“I began volunteering in my local gymnastics club when I was 13, running trampolining sessions for young people with severe Autistic Spectrum Disorders and other additional needs such as Down Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy. A lot of the young people I worked alongside were non-verbal, which encouraged me to work to find ways to give a voice to young people who cannot speak.

This sparked my passion for youth advocacy, which is something I do every day in my current role as a youth worker in my local community but has also taken me all across the globe.

I became an #IWill ambassador in 2015 and have been provided with numerous opportunities to engage with not only other young adults, but also larger organisations. This has given me a platform to share about the social action I am a part of as well as networking and accessing opportunities I never would have had on my own. I have been challenged to grow in confidence through speaking at a number of events for Volunteer Now, I worked alongside Youth United Foundation to select winners for their 2017 Youth Social Action Awards, and now am able to use my experience to help a new generation of ambassadors coming in to the #IWill movement.

I’ve also been very fortunate to receive recognition for the social action I do. In 2017 I received the Diana Award for my involvement with the National Autistic Society, Iwill, and Volunteer Now. I also received Volunteer Now’s Ultimate Volunteer Award.”