Joe Rich

Head of Youth Voice @The National Lottery Community Fund

National, US

I have developed and delivered an ambitious Youth Voice strategy in the largest community funder in the UK, by introducing the Youth Voice Team model across our Funding Directorates; who work across our grant- making, communications and Governance structures.• I inspire and lead colleagues and external stakeholders to understand and respond to the needs of young people, which are identified through the ‘Participation Pyramid’.• I empower the young people I work with through mentoring and creating unique opportunities to ensure their experiences enhance their development.• I ensure that we use our reach and scope at the Lottery to convene young people with decision makers and policy makers to develop a long term strategy that enables young people and communities to thrive • I represent the Fund by collaborating with a wide range of high profile and senior stakeholders across charities, other Funders and Government to embed youth voice in system change for civil society.• I chair a network of Funders [Youth Voice In Funding] to ensure young people’s voices are at the heart of priority setting across Funding• I act as an advisor on youth voice across the Funding sector, including other Lottery Distributors and Philanthropy Europe Association [case study].

University of Hull

Sociology and anthropology