Elevate Board

Jade Abbey

Age: 19
Borough: Newham
Current occupation: Student 
Groups involved in: Elevate Youth Voice 

Being born and raised in Newham, there needed to be a change and the involvement of the Park made it easier to use micro steps to raise issues to help fix them.

I completed the DofE bronze and silver award in the same year. I am able to help people start the foundations of building a small business. Having the opportunity to work with the Mayor of London and the England rowing team in a programme called “breaking barriers” helped shape me to who I am today. As a board member, I'm looking forward to shape the community in a way they have never done before. Change the script for people to actually get involved with opportunities and feel involved with what's happening in all 4 boroughs that the Park sits in. Networking and bringing people together to make it more inclusive. 

Esmond Afranie

Age: 20
Borough: Hackney 
Current occupation: Student ​​​​​​​
Groups involved in: Badu Mentoring Group, Legacy Youth Board 

Living in Hackney I have been fortunate enough to be exposed to a range of career opportunities through the Badu Mentoring group but prior to joining Badu I had no idea about the wide range of career options there was to pick from. This inspired me to begin my own society in Warwick where we aim to upskill young black undergraduates as well as expose them to a range of opportunities in various sectors.  

Joshua Dickinson

Age: 20
Borough: Waltham Forest
Current occupation: Internship at Southwark Cathedral
Groups involved in: Deputy Chair Legacy Youth Board, Legacy Youth Voice

I am delighted to be continuing as a member on the Legacy Youth Board. In 2018 I  completed my Level 3 in Travel and Tourism at George Monoux 6th Form College.  I am currently on an internship working at  Southwark Cathedral as a welcomer. I have also worked at The CBI as an Events Administrator

My main interest is watching  tennis. I follow online, but whenever possible attend in person. I attended The Federation Cup at the Copper Box in 2019. I have also attended West Ham matches. I wrote about Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park as part of my coursework. I was so inspired by the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the fact that East London was put on the map as a visitor destination.

I joined The Youth Board as I was already a member of the Legacy Youth Voice and I wanted to be involved in the regeneration of the Park and its surrounding areas.  While I am on The Youth Board, I hope to be able to represent local people but especially young people, and help Stratford to continue developing.

Bhavini Ghedia

Age: 24
Borough: Barking & Dagenham 
Current occupation: HR Assistant

I was born and raised in East London and studied Architecture at the Leicester School of Architecture. I have worked with young people in mentoring, facilitating workshops and inclusion for six years and am currently a HR Assistant and Operations Manager. I can dance in a range of styles and have performed from a young age. I have previously been asked to choreograph and perform in the Houses of Parliament, representing young people. I also regularly engage in creative outlets – painting , upcycling, sewing and so much more! I am currently working on leading creative workshops for young people to elevate confidence and empowerment. 

I’m really looking forward to representing the Elevate Board at a variety of meetings and events regarding elements and considerations of East London and the Olympic Park. I hope to immerse myself in the discussions and learning more about the various committees. 

Arif Hoque

Age: 25
Borough: Tower Hamlets
Current occupation: Government Official, NHS Bank Administrator  

Groups involved in: Young partner with Peer Power, Young Advisor for Young Minds, Advisory panel member at Legal and General, Lived experience research advisory member in various academic institutions, Youth board member at Transport for London, Member of Scope's Youth Community Collective, Young person's advisory group member for King's College London, Alumni for Career Ready, Patient and Public representative Council member for the London Ambulance Service 

I am a young Londoner and resident of Tower Hamlets having lived and studied there my whole life. From initially doing a work experience placement in my local council, I then secured volunteering and official roles in different public and charity sector institutions.

I have a large immediate and extended family household and so I prioritise my leisure time with them consistently. I enjoy participating in enriching social activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award. I have successfully obtained my Bronze and Silver Awards and am completing the Gold level. Elsewhere I keep up to date with current local and national affairs and events that are taking place for community togetherness.

Zaid Ismail

Age: 22
Borough: Newham
Current occupation: Team Admin Assistant at Lendlease 
Groups involved in: Elevate Youth Board and Design Future London Panel 

My love for technology and data analysis led me to study Business Information Systems at the University of Westminster. Currently, I'm a Team Admin Assistant at Lendlease, but I'm always looking for ways to innovate and streamline our processes.

With my linguistic superpowers in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, SQL, and Python, I've delved into personal projects, cracked coding challenges, and unravelled data mysteries. I have a deep passion for technology and data analysis, which has driven me to excel in programming. When I'm not coding, you'll find me on the basketball court cheering for the Golden State Warriors.

As a member of the Elevate Board, I am thrilled to contribute to shaping the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. With my passion for technology and data analysis, I hope to empower the community by bringing innovative ideas and ensuring inclusive growth for all. Collaborating with fellow board members and leveraging the collective knowledge of the community, we can drive positive change and elevate the futures of young people in East London. Being from Newham, this opportunity holds special meaning to me. 

James Kaguima

Age: 25
Borough: Newham
Current occupation: Founder of Skate Cabal, Chair of Elevate Board, Entrepreneur, Project management at London Borough of Newham and Freelance Product Designer 
Groups involved in: NEF fellow at Centre for Entrepreneurs, Royal Dock’s Local Panel, Newham Chamber Of Commerce, MyLifeMySay, A New Direction, Foundervine, Catch 22, East London Business Alliance, Youth Employment UK, British Youth Council, National Association of Local Councils awards, Newham Council’s Youngest in Charge 2022

At 16 (2013), I secured my first ever grant to host community focused sports programmes in Newham, East London (Sparked my social entrepreneurial journey). I am hoping to achieve our collective goal of providing access to opportunities, and resources that will enable young people to reach their full potential and contribute to the development of innovative programs that address the unique challenges facing our community. I also founded Skate Cabal, a multi-award-winning initiative that amplifies safe spaces, culture and stories for the roller-skating community. 

Emmanuel Lawal

Age: 21
Current occupation: Student
Groups involved in: Elevate Youth Voice / Elevate Board 

I am originally from East London but currently based in the East of England. My career thus far, has predominantly been consumed by education, I am currently a full-time undergraduate student at the University of Leicester, studying Politics & International Relations. I joined the LLDC ecosystem in 2019, as a volunteer, off the heels of a successful NCS endeavour. Since then, I have been privileged enough to witness much growth; internally and externally, landing me to the Elevate Board room in 2021. Outside of traditional education, I have pursued avenues in sports, hospitality and creative writing. 

Mariline Luyeye

Age: 20
Borough: Hackney
Current occupation: Student
Groups involved in: Elevate

Born and bred in Hackney but I am a proud Congolese woman. I love my culture. I  am a current student at King’s College University studying to become a healthcare professional. I am also a CEO of my business that involves me handmaking knitted and crocheted items.

As a board member, what I am looking forward to the most is making a change in the community I live in whilst, impacting the lives of young people. I am hoping to achieve many things, one of them being personal growth and development and expanding my knowledge and understanding of the Park

Malaika Mkhosi

Age: 24
Borough: Newham
Current occupation: Associate Consultant

During my postgraduate studies, I developed a strong interest in Public Affairs, which I have pursued through a range of projects focused on governance, sustainability and resilience in the UK post-pandemic. 

I have a diverse set of interests that I enjoy exploring in my free time. I relish the opportunity to travel, network, and meet new people. I am also an avid lover of the great outdoors and nature, and enjoy and exploring new environments whenever possible. 

As a member of the Elevate board, I am most looking forward to creating opportunities for young people to connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for entrepreneurship and personal growth. I am eager to ensure that their voices are heard and that they are equipped with the skills and resources necessary to shape their local communities for the better. 

Celine Nithila-George

Age: 24
Borough: Waltham Forest
Current occupation: Programme Manager- Digital Leaders 
Groups involved in: Elevate Youth Board  

I studied Liberal Arts at the University of Warwick and also worked as an Innovation Fellow, engaging with student start-ups, local enterprises and national organisations. Civic innovation extends to my current role, where I work with leadership professionals to ensure that UK Digital Transformation is sustainable and inclusive. 

After taking part in the London Commonwealth Youth Summit in 2015, I became interested in working with young people to effect positive change. Such initiatives include Coventry City of Culture 2021, as well as smart city and urban transformation projects in Montréal and Venice. I aim to use my lived and professional experience in engaging diverse communities to ensure the LLDC’s strategic visions align with those of local residents.

I am excited to continue with the programmes the Legacy Youth Board established as well as co-create new youth focused projects as the changing scope of the LLDC continues. I look forward to helping realise long-term local benefits, particularly from the East Bank development and SHIFT inclusive innovation district.