Youth Voices in Action: How Young People Shape Decisions at The National Lottery Community Fund

Welcome back to Voices in Action, a podcast from The National Lottery Community Fund, co-produced with Be the change. Media Network. In this episode, host Lily Mott explores how young people are shaping the future of funding and community change across the UK, as trusted decision makers, advisors and partners at The National Lottery Community Fund. Lily is joined by three inspiring guests who are helping to turn The National Lottery Community Fund's strategy into reality. Joe, Head of Youth Voice at The National Lottery Community Fund, shares her journey putting youth voice first in funding decisions, communications, governance, and strategy. Tia, a former Youth Voice Advisor and now a member of the UK Fund Panel, reflects on her path to influencing multi-million-pound funding decisions and how creativity, poetry, and storytelling play a role in driving change. Loren, a former member of the Young People in the Lead advisory panel, highlights the importance of youth participation and involving young people in decision-making. Together, they discuss what meaningful youth participation really looks like in practice: from young people shaping funding criteria and training staff, to sitting on boards, and visiting funded projects to see impact firsthand. They explore the challenges of measuring the impact of youth voice work, the importance of trust, transparency, and feedback, and why funders have a responsibility to show how youth participation can be done well. This episode is a powerful look at what happens when organisations truly share power and why giving young people a seat at the table benefits individuals, organisations and communities. For more information about: The National Lottery Community Fund: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk The National Lottery Community Fund’s Approach to Youth Voice: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/news/from-decision-making-to-culture-change-developing-our-approach-to-youth-voice Be the change. Media Network: https://www.bethechangemedianetwork.com/ Follow The National Lottery Community Fund on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Follow Be the change. Media Network on Instagram and LinkedIn. Subscribe to this podcast and join us for more stories of youth-led change, community, and the power of social action.