About Young Manchester

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MANCHESTER IS YOUNG

Manchester is a young, diverse and vibrant city.

42% of Manchester's population is aged 25 or under, our city is home to world-class cultural institutions, and Manchester is the third fastest growing economy in the UK - expected to reach a size of £71 billion by the end of 2023.

But we're leaving our children behind. 45% of children in Manchester are currently living in poverty. The impact of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and the way systems are currently working are restricting young people's ability to thrive and reach their potential.

YOUNG MANCHESTER

Young Manchester is a youth-led partnership with over 120 members - all local non-profit organisations and groups supporting children and young people in Manchester.

We strengthen, connect and champion opportunities for children and young people (aged 0-25), ensuring these reach the most excluded children and young people in our city.

Together, we're creating a Manchester where every child and young person can shape their city and reach their full potential through vibrant, connected and inclusive opportunities.

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"Our vision is of a Manchester where every child and young person can shape their city and reach their full potential through vibrant, connected and inclusive opportunities."

WHAT WE DO

The challenges facing Manchester’s children and young people can’t be solved by one person or organisation alone.

Young Manchester brings organisations, individuals and systems together, to strengthen, connect and champion their work, and to find and deliver solutions to some of the most complex challenges facing our children and young people today.

We do this in four ways:


  • 1. We Put Power in Young People's Hands

    We embed young people's voices in all levels of Young Manchester's work. From young trustees, a young Co-CEO, young staff and Young Ambassadors to youth-led funds, youth consultations and young grant panelists; young people shape every decision we make. When we work with others, we encourage them to do this too.

    Adults have been making decisions about children and young people's lives without their input for too long - and we still haven't solved the challenges young people are facing. We're here to change that.

    By demonstrating what is possible when young people have a voice, we're creating a Manchester where all children and young people can meaningfully shape the future of their city, and the services that exist for them and their communities.

  • 2. We Build a Strong and Connected Sector

    Through our membership offer we support over 120 non-profit youth and play organisations to enhance their work, develop together, build capacity and celebrate their impact.

    Every day our members are supporting and empowering tens of thousands of children and young people across Manchester, providing safe spaces with supportive adults that young people can trust.

    We're building a youth and play sector in Manchester that is strong, vibrant and sustainable, supporting all children and young people to to be happy, healthy, safe and realising their full potential.

  • 3. We Resource High Quality Youth and Play Opportunities

    We work in partnership with funders and organisations with resource who want to support youth opportunities. We support them to design their programmes and develop their ideas, drawing on insight from our members to increase the volume and quality of provision for our children and young people, ensuring it meets need where it is greatest.

    We're supporting the creation of a Manchester where all children and young people, regardless of their background or life circumstances, have access to outstanding opportunities.

  • 4. We Influence Investment, Policy and Practice to Support Our Shared Vision

    We build and maintain strong relationships with partners locally, regionally and nationally to keep them connected to the real local challenges facing young people in Manchester. In turn, we work together to influence investment, policy and practice to support work towards our shared vision.

    We're working to make Manchester a city for all children and young people, where the benefits of economic growth are experience by all.

Read our Cultural Competency Pledge

Meet the Team

  • Samuel Remi-Akinwale
    Samuel Remi-Akinwale
    CEO

    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 Sims
    Emma Sims
    Associate Director (Grants and Infrastructure)

    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.

  • Beth Eden
    Beth Eden
    W/ Youth Founding Associate and Manager

    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 Powell
    Megan Powell
    Grants and Impact Manager

    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 Amasha
    Ronke Amasha
    Finance and Operations Manager

    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 Mohammad Amin
    Hasaan Mohammad Amin
    Projects & Research Officer

    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.

  • Brigitta Appiah Darko
    Brigitta Appiah Darko
    Grants and Partnerships Officer

    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.

  • Shekinnah Wilberforce
    Shekinnah Wilberforce
    Digital and Communications Officer

    Shekinnah is a young changemaker from Manchester. Prior to joining Young Manchester, she previously led youth engagement nationally at NCS, where she worked to ensure young people had a voice in strategic decision-making.

    Her journey in the youth sector began as a volunteer with CAHN, later becoming their first Digital Assistant, producing creative content from newsletters to podcasts.

    Beyond digital marketing, Shekinnah has led on inclusivity as part of the Greater Manchester Youth Combined Authority, collaborating with youth organisations across the UK and abroad. She’s travelled to Romania and Kenya to champion youth voices, interned with JD Sports through the 10,000 Black Interns programme, and represented the initiative at 10 Downing Street. From winning the Outstanding Young People’s Award at age 18 to shaping national youth policy at 22, Shekinnah continues to use her voice to make a lasting impact.

  • Laura Smith
    Laura Smith
    Partnerships Lead

    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.