Youth Network

The Edge Youth Network is a youth-led, youth-focused community network made up of under 30s from across the nation.

We strive to empower and give a platform to young people in order to effect change in education. The network comes together in an inclusive space to share knowledge, resources, opportunities and offer each other mutual support.

We would love for those who relate to this vision to reach out and find out more.

Meet the network

Our members

Amma Anderson

Amma is invested in supporting young people's transition into adulthood and the working world.

Throughout her career in frontline youth work and as a school and college governor, Amma's work has focused on education and training, mentoring, and career guidance. In her day job, she currently heads up the youth services at an Ofsted Outstanding apprenticeship provider.

As well as sitting as a trustee for Edge, Amma is also a trustee for the following charities:

- National Youth Agency, who transform young people's lives through access to quality youth work; and

- The Beam Foundation, who support and empower people experiencing unemployment and/or homelessness.

When not in board meetings, consulting on projects, or hosting career workshops and events, you can find Amma on a solo-cinema trip, listening to music (from 70s disco or current neo-soul), watching sports documentaries, or in a random research rabbit hole.

Jonas Andrew-Phillip

Jonas is a Young International Multi-Award-Winning TEDx Speaker, Workshop Facilitator and Host. He facilitates career and personal progression workshops, programmes and speeches for young people. Using his own personal transformation story of wasteman to winner Jonas supports his peers to have an understanding that they have the untapped potential to achieve whatever they want in their life irrelevant of their background or circumstance. He also hosts the 'Let's Talk Facts' podcast where he interviews professionals, entrepreneurs and young people for the education and entertainment of others. When he is not delivering dynamic content Jonas likes to play basketball, meet new people, watch Football whilst eating Cookie Dough ice-cream or playing his PlayStation and many more things.

Aiysha Rao

Aiysha is an advocate for rethinking the current education system, working hard to reimagine what the purpose of education should be and how it should impact all types of students. She has worked closely with Big Education to conduct research on students needs as well as changing interests to ensure they’re being considered and taken seriously.

Currently she’s the Day 10 and Enrichment Programme Manager at South Bank University Academy where she’s designing and managing skills-based PBL projects that provide students with experiences and opportunities, taking what they learn in the classroom further. She is committed to ensuring that young people are given a voice within education discussions because they should be the agents of their own success, whatever they want their future to look like.

“I believe education should be malleable as a system and work to fit the needs of all types of students as opposed to requiring the student to fit within it’s rigid mould”.

Joel Neelamkavil

Joel is an education activist who aims to create an impact and bring change to the current education system. She has presented at multiple events and establishments including Eton College and the Rethinking Education Conference about the way OFSTED negatively impacts schools. This also included research and documentary that was carried out with States of Mind. Joel is currently at university studying Politics and Sociology and has an interest in art as well as cooking.

Kerrie Portman

My name is Kerrie Portman. I'm an autistic Care Leaver currently studying the Foundation Year at Cambridge University, amongst the pioneering cohort of the program for disadvantaged students. I have a background in research into neurodiversity and education, am Director of North Herts Pride, a campaigner on Care Leaver homelessness and am a writer. This year, I was one of MHP Mischief’s 30 To Watch Politics Award winners.

Florence Clarke Drayson

Florence is described as 'passionate' in the work she does, and her main passions lie in education, particularly creative education, and improving local communities.

She is currently doing an Apprenticeship with the Association of Colleges and working across four colleges in and around Leeds doing Youth Social Action. She enjoys engaging with the local third sector economy and working with young people to make action happen.

In her spare time, Florence goes to a weekly pub quiz, likes going to the theatre and galleries, designs house interiors, engages in local activism and is writing a children's book about the village she lives in, Saltaire.

Ife Obasa

Ife is currently on a One-Year Placement working as a Paralegal and outside of her law career interest, she has an avid interest in education particularly pertaining to the development of young people. Words usually used to describe her are passionate, innovative, and forward-thinking. Previously serving as an Inter-Religious Commonwealth Youth Ambassador for the Commonwealth Jewish Council and Council Member for The British Youth Council, she has first-hand experience in leading and representing young people. This year, Powerlist Magazine recognised Ife as one of 150 Future Leaders of African/African-Caribbean Descent in the United Kingdom.

With her experience as Founder & CEO of social enterprise Empowering Younger Generations, Ife has worked tirelessly to provide resources and empowerment to support the next generation of trailblazers. Having worked as a Student University Mentor at the Financial Times, Ife regularly developed resources and hosted events for students she mentored. Her passion for creating space at the table for young decision-makers gives her the opportunity to speak and advise businesses looking to break into the education and talent space and partner with organizations to produce content around helping students find their purpose and careers.