Usman’s Story
In January 2024, I was nominated by Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Reduction Unit (VERU) to join The Hope Collective's Youth Management Group (YMG).
At the time, I saw it as an opportunity to represent the voices of young people from my community and contribute to conversations about the issues affecting them. What I did not realise was that it would become one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional and personal journey.
My passion has always been rooted in creating opportunities for young people. Before joining The Hope Collective, I had already spent several years working with young people through youth work and as a Volunteer Police Cadet Instructor. Throughout that time, I saw first-hand the difference that trusted adults, positive opportunities and genuine investment can make in a young person's life.
Too often, decisions are made about young people without young people being part of the conversation. The Hope Collective challenged that approach. It showed me what can happen when young people are not simply consulted, but are genuinely empowered to lead, influence and shape change.
That belief is what kept me coming back.
In September 2024, I was honoured to become Chair of the Youth Management Group. Taking on this role has been one of the greatest privileges of my career so far. It has given me the opportunity to support other young leaders, champion youth voice and help ensure that lived experience remains at the heart of everything we do.
Over the past two years, I have had the privilege of supporting more than six Hope Hacks across the country, organising two of my own, leading on many others and hosting three events as a presenter. Every Hope Hack has reinforced the same lesson: young people understand the challenges facing their communities better than anyone, and when given the space to contribute, they often provide some of the most practical, creative and impactful solutions.
One of the things I am most proud of is seeing young people walk into a room unsure whether their voice matters and leave knowing that it does. That transformation is powerful.
My involvement has also extended beyond Hope Hacks. I have contributed to wider areas of The Hope Collective's work, working alongside staff, partners and young people from across the country. These experiences have strengthened my understanding of how collaboration can drive meaningful social change and have shown me the impact that can be achieved when organisations genuinely commit to listening to young people.
A particularly significant chapter of my journey came between September and December 2025, when I joined The Hope Collective full-time through a collaboration with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation. This experience allowed me to immerse myself in the organisation's work, deepen my understanding of the challenges facing young people and contribute to projects on a national scale.
During this period, I also had the privilege of leading on the Day of Hope. Bringing together young people, professionals and organisations around a shared vision for positive change was an incredibly rewarding experience. The event reflected everything that makes The Hope Collective special: optimism, collaboration and an unwavering belief in the potential of young people.
Another milestone came in November 2025, when I was able to bring together two parts of my professional life that I care deeply about: policing and youth voice.
Working in partnership with Bedfordshire Police and Bedfordshire Violence and Exploitation Prevention Partnership (VEPP), I led a collaborative Hope Hack focused on the important and challenging issue of Male Violence Against Women and Girls (MVAWG).
The event created a space for honest conversations between young people, police officers and partner organisations. It demonstrated the value of bringing different perspectives together to tackle complex social issues and reinforced the importance of ensuring young people have a voice in discussions that directly affect their lives and communities. For me personally, it was a powerful example of how youth engagement, partnership working and policing can come together to create meaningful dialogue and drive positive change.
Alongside my work with The Hope Collective, I have also begun my career as a Police Officer. While these two worlds may seem different on the surface, I have found they are closely connected. Both are fundamentally about people, communities and creating opportunities.
Whether through a Hope Hack, the Volunteer Police Cadets or frontline policing, I have seen the importance of listening to young people, understanding lived experience and creating environments where people feel heard. My experiences with The Hope Collective continue to shape the officer I am becoming and reinforce my belief that lasting change happens when communities are part of the solution.
When I look back at the young person who joined the Youth Management Group in January 2024, I could never have imagined the opportunities that would follow. From supporting Hope Hacks and leading national events to chairing the Youth Management Group, working alongside incredible partners and helping bring together youth voice and policing, the journey has been remarkable.
However, what I value most is not the events, titles or achievements. It is the people.
The young people who continue to challenge, inspire and motivate me.
The colleagues and partners who believe in the power of youth voice.
And the communities working every day to create brighter futures.
The Hope Collective has reinforced a belief that I have held throughout my career: when young people are trusted, supported and given the opportunity to lead, extraordinary things happen.
As I continue my journey, I remain proud to be part of The Hope Collective and excited about what the future holds.
Because if there is one thing I have learned over the past two years, it is this:
Hope is not just something we talk about.
Hope is something we create together.
And I am proud to have been part of that journey.
