
Youth Advisory Board
We’re giving young people a stake in our decision making and a voice on the issues that matter to them.
The Youth Endowment Fund’s is here to prevent children and young people becoming involved in violence. We do this by finding out what works and building a movement to put this knowledge into practice.
It’s a mission that matters and one that we can only achieve by putting young people at the heart of our work. That’s why we’ve set-up a Youth Advisory Board (YAB). They help:
- Shape our decisions by influencing how we spend almost £200m of funding on programmes, interviewing grantees and staff, participating in governance boards and working alongside YEF staff.
- Generate new ideas and approaches through co-producing our communications and projects to reflect perspectives of young people, and developing resources with insight based on lived experience.
- Be a critical friend and provide a youth perspective on what we say and do. They work with stakeholders, including government, to identify gaps and advise on how to understand and amplify young people’s voices. In addition, they sit on advisory groups for the seven essential sectors that YEF work closely with.

Hear from some of our Youth Advisory Members on why they joined
Want to know more about what it’s like to be a member of YAB? Read Muna’s blog where she explains her passion for preventing young people becoming involved in violence and how her role at YAB supports her advocacy.
Unfortunately, we are not recruiting formally at the moment however we encourage you to email and tell us a bit about yourselves and why you are interested in joining our Youth Advisory Board.
Please email us here: youthvoice@youthendowmentfund.org.uk.
We will let you know as soon as recruitment opens!
Meet some of the team…
YAB in research
- Report
Report:Children, Violence and Vulnerability 2024
This is YEF’s third annual Children, violence and vulnerability report. This year, YEF surveyed over 10,000 teenage children aged 13-17 in England and Wales about their experiences of violence. Amid the everyday pressures of adolescence — school, friendships and self-discovery — many teenagers are also having to navigate a more troubling issue: violence. This year’s… - Report
Report:Key Facts About Violence
Understanding violence is key to keeping children safe If we want to prevent violence, we need to understand it. The more we know about violence, the better we can focus our efforts to keep children safe. This means asking questions like: Thankfully, there is a substantial evidence base that can help us answer these questions.… - Report
Report:Racial Disproportionality
The current state of disproportionality Violence has devastating impacts on children and families. While children from all backgrounds can face violence, children from certain ethnic backgrounds are less safe. The majority of children in the youth justice system, and involved in violence, are White. However, relative to their share of the population, some minority ethnic…Policing Youth Justice Education Health
Latest YAB blogs
- Blog
Blog:Trusted Adults Matter: PAC Wales and the Trusted Adult Walk
At Peer Action Collective (PAC) Wales, we value the role trusted adults play in young people’s lives. One consistent adult who listens, shows empathy, and follows through shapes how a young person seeks help and makes decisions. For many young people, trust takes time. It grows through everyday actions. When adults get this right, young people feel safe enough to speak… - Blog
Blog:The power of mentoring to reduce youth violence
A mentor can be one of the most positive role models in a young person’s life. By building a strong, trusting relationship with a suitable adult brings many emotional, social and developmental benefits – may of which directly reduce the risk of children’s involvement in violence. How mentoring helps prevent youth violence Mentoring can significantly… - Blog
Blog:Beyond the Headlines: Why Lived Experience and Early Support Are Key to Reducing Knife Crime
Knife crime in the UK has dominated headlines in recent months, sparking widespread concern. While the statistics are shocking, they only scratch the surface of a deeper, more complex issue. To truly understand and reduce knife crime, we must look beyond the numbers. Tools like our Core Indicators of Violence dashboard, delving into knife crime… - Blog
Blog:The Importance of Careers in Preventing Youth Involvement in Violence
Employment and access to workplace skills are vital for young people, offering more than just financial independence. They provide a sense of purpose, structure, and an opportunity to develop essential life skills. Engaging in meaningful work enables young individuals to cultivate communication, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities, which are crucial for personal development and future career… - Blog
Blog:Four months on: Zombie knife ban – has it made a difference?
Four months after the ban on so-called “zombie knives,” our Youth Advisory Board (YAB) argues that while the ban is a step in the right direction, more comprehensive action is needed to effectively tackle knife crime. The 2016 ban on zombie knives was hampered by a loophole, allowing retailers to circumvent restrictions by simply removing… - Blog
Blog:Youth Advisory Board visit to No. 10 Downing Street
Following our Youth Advisory Board (YAB) visit to No.10 Downing Street, Callum one of our YAB members wrote the following account. On the 20th October 2023 members of the YEF Youth Advisory Board, including myself, visited 10 Downing Street and met with Civil Servants working as part of the Policy Unit, which provides policy advise…