Kayleigh Wainwright, who is youth work charity UK Youth’s director of youth sector innovation, is starting on secondment as head of youth strategy engagement at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The news comes after the new £185 million National Youth Strategy, which includes the winding down of the National Citizen Service (NCS), was unveiled by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy in November.
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Announcing the news on LinkedIn, Wainwright said that she will “ensure the new National Youth Strategy is co-produced with young people and the youth sector”, adding: “Young people will lead the way.”
Excited praise for the appointment has come from within the sector and beyond.
James Cathcart, director of non-profit social enterprise Young Voices Heard, said: "Kayleigh is well known and networked to broad range of youth sector stakeholders and young leaders, ranging from civic society to youth work settings.
“The terms of reference of her role represent an ambitious but welcome challenge, which, judging by the reaction of those in the sector to her appointment, will have plenty of support."
Helen Cook, assistant private secretary to The King, said on LinkedIn: “DCMS are so incredibly lucky to have you. I'm looking forward to hearing all about and working out what fantastic things we can do together!
Youth and education campaigner Dame Julia Cleverdon, added: “Great news for young people ! Nobody better than you to chart the involvement of young people…”
Wainwright lists her responsibilities as including:
- Senior Leader in the Civil Society & Youth Team at DCMS responsible for the youth and stakeholder engagement process for the new National Youth Strategy
- Designing the approach to youth and local stakeholder engagement, especially the way to reach and meaningfully involve as many young people as possible
- Working in partnership with the Youth and Expert Advisory Group to ensure meaningful co-production of the report and strategy
- Design the framework for youth-led roundtables involving local stakeholders, including youth providers, MPs, statutory agencies.
- Managing relationships with local and national stakeholders from a youth involvement perspective
- Ensuring that the voice of young people is present in all major decisions and discussion forms
- Working with other government departments, including Cabinet Office, No 10 and HMT - by effectively articulating the needs and proposals from the engagement
- Contributing to the ‘Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Nation’ report and the National Youth Strategy
The National Youth Strategy includes £100 million from the next tranche of dormant assets funding to deliver youth outcomes between 2024 and 2028 and around £85 million earmarked to invest in much-needed more youth facilities. This will include £26 million of new funding for youth clubs to buy new equipment and undertake renovations via the Better Youth Spaces programme.
