Hear From our 2026 Youth Council! The Brightest Insights We Have Gained Throughout This Year
Intro By Yau
According to the latest research from the House of Commons, as of 2026, there were 751,000 young people aged 16 to 24 who were unemployed, 109,000 more than the previous year.
The unemployment rate for young people was 16.4%, up from 14.3% from the year before.
In January to March 2026, the number of young people who are not in employment, education or training exceeded 1 million for the first time since 2013. In April to June 2026, there were 981,000 people aged 16 to 24 who were NEET. That’s 13.0% of all 16-to-24-year-olds.
We, as the Youth Council, believe the mission of Futures For All is becoming increasingly relevant and urgent to our society. However, it is important to know that we all arrived at this conclusion differently. Our personal journeys is why every member's contribution to Futures For All is unique and significant. So, let us show who we are, what we aspire to be and why we became the Youth Council members of the Futures For All charity.
South West England By Eulan
Hello! My name is Eulan and I am extremely elated to be South West England’s representative for Futures For All Youth Council.
Truth be told as an immigrant living in Somerset, one of the most rural counties in England, the opportunities are finite. I share the same struggle with thousands of students who are not only forced to face the heartbreaking fact that most work experiences of their dream field being concentrated in metropolitan cities, but they are also demanded to think about their financial status for transportation and accommodation.
My heart dreads to see my people settle for less due to their unfortunate geographical location. However, when my sixth form endorsed a Youth Council for a charity dedicated
in uplifting state school students through making work experiences more accessible, I knew that I had to step up and be a part of this wonderful beacon of hope. I had to join and raise the concerns of my fellow students.
Futures For All has created a website that has made work experience come to you. Offering both virtual and in-person opportunities with a range of different industries catered to your interests just by one search. We are also working tirelessly to connect with more employers near the South West area.
I am an aspiring solicitor who is eager to learn more about corporate litigation and its deliberate intersection of the affairs of war crimes currently happening in our lifetime. With Futures For All’s services, I was able to broaden my legal knowledge preparing me for law school.
I envision a future of students achieving their hearts greatest desire and goals. A safe atmosphere where they can cultivate and showcase their skills and talents for benevolent outcome. Plus, a supportive space to network and collaborate. All of these are achievable with us and you to achieve a fantastic Future For All.
London By Shaheer
Hi, I am Shaheer and I’m proud to be part of the FFA Youth Council, representing London!
My first real brush with Futures For All was at UKAEA, and honestly? It was brilliant. I went in not quite sure what to expect and came out buzzing, it was the kind of event that makes you sit up and start noticing things in the news or media, kind of sparking a passion for engineering. I found myself more knowledgeable about all aspects of nuclear energy and engineering.
So when I heard about the Youth Council, I didn't hesitate. It felt like a genuine chance to bring a bit of perspective to the table, not just talk about inequality in the abstract but actually push for something better. FFA's whole approach clicked with me because it's not really about who you are, and who you know which gets you work experience. Everyone is welcome to these opportunities no matter what background you are from, and this brand has been essential in sparking so many passions over the years.
So far, I have loved every minute of working as part of the Youth Council and am happy to see our decisions having a real-world impact which affects and helps thousands of people across the UK. Alongside this, I have really worked on my communication and teamwork skills, connecting with
the rest of the amazing Youth Council as well as the team at Futures For All.
Edinburgh By Yau
I am honoured to be the Edinburgh representative for Futures For All, since the charity operates mostly in England.
Before I became a part of the youth council (and to this day), my most concerned issue in the UK education system is the attainment gap between students who are well-off and those who are disadvantaged. After I attended the 'Any Education Questions Event' hosted by the Edinburgh Youth Action group to question the effectiveness of the school iPads given to every student, I realised the Empowered Learning Project reflected the severity of national socioeconomic inequality.
Although my school is a state school, I do understand that it is one of the more privileged public schools across the nation. One of the reasons why I don't really have to worry about my career prospects is because of the constant support from my school: career-pathways assemblies, work-experience opportunities newsletters and an always-in-the-school-library career advisor from Developing the Young Workforce. And one of the most deciding factors that got me into this school is pure luck in winning a postcode lottery, a strategic decision made by my father to immigrate to Edinburgh and rent an apartment near the school.
The truth is that many state-school students come from more financially and/or socially disadvantaged backgrounds and are in state schools that perhaps struggle in providing the best career support for their students. Knowing that countless students of my age, just like me, are barred from opportunities they too deserve frustrates me.
I wanted to become a part of the Youth Council not only because I wanted to learn and help tackle the challenges of social mobility in Britain. I believe the charity's work is an important complement to education outcome that addresses a different facet of educational inequality: the disparity in access to career networks and opportunities that often depend on social status.
Lastly, even though I was contributing to my school community in my own way, I felt as though I was trapped in a 'school bubble' and had neither the understanding nor the ability to impact the wider community outside of this school. Being a member of the Futures For All Youth Council allowed me to escape this 'bubble' and broaden my perspectives. I'm happy to be here.
Outro By Yau
From the legal and engineering sector, to getting into politics or the energy industry; we all have different aspirations in the future.
We are lucky enough to be supported by this Youth Council opportunity provided by the charity. But it's more than our future.
Students across the UK, their future, would too benefit from the work experience opportunities provided by the charity. Together, we are the future of our society.
Hence, Futures For All.
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