Blog
As a Youth Work and Communities student, Koby’s commitment to improving services for young people has led to significant achievements — including contributing to the National Youth Strategy and earning an invitation to the King’s Summer Garden Party. In this blog, Koby shares his path into youth advocacy, his insights on social change, and advice for students looking to make a difference.
When I was 13, I was in care and couldn't read or write. I was frustrated because I couldn't challenge the policies that were affecting me. I knew I needed to learn to read so I could have a voice and challenge the decisions being made about my life. That was my motivation.
Youth work gave me a space away from what was going on in my life. I grew up in Leicester and moved around due to being in care. That gave me a unique perspective—most people only see their local area, but I saw the differences in funding and opportunities — As I got older, I saw those same services that supported me close down. I watched friends turn to drugs or crime, and I knew it wasn’t a choice they just woke up and made — there was a path that led them there. I wanted to be part of the change to stop that cycle.
It all started with my involvement in youth advocacy groups. I wanted to speak up for others in the care system who didn't have the chance to be heard. I realised that my experiences gave me insight and a perspective that others couldn't offer. I became involved in local initiatives, and that gradually led me to opportunities where I could make a difference at a national level.
After gaining some experience, I started working in government, but I knew I wanted to deepen my understanding. I returned to study because I wanted to combine my lived experience with theory and academic knowledge. I felt that having both perspectives would allow me to make a bigger impact and challenge systems more effectively.
Youth Work and Communities at BCU was so rich in theory. It isn't just about abstract concepts—I can see how these theories apply to real-life situations. It’s like every piece of knowledge was a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that helped me see where my limitations were as a practitioner. Learning about intersectionality really reshaped my career because I wasn’t just responding emotionally anymore; I was responding from a place of understanding and theory.
But, before I returned to BCU to finish my degree, I actually worked in the civil service. That experience really gave me the opportunity to get involved in shaping the National Youth Strategy. Even though I stepped away from government to focus on my studies, I stayed connected with people in those circles, which allowed me to continue contributing to this work.
Youth Work and Communities
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The National Youth Strategy is all about giving young people better access to youth services and ensuring funding is set aside to support them. We used to spend £1 billion a year, and now it’s around £390 million. The impact of that is clear—rising knife crime and youth violence. Being in a position where I can highlight these issues and fight for change is why I do this work.
By working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), I’ve been able to highlight these issues and show where inequalities exist. Often, funding is focused on areas already in the spotlight — the places that have the biggest problems — but that can leave other communities overlooked. My role has been about ensuring those gaps are identified and addressed so that all young people have access to the support they need.
Returning to BCU to complete my degree has really helped with this. It's given me the knowledge and confidence to challenge these inequalities effectively and use my voice to advocate for change.
Being part of the National Youth Strategy allowed me to combine my experiences with what I had learned at BCU. I had the chance to influence policies that impact young people on a national scale, and that felt incredibly rewarding.
Recognition from the King
One of the highlights of my journey was being invited to the King’s Garden Party. This recognition isn’t just a personal achievement—it’s validation of the importance of youth advocacy in government decision-making. I know a few CEOs of big organisations and one of the directors for Children in Need, so it’s a great opportunity to mix with people who can make a difference. But for me, it’s not about gatekeeping these opportunities—it’s about bringing others up with me. If I’m not doing that, I’m just holding space that doesn’t need to be held. I want to see what good I can do for my community and link the right people together, just like others did for me.
Advice to future students
My advice would be don’t turn down any learning opportunities, even if they don’t feel relevant at the time. Everything feeds into the bigger picture. I look back at my younger self and realise that the opportunities I took prepared me to navigate spaces I wouldn’t have known how to otherwise. And trust in the journey—rejection is part of it. It’s not always a no forever, sometimes it’s just a no for now.
The next job you take doesn’t have to be your dream job; it just has to take you one step closer to where you want to be. There’s no fast track—you have to go through the motions and build that experience.