As Children’s Commissioner for England I’m excited to introduce you to 16 really amazing young people from all over England who applied to be part of my Ambassadors Programme to work with me ahead of the next general election.
My Ambassadors have been chosen for their personal experiences and for their passion to try to change issues that really affect children and young people.
The Ambassadors are all aged 16 and 17, so they know exactly what it’s like to be a young person now, with many of the same worries and challenges and over the next 12 months they will speak on the behalf of children and young people across the country to the people in power.
It’s going to be their job to make sure that politicians listen and act upon what children and young people have told me would make their lives and the lives of other children better in my survey, The Big Ambition.
The Big Ambition closes on 19th January and children, young people and parents/carers can still take part here.
My Ambassadors and their Big Ambitions
Aaliya
Ben
Emmanuel
My Big Ambition is to ensure that a child’s socioeconomic background doesn’t affect their standard of living (such as their standard of education) and opportunities they are presented with.
Having had SEN myself one of my Big Ambitions is looking at how to support young people with these whilst not making them feel like outsiders. Bullying of people with SEN is part of the problem that is not always addressed. As someone who has ethically diverse parentage, racism is another area that I want to tackle.
My Big Ambition is to become the inspiring voice of those that don’t feel as confident to voice their opinions, and to prove that young people can make positive and impactful changes within our society.
Evie
Maximilian
Maya
My Big Ambition is to try and tackle ableism within education, medicine and within the general public. I want to advocate for disabled young people in England, improving their prospects, quality of life, and how they are treated.
My Big Ambition is to champion online safety and amplify children‘s perspectives on issues affecting them in the online space so that they can truly thrive in the 21st century.
My Big Ambition is to help children and young people who deal with hidden struggles (specifically hidden disabilities and caring responsibilities) to find it easier to go to school and live their lives; and also feel comfortable explaining what they need and why to others.
Mehul
Penelope
Poppy
My Big Ambition is to champion equitable access to quality mental health support and resources within the education system, ensuring every child has the necessary tools to flourish and thrive.
My Big Ambition is to break the barriers young people face in modern society that can prevent them from being their best selves! I want to promote opportunities for
all young people to help improve their wellbeing.
My Big Ambition is to help create an equal and fair world in which every child has excellent opportunities to succeed.
Rebecca
Rhea
Rylie
My Big Ambition for children and young people is that everyone should feel as though they can access the help that they need for their mental health without worrying about money or what others think of them and that the stigmas around seeking help for mental health issues disappear.
My Big Ambition is to tackle discrimination and racism within the school system. I want to support young people by allowing them to be heard and to also see better representation in the media. I also believe that all children should feel safe in their home space and that schools should provide free counselling support.
My Big Ambition is to improve the education system so that it empowers future leaders and inspires and prepares young minds for success in the world of work. Education should be a space where dreams are built and futures are empowered.
Sofia
Sumaira
Tamar
There are so many different nationalities living in England and the diversity of cultures is impressive. My Big Ambition is to unite all these children and communities, helping them get them know about each other and understand each others cultures and the world that surrounds them more.
I strongly believe everybody should be able to express their opinions and make a positive impact in their communities, hence my Big Ambition is to help young vulnerable people to voice their opinions!
My Big Ambition is to provide children with equal access to opportunities. No one should be put at a disadvantage because of who they were born to, the colour of their skin, their religion or things out of their control. Education is key in helping people learn to respect one another’s differences.
Zara
My Big Ambition is to address societal issues such as youth homelessness and drug abuse by advocating for extensive support systems and resources that create a healthy environment for vulnerable individuals.