the voice of youth practitioners is central to the VRU's work to tackle violence and support young people.
There is a breadth of experience across the group, with some working in schools, Alternative Provision education, prisons, hospitals and voluntary and community organisations, and the YPAB also helps these practitioners to develop their broader skill sets to be strategic assets in the youth work field.
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From supporting young people at a point of crisis when in hospital or in police custody following a violent incident to accessing a trusted adult who can listen, mentor and guide. It’s these reachable and teachable moments when its youth workers we turn to make the difference.
YPAB Board Members
Members of the advisory board of practitioners include:
- David Ilori - Community Consultant and Trauma Informed Practitioner
- Tony Tran - Children and Young People’s Engagement Manager, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
- Rebecca Stanley - NHS Operational Lead at Newham Wellbeing Action for Youth, a London Vanguard wellbeing service for young people & families affected by youth violence
- Jade Newton-Gardener - Founder of IMAP (I Am A Person) Youth Development CIC & Wellbeing Coordinator for a youth led media production organisation
- Paul Iseghohi - Youth and Community Work Manager, West Ham United Foundation
- Clo Ryan - Specialist Adolescent Support Worker & student Social Worker, London Borough of Sutton and Team Manager, Be Inspired CQC
- Richard Roach - Senior Youth Worker
- Sally Bartolo - Violence Reduction Lead, NHS Trust and Trustee, EY Foundation
- Camille Jordan - Principal Participation Officer, Camden Council
- Chelsie Sparks - Interim Head of Youth Work, New Horizon Youth Centre
- Elijah Williams - Director, Brent Giving
Lived Experience Statement
The YPAB is a multi-disciplinary group of youth work professionals that hold a wide range of lived experiences, including:
- Care experienced
- Low income family
- Criminal justice system
- Affected by youth violence
- Experience of exploitation, criminal and/or sexual
- Affected by gangs
- Members of the LGBTQIA+ community
- Neurodiversity
- Young carers
- Domestic abuse
- Mental health
- Homelessness
Collectively, the YPAB members are not defined solely by their experiences, but are able to understand how their experiences in life have made them, at one time or another, more vulnerable to being affected by violence.
It’s always good to see young people take the steps needed to create a prosperous future with the support and guidance from experienced and passionate youth workers.
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