As part of Young Westminster Foundation’s youth voice offer, we launched our YEP! programme, a youth engagement programme for young people aged 16-25 and living within Westminster. The aim of the programme is to introduce participants to Young Westminster’s work and give them a foundation of skills to take forward into future jobs or opportunities! Sessions included topics such as grant making, peer mentoring, community engagement and public speaking! Two of our members, Amel & Aseel shared with us how they’ve found the programme and what they’ve gained from it so far:

“Participating in YEP has been an incredible experience. Throughout the programme, I engaged in a range of activities, including practicing being on a panel and making decisions in high-pressure scenarios. I also had the opportunity to work on developing my public speaking skills, such as practicing speaker’s trust and learning how to speak confidently in front of an audience.
These activities have been invaluable in helping me build my confidence and improve my decision-making and communication skills. One of the most rewarding aspects of the programme was the opportunity to receive constructive feedback and learn from peers and mentors, which has greatly enhanced my ability to present ideas effectively and think critically under pressure.
As I move forward, these experiences have prepared me for my next steps, whether it’s pursuing further education, stepping into leadership roles, or taking on new professional challenges. The programme has not only equipped me with practical skills but also gave me the self-assurance to apply them in real-world situations.” (Aseel, aged 19)

“Participating in the YEP has been a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the community I live in. Every session has allowed me to develop or learn new skills and information. I have found this incredibly useful as working with the community is something I aspire to do in my career. Being able to speak to people in the charity sector has allowed me to network and make new connections as well as developing communication skills. The programme is invaluable experience that I can write on my CV. Not only this, the value of each session has equipped me to understand key insight and information on topics like public-speaking and grant-making. As I move forward, this programme will enhance my network and allow me to continue being involved in the charity sector.” (Amel, aged 20)