We explore how Youth Board members grew into confident, empathetic leaders. Over the last two years, they developed skills, discovered their passions, and applied their expertise to shape programmes, campaigns, and national initiatives.
The 2023–25 The Diana Award National Anti-Bullying Youth Board brought together 15 Anti-Bullying Ambassadors, aged 13–17, from across England. Each was selected for their passion and commitment to creating safer, more inclusive communities. Over two years, they worked with The Diana Award to champion anti-bullying and shape programmes and campaigns.
Their journey began with a residential training and quickly grew to engaging funders, co-facilitating focus groups, and contributing to organisational development through strategy workshops. Their growth and impact were captured in interviews in February 2024 and July 2025, reflecting on the Board’s collective achievements and personal development.
Building Skills for the Future
When members first joined the Youth Board, many described themselves as shy or uncertain. One recalled,
“Before I joined, I never had my voice heard. But the Youth Board made me a more confident person.”
Another member agreed increased self-esteem “improved my mental health,” and linked personal growth to impact:
“I’ve been able to ask for help instead of facing challenges on my own, and this has led me to help others who may struggle with this as well.”
After their first six months, that growing confidence translated into visible achievements. Members spoke proudly of new skills and contributions, such as writing articles or public speaking:
“Creating the resources and workshops meant I put what I've learned into those activities.”
By 2025, they had evolved from participants to leaders, using their experiences to influence and empower others across communities and national platforms:
“I got to work with students, teach them, guide them and support them on their journey.”
Many applied these leadership skills beyond the Youth Board, organising Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and Mental Health Champions at school or mentoring peers.
Through professional experiences (from campaign and press filming to government roundtables), members developed other transferable skills:
“I think my experience is preparing me for my future when I have to communicate and share ideas on projects.”
They highlighted improvements in organisation, time management, and critical thinking; abilities they would “carry on later in life.”
Several members spoke about discovering career interests and purpose through the Youth Board:
“I learned so much from the policy upskill session, and I’ve carried that through to my own young carers project - creating policies for mine and other schools.”
For others, this influenced academic pathways and aspirations to teach or work in youth leadership.
Co-design and Collaboration
Across both focus groups, members valued shaping their own projects and resources. In 2024, they enjoyed the freedom to explore their ideas within a safe, structured environment:
“You’ve given us a lot of space to figure out what we want to do and how we want to do it.”
Tailored support nurtured creativity and ownership, even when decisions were challenging:
“It’s good to not feel restricted. You’re doing something you like, but it can be hard to decide what that is.”
As experience grew, members refined their interests into areas of expertise:
“I’ve loved having such a wide variety of opportunities to do what we’re passionate about and create something to benefit others.”
This culminated in leading personal social action projects, tackling issues like period stigma and conducting an educator survey.
The delivery of national online workshops demonstrated this growth. Beginning with guided participation during Anti-Bullying Week 2023 (such as facilitating through pre-recorded videos), members advanced to independently designing and delivering large-scale events by 2024. This included a Pride-themed student workshop and an Anti-Bullying parent webinar, jointly engaging over 1,000 participants. This gradual, scaffolded model of participation allowed them to experiment, reflect and hone their work.
Relationships and Legacy
More than individual achievements, it was the relationships that defined the Youth Board experience. What began as a group of strangers became a network of trusted friends and collaborators. Early nerves gave way to belonging:
“Meeting so many like-minded people who gave me so much advice and inspiration... I remember thinking I’ve found the right people for me.” Members spoke of “constructive conversations” and the joy of working with others “willing to have these conversations and get excited too.”
Supported closely by The Diana Award team, many stayed on the Youth Board for two years because of the friendships, trust, and community they built. As one reflected,
“Everything we’ve achieved together is incredible. Once we’ve finished our time with the Youth Board, I don’t think we should stop. I think we should continue being the best versions of ourselves and take every opportunity that comes our way.”
