Big interview: A voice for young people - Lura Hughes, head of youth, Unicef UK

But the organisation, which became a permanent agency of the United Nations in 1953, has a wide remit to "support young people, wherever they are, in making informed decisions about their own lives, and to build a world in which all children live in dignity and security". By appointing its first head of youth at the beginning of the year, Unicef UK hopes to educate young people in this country about the work it does for their peers elsewhere in the world, and to ensure that young people are able to contribute to the organisation.

"Underlying all our work is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child," explains Lura Hughes, who previously worked for Girlguiding UK and The Prince's Trust. "Unicef UK recognised that it is important not only to fundraise for projects in developing countries that help young people gain skills and take an active role in society, but also to replicate that in the UK."