Celebrating 10 years of Young Brent Foundation!

For ten years, Young Brent Foundation has stood for a simple but radical idea: young people deserve networks, not silos; opportunity, not obstacles; and spaces built with them, not for them. As CEO, I have had the privilege of watching the growth of YBF into a borough wide ecosystem capable of transforming lives. While the headlines may point to individual milestones-the development of a new youth hub, a major partnership to ensure a generation of young people are not excluded from the employment opportunities regeneration brings, unlocking millions of financial investment into Brent, our true legacy lies in something deeper: how Brent is changing because young people have been centred in its future.

Ten years ago, youth organisations in Brent were working hard, but too often in isolation. Funding was inconsistent, collaboration was adhoc, and young people navigated a fragmented landscape of support. We saw potential not in creating another service, but in building the conditions for consortia to flourish.

That belief shaped everything:

• An ecosystem approach, where organisations grow together

• A commitment to shared governance, shared learning, and shared purpose

• A deep respect for the cultural identities and histories that shape Brent

• A dedication to youth leadership - not as a slogan, but as a structure

If I could summarise ten years in one sentence, it would be this:
Young people led us. We simply listened, structured, and resourced their ideas into reality.

From encouraging families to get active together to exploring the outdoors, from travelling the globe to employment, from trauma informed practice to encouraging unique spaces for girls and young women - every programme, partnership and space we have built has been shaped by real conversations with young people who told us what they needed, and what they had been missing.

Their message was consistent: meaningful opportunity, not tokenism.
And so, we responded by embedding codesign, by opening pathways into leadership, by ensuring young people shape culture, not just consume it.

Brent’s cultural richness is a strength. Our young people inherit a legacy of music, innovation, community storytelling and entrepreneurial spirit. Over the past decade, YBF has worked tirelessly to honour that legacy, providing opportunities through our grants programme for creative and safe spaces that feel authentic, forward-thinking and bold.

Partnership Is Our Greatest Innovation

The real power of YBF lies in what we help unlock collectively. Our partnerships with schools, faith organisations, businesses, local institutions, funders and grassroots groups have enabled us to achieve what no single organisation could accomplish alone.

We have shown that when partners invest not just their goodwill but their capacity, networks and financial commitment, youth opportunities become scalable, sustainable and ambitious.

Over the next decade, this partnership model will be more vital than ever.

The landscape for young people and for the organisations who support them has changed dramatically. Funding is harder to secure. Mental health needs are rising. Communities are under pressure. Youth unemployment and inactivity persist. And regeneration, if not handled with care, risks leaving young people behind.

We face ongoing challenges:

• The need for longterm, stable investment

• The pressure to open new spaces that are safe, culturally aligned and youth led

• The commitment to connect families, residents and businesses around youth opportunity

• The responsibility to ensure youth programmes remain future focused in a rapidly changing world

These challenges do not deter us, but sharpen our strategy.

The Next 10 Years

Looking ahead, I believe the next 10 years requires us to be even bolder than the last.

• We must diversify income, so our ecosystem is secure.

• We must broaden our partnerships with employers and innovators.

• We must continue shaping public policy so young people’s needs aren’t an afterthought.

If the last ten years have shown us anything, it is this:
When young people are trusted with power, they don’t just change their own lives - they change Brent.

- Maxine Willetts, CEO, Young Brent Foundation