YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD

Young People at the Centre of Our Work

Youth Legal exists to improve young people’s access to justice. We believe that services designed for young people must be shaped with them.

Our Youth Advisory Board (YAB) brings together young people aged 16–25 to contribute insight, feedback and lived experience to the development of our work. Their perspectives inform how we communicate, how we design services and how we set priorities for the future.

The Youth Advisory Board forms part of our wider governance and engagement structure. Its members contribute to discussions that influence organisational planning, service accessibility and strategic direction. This ensures that decisions are informed by the realities young people face rather than assumptions about their needs.

Many of the young people involved bring lived experience of housing insecurity, care, disability, migration, financial hardship or mental health challenges. That experience strengthens our work. It helps us identify barriers, refine our approach and remain accountable to the communities we serve.

Participation in the Youth Advisory Board also supports the development of confidence, leadership and governance awareness among young people. For some, involvement may provide a pathway toward deeper engagement with governance, including trustee roles, subject to standard recruitment processes.

Youth Legal is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. All Youth Advisory Board activity takes place within our safeguarding framework to ensure participation is safe, respectful and appropriately supported.

“It feels good to know that our views actually shape what the organisation does. We’re not just being asked for feedback — we’re part of the conversation.”

— Mo