Shaping Futures Together: ARE National Conference to explore Youth Employment Disparities

Barry joined Youth Futures Foundation, the What Works centre for youth employment, as CEO in January 2023. Barry’s career has been dedicated to supporting people into work and helping young people fulfil their potential. Prior to joining Youth Futures Foundation Barry spent 3 years as CEO at Career Connect a youth focused Charity based in the North West.

Barry is passionate about increasing social mobility and supporting the most marginalised in society. This is reflected in the non-executive roles he has previously undertaken including serving on the Board of Youth Employment UK, ERSA, Careers England, and Chair of The Way Youth Zone, part of the Onside network.

David Hughes is Chief Executive of the Association of Colleges, representing and supporting further education colleges to fulfil their role as anchor institutions, supporting over 2 million students each year. He was awarded a CBE for services to further education, particularly during the Covid-19 response.

David has worked in post-16 education for over 25 years, including a decade as a senior civil servant. Before that he worked in Australia and the UK in community development, regeneration, welfare, employment and social housing.

David holds several Board positions including with the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics and the Bell Foundation.

Darren leads on London Higher’s policy areas of research, civic and international. With a particular focus on showcasing the impact of London HE locally, nationally and globally through this cross-cutting portfolio, he also leads on high-profile projects such as the London Higher Civic Map and the Global Majority Mentoring Programm to make the case for London HE.

Darren previously worked in higher education/research policy and communications in Brussels; he holds a first-class degree in History & Portuguese from the University of Leeds.

He has over 35 years’ experience of promoting diversity and inclusion and developing practical solutions in the public, private and civil society sector.

His current roles include: Metropolitan Police Service External Advisory Board (Chaired by the Commissioner); GLA Violence Reduction Unit Partnership Reference Group (Chaired by Mayor of London); West Ham United Foundation (Trustee); HMPPS External Advice and Scrutiny Panel (Chair); EQUAL National Independent Advisory Group (Vice Chair) and Thames Water’s Customer Challenge Group.

Read more on our team page.

Rommell is Co-founder and Director of Serious About Youth (SAY) which runs innovative workshops in colleges, schools and youth organisations to “positively influence” the attitudes and decisions of teenagers. It works with other youth organisations, educational institutions and employers by designing and delivering innovative, interactive and effective youth-focused employability and life skills training, as well as providing 1-2-1 IAG support and undertaking outreach activities to engage young people.

Sandra works together with business leaders and government policy makers to influence action on race in the UK.  

Prior to working at Business in the Community Sandra worked for DWP and the Cabinet Office. Between 2012 and 2016, Sandra chaired the DWP Ethnic Minority Employment Stakeholder Group, advising the Government on employment barriers facing individuals from ethnically diverse backgrounds.  

Ishitha, Taha and Muhammed are part of our specialist youth panel, called the Youth Action Network. They are amongst a group of young people shaping Building Ethnic Diversity in the Youth Employability Sector programme, and passionate about challenging discrimination in employment.