Goodbye Zach!

Since joining Young Brent Foundation, Zach has been at the heart of our mission to strengthen, connect, and celebrate Brent’s incredible youth sector. His passion for collaboration, dedication to members, and unwavering belief in the power of community have left a lasting mark on YBF and the borough as a whole.

We’re deeply grateful for his commitment and leadership, and we know he’ll continue to make a positive impact in his next venture.

Below, Zach shares a personal message reflecting on his time at YBF:

"As many of you know, I’ll soon be starting a new chapter in my professional journey, which means my time at Young Brent Foundation will come to an end at the beginning of October.

It’s difficult to put into words what a privilege it has been to serve young people in Brent in this role. Over the past few years, I’ve had the honour of working alongside some of the most passionate, dedicated, and impactful community organisations, groups that are so much more than service providers. They are safe havens, support systems, and pillars of hope for countless children, young people, and families. They deserve ongoing investment, advocacy, and celebration, and I am proud to have stood beside them in that mission.

For me, this work has always been deeply personal. Not everyone knows that I was born and raised in Brent. My formative years were spent in this borough, and many of the opportunities that shaped my life were made possible by the kind of organisations I’ve been privileged to support through YBF. To be able to pay it forward and contribute to building a brighter future for those whose journeys mirror my own has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career.

I also want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to my colleagues at YBF. Together, our team has achieved more than I could have ever imagined when I first walked through YBF’s doors. Some of the highlights I’m most proud of include:

• Designing and implementing a Small Grants Programme, distributing over £750,000 in funding to local organisations in just two years.
• Building a stronger, more connected Supplementary Education Partnership Network, creating new opportunities for collaboration and impact.
• Helping to pilot innovative, community-focused initiatives such as the Avenue Café and the Duke of Edinburgh Programme, projects that reflect the creativity, resilience, and vision of Brent’s youth sector.

There’s so much more I could share, including countless moments of collaboration, celebration, and learning, but I hope this gives you a glimpse into just how special this chapter has been for me.

To every member, partner, stakeholder, and colleague: thank you for the passion you bring, the trust you’ve shown, and the difference you make every single day. My time at YBF will always hold a special place in my heart, and I’m excited to see how this extraordinary network continues to grow, thrive, and transform lives in the years to come."

- Zachary Williams