Meet our steering group

Name: Chowdhury Joba

Pronouns: she/her

Age: 20

I am a medical student at Kings College London but I am originally from Manchester, where all my youth activism started. From working as a youth worker to being a member of the I Will team, I have cultivated a great passion for activism. This has greatly helped me work with the other YSG members to create a welcoming and supportive funding community.

Name: Victor Agbontean

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 19

I’m Victor, 19, and I am passionate about addressing health inequalities through youth social action. As the youngest member of the NIHR and a lead researcher on international projects, I advocate for youth-led change. I aim to inspire young people to engage in research and policymaking, creating meaningful community impact.

Name: Issac Toman

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 21

I’m Isaac, 21. I’m originally from Preston but now live in Wales, where I’m studying biomedical science at university. I’m particularly passionate about supporting care-experienced individuals and advocating for their needs. I wanted to join because I believe in funding projects that truly matter to young people and their communities, whatever form those communities take, and making a difference for the people within them.

Name: Zack Hayward 

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 22

I’m Zack, a 22-year-old law student and activist based in Cardiff. Originally from North Wales, I’ve been fortunate to work on projects related to accessible healthcare, social justice, economic justice, and the environment, among others. I’m also deeply passionate about grassroots-led, community-driven change.

Name: Michael Tarnawsky

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 25

I am a Home Economics teacher based in Glasgow, Scotland. I graduated from the University of Dundee with a degree in Education, and before that, I studied nutritional science. I’m passionate about improving youth access to and engagement in education and addressing food security.

Name: Roland Balbag

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 22

Hi! I’m Roland, a recent Politics and International Relations graduate from the University of Exeter. I’m passionate about making the arts, music, and culture more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. I’m also a violinist and a powerlifter!

Name: Remell Thompson-Bell

Pronouns:he/him

Age:20

I’m Remell Thompson-Bell, 20. I’ve had the opportunity to serve as one of the ‘Co-op Young Business Leaders’ within the Co-operative Group, and now I’m focused on strategically applying my skills and knowledge to benefit young people within the Co-operative movement. I’m committed to fostering new opportunities and building synergy-driven partnerships in a youth-led context. I believe this approach is essential for tackling key social policy issues, and I’m passionate about investing in the aspirations of social entrepreneurs, organisations, and activists to achieve better outcomes for society.

Name: Mariama Adan

Pronouns: she/her

Age: 21

I’m Mariama, a 21-year-old from Bristol focused on social action and justice, particularly in supporting ethnic minority communities and de-stigmatising important issues. I began my work with the grassroots charity Integrate UK, where I facilitated workshops on Honour-Based Violence against women and girls. This experience led me to run my own projects addressing mental health barriers faced by ethnic minority communities, working with organisations like Barnardo’s, CAHMS, the Diana Award, UK Youth, and the Centre for Mental Health. I’m in my second year studying English Language and Linguistics at Cardiff University.

Name: Eggy Ray

Pronouns: they/he

Age: 25

I’m Eggy, an arts facilitator and performer in the South West. I’m thrilled to be a member of the YGF Steering Group, as it aligns with my vision and I hope to create a fairer, more equitable future. I also love sea swimming and wearing odd socks!.

Name: Lavanya Manobharath

Pronouns: she/her

Age: 22

I’m Lavanya Manobharath, an education activist focused on providing access to quality education for young people facing adversity, with a special interest in early childhood education. I work as a programme coordinator for IntoUniversity and serve as a Global Youth Ambassador for TheirWorld, along with roles as a consultant for the Future Communities Collective and a research member at Thrive CIC. I hold a Philosophy and Theology degree from the University of Bristol and have been involved in campaigns like ‘Give an X’ to encourage young people to vote. I enjoy spending time with loved ones, learning new skills, playing badminton, and hiking in my free time.

Name: Adrián Courcelles Baena

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 21

I am Adrian, and I am 21. I study medicine in Edinburgh. I am passionate about YGF’s potential to make a big impact on young people’s development. Supporting them in their fight for the issues they have identified in their communities.

Name: Chloe Marks

Pronouns: she/her

Age: 20 

Hi there! My name is Chloe I’m 20, and I’m from the North of Ireland. I’m passionate about Positive and peaceful change-making which young people get to lead. I have experience in leading peacebuilding initiatives, locally, across the island of  Ireland and nationally. It is my First year on the YGF steering group, and I am committed to giving young people the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Name: Andrew Hamilton

Pronouns: he/him

Age 19

I’m Andrew Hamilton, a disability rights activist, lobbyist, and consultant working to advance the rights of disabled people in the UK and Northern Ireland. I’ve led campaigns on improving cinema accessibility and pushing for legislation to align public authorities with the UN Convention on disability rights, and I’m working with the UK government on digital inclusion. I’m also a Politics and International Relations student at Durham University, where I focus on disability rights advocacy. As a co-author of an Equality Commission report, I’ve given evidence to the UN on the UK’s treatment of disabled people and am proud to be a One Young World ambassador.

Name: Mya Badhan

Pronouns: she/her

Age 23

I’m Mya, 23, and I am a passionate social justice advocate committed to creating meaningful change. I have experience leading change-making initiatives at local, regional, and national levels. As a returning YGF steering group member, I’m excited to continue shaping the power-shifting fund to embody inclusive youth empowerment truly.

Name: Daniel Ghansah

Pronouns: he/him

Age: 19

Hey, I’m Daniel, 20, from Newcastle, where I’m also studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Newcastle University. I’m passionate about YGF because I believe it’s essential to give young people a platform to speak up and take action on important social issues. 

Fun fact: I started my own clothing brand!

Name: Charlie Whiteside

Pronouns:she/her

Age 23

My name is Charlie Whiteside, I am 23 years old and I am from Liverpool. I am a youth work apprentice studying and working for a young person’s advisory service. I am very motivated to create positive changes for young people, I love to facilitate and work inside of spaces for young people and youth voice.