Augusta’s Story of Being a Youth Advisor

Youth Advisory Panel members are advisors, ambassadors and activists who are experts in their own lives. Their role at Plan International UK, is to provide a youth perspective on our work and ensure that children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. As we recruit for a new panel, Augusta shares her Youth Advisory Panel highlights.

The time when young people were seen and not heard is over! So many of us have interesting stories, aspirations and ideas that can change the world now, not just when we’re older.

It’s important that we take steps to learn and grow, and the team at Plan International UK and my fellow Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) members are amongst the most hardworking, passionate and inspiring people I have ever met.

Joining YAP gives you the tools to work on campaigns in real time, represent the interests of young women and girls in the UK and beyond, and also the exposure in the press that is critical in the age of social media. So, what’s stopping you from applying?

Creating real impact

When I came out of my gap year and started a new degree course, I had no idea what I was going to do. I wanted to work on global issues, like girls' rights and human rights, and have a real impact in changing the policies of UK Government and communities around me.

For much of my teen years, I had volunteered as an ambassador for a number of different causes. While they were incredibly rewarding, I didn’t feel like I was making much of an impact – until I joined YAP. I was offered a position as a Youth Advisory Panelist that same year.

Now, I’ve come to the end of my time and want to encourage you to join too. You can find out how here.

Being a part of YAP gave me exposure into the importance of working on real life issues. It’s brilliant. I’ve had opportunities to consult with DFID (the Department for International Development, now FCDO) and was part of the group selecting new CEO candidates for Plan International UK. I really valued getting to ask the candidates meaningful questions and sharing my recommendations with the hiring board.

Perhaps most excitingly, I also consulted on the 2020 State of Girls’ Rights report and got to advocate for the inclusion of refugee women and diaspora communities who are often lumped together in reports.