About Young Manchester

Samuel is a young person that’s eager to help and support everyone he can. Having earned a Politics degree from King's College London, he is excited to continue his academic journey exploring public policy and the philosophy of political economy.

Samuel currently manages a small production collective called Creation Foundation, dedicated to hosting honest conversations and authentic content and is also working on an anthology of stories of young people who have had challenges accessing higher education due to the UK’s immigration policies, prefaced with policy analysis and suggestions

Emma joined Young Manchester in January 2022, bringing over 8 years of experience in partnerships, impact and strategic communications from her career in the charity sector. Prior to this, Emma held roles at a number of national charities including the Together Coalition; Step Up To Serve - the charity that co-ordinated the #iwill campaign; the Community Transport Association and National Union of Students.

Originally from York, Emma spent five blissful years in the North West, studying Politics and Policy at the University of Liverpool; as Vice President at Liverpool Guild of Students and working in Manchester before venturing to London for 3 years. She returned to Manchester in 2020 and is glad to be back up north.

Emma is a Trustee at UCLan Students' Union, and spends her spare time pickling vegetables, going to gigs (pandemic allowing), and admiring her cat, Mildred.

James has been working in the youth sector for the past 20 years including five years as a a partner and member of Young Manchester . Currently responsible for leading Groundwork Greater Manchester’s offer to young people, he has a passion for youth empowerment, social action and long- lasting meaningful support leading to positive outcomes for all young people.

Beth Eden is passionate about fair and inclusive social justice, mobility, and equality. With over 14 years of experience spanning local to global initiatives, she has led transformative work in sustainability, social entrepreneurship, environmental advocacy, and youth engagement across the UK, Morocco, India, Canada, and beyond. Most recently, she led the creation of QS ImpACT, the charitable arm of Quacquarelli Symonds—an international education organisation renowned for its global university rankings. Under her leadership, the charity recognised young grassroots leaders for their work on sustainability and fostered 21st-century talent development in over 87 countries.

As part of this work, Beth founded an international online hackathon designed to gamify digital skill-building in youth, breaking down barriers to exclusive education. The initiative partnered with major institutions and companies such as Minecraft, JP Morgan, Zoom, Arizona State University, and the University of Exeter. Beth has served on multiple boards, mentored young people from diverse backgrounds, and supported national political campaigns. Her journey began at age 13 when she was named England’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year through Solutions for the Planet. She has since been recognized as one of Canada's 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leaders by Corporate Knights and one of Starfish Canada's 25 Under 25 Environmentalists in 2020.

Megan is a young professional who has over 5 years experience in the VCSE sector across the UK. Prior to joining Young Manchester, Megan was working for the Citizens Advice Bureau supporting those in debt and facing financial insecurity. Megan is passionate about ensuring young people have a seat at the table.

In Megan's spare-time she enjoys reading, illustrating and spending time with her family golden retriever Heidi.

Ronke is an accountant with over fifteen years of experience in accounts reconciliation, gained within the aviation industry and higher education sectors. Passionate about driving organisational performance and competitiveness through digital transformation, she recently earned MSc in Management with Project Management, graduating with distinctions in Data-Driven Decision-Making for Business, Project Management Essentials, and Advanced Project Management. Ronke is proficient at streamlining processes and improving efficiency, effectively utilising both her professional skills and strong interpersonal abilities.

Additionally, Ronke is deeply committed to community and charity initiatives leveraging on her professional competencies. She aspires to develop humanitarian projects that address the social, emotional, and practical needs of people in the UK and internationally. A supportive and team-oriented individual, Ronke values open communication and mentorship, believing that a positive work culture is essential for high performance. She is passionate about connecting with others who share her desire to make a meaningful impact, and she is excited to join Young Manchester team in ensuring “that every child and young person in Manchester can thrive and realise their full potential through outstanding opportunities.”

Ronke enjoys spending her free time dedicated to her faith, family, and fun.

Hasaan is a born-and-bred Mancunian raised in South Manchester. Before joining Young Manchester, he held various positions in research orgs, small charities and large membership organisations. He has a wealth of experience from these positions and is excited to use this knowledge to build a more equal Manchester.

In his role with Young Manchester, Hasaan will be overseeing research programmes within Young Manchester and supporting with critical projects. Most recently, Hasaan has worked on the Hope for Cheetham Project, in which he is empowering a community to hold its own and support its young people.

Hasaan's professional experience is extensive, with links to multiple partnership organisations within Manchester and outside of it. His research experience includes supporting ECORYs with their Growing-Up Under Covid-19 (GUCC19) Study, and conducting research on themes of youth, marginality and youth work. He is excited to bring his rich experience to engage and ensure young people in Manchester have access to opportunities regardless of their background.

Bri is a dedicated advocate for change and empowerment. As a recent graduate with a degree in French and Italian, her journey in making a difference began as a Displaced Person Liaison Manager for a small charity. Here, Bri wholeheartedly supported refugees and asylum seekers, driven by her belief that no one should ever feel alone in their struggles.


Fluency in five languages has allowed Bri to connect with diverse communities and bridge cultural gaps, underlining her commitment to understanding and celebrating differences.


Passionate about inclusion and representation, in 2020, Bri launched BreahhCreates, a creative platform that champions Black women in the card industry. It's a reflection of Bri's deep-seated commitment to amplifying voices that deserve recognition.


In her role in grants and partnerships, Bri is excited to bring my diverse experiences to the table, working collaboratively to create opportunities and drive meaningful change.

After completing her Politics and Sociology degree at the University of Glasgow, Eliya returned to her roots in Manchester, the city she grew up in. From a young age, she has been passionate about addressing issues of social injustice, committing both her academic research and extracurricular time to social action within her communities. Prior to joining Young Manchester, Eliya volunteered at various Manchester-based human rights and refugee charities, including Europia and Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit (GMIAU). She is excited to be part of the Young Manchester team, working to create opportunities to amplify young people’s voices and place them at the centre of decision-making processes.

Outside of work, Eliya enjoys travelling, playing musical instruments and running. She lived and studied in Amsterdam for a year during university and completed a seven-month backpacking trip across Australia, Asia and Central America this past year.

New to Manchester but already deeply connected to the community, Laura brings a powerful blend of community engagement and business management experience to our team. With a passion for supporting young people and a talent for building meaningful partnerships, she's already making waves.

Before joining us, Laura was General Manager at The Green Kiss, a sustainable business in Canada, and worked as a podcast producer on shows like Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! (yes, she cold called the host and landed the job; proof that bold moves pay off!).

Outside of work, she enjoys climbing, hiking, and getting involved in local theatre.

Born in Northern Ireland and raised in her favourite city, Manchester, Leena first joined Young Manchester in late 2023 as a Young Ambassador. After developing her skills through various volunteering opportunities, she has now stepped into her new role!

Leena is a psychology student at Keele University, aspiring to become a clinical psychologist. She is also a grassroots volunteer with Safe Passage. Passionate about psychology, she has created educational videos on the subject for TikTok and Instagram, covering a wide range of topics. Alongside this, she is an artist who works with paint, pencils, and digital media.

Peace is a passionate community creative dedicated to empowering young people and driving social change. With a strong background in youth and charity work, Peace curates inclusive and diverse projects that promote equality, cultural literacy, and educational transformation. Her passion for change and inclusivity started in her role as a Teaching Assistant during her BSc in Education and Psychology. She was inspired to explore the treatment and differences in the educational experience for ethnic minority students. She has always loved education and research; she furthered her studies with an MSc Psychology degree and conducted a qualitative study into the role of the Nigerian home in supporting the superwoman schema within first-born Nigerian-British girls.

Beyond community work, Peace brings creativity to life through baking: hosting popular cupcake pop-ups across Manchester and leading hands-on cake decorating classes. A true multi-hyphenate, Peace is also a fashion content creator and designer, blending style and self-expression with cultural awareness. Peace is committed to inspiring change and celebrating diversity - whether through community initiatives, culinary artistry, or fashion - to connect people and create meaningful impact. She curates positive and engaging content designed to challenge institutional discrimination and promote modernity and equality. She is passionate about transforming the education system through inclusive practices as she coordinates a social project campaigning to bridge the gap in education through creative and inclusive projects. Peace hopes to continue working in education and the local community as she continuously sets up projects and experiences that positively impact educational experiences for children from different communities.