Each year, the programme brings together people with lived experience of social injustice and inequality who are creating change in their communities and want to strengthen their voice and impact.
Our Spokesperson Network is a growing community of leaders united by the belief that the people with lived experience should be at the centre of conversations and decisions that shape solutions.
Too often, people with experience of inequality are excluded from the media, and policy and public spaces. Our programme is here to change that. Through media training, leadership development, peer support and speaking and media opportunities, we amplify their voices and experience.
This year’s cohort reflect an incredible range of lived experience, with leaders working across issues including suicide prevention, Islamophobia, addiction, racial equity, inclusion, disability justice, poverty, housing and mental health.
This year’s leaders taking part in the programme are:
- Amy Thompson, MS Together
- Asma Ajaz-Ali, Muslim Sports Foundation
- Claire Simmons, Friends of Isaac’s Food Bank
- Daisy Ashe, Reach Out and Recover (ROAR) Kent CIC
- Deborah Jones, Resolute Women’s Support Services
- Ellie Palma-Cass, EPiC HOPE
- Elsy Gomez Campos, UK Black Pharmacist Association
- Hope Lightowler, Shared Lives Plus
- Indra Nauth, Action for Race Equality
- Kristine Reilly-Blake, Kidstruction CIC
- Majid Iqbal, Islamophobia Response Unit
- Oksana Kalala, New Arrivals Support CIC
- Said Seerat, Welcome House
- Salma Mohamed, Somali Mental Health Network
Monica Tyler, Sounddelivery Media’s CEO, said: “We were overwhelmed by the dedication and commitment we saw throughout this year’s application process, with more than 100 applications from leaders across the country.
“The people joining this year’s programme are doing vital work in their communities. They’re challenging injustice, supporting others and creating change every day. Our role is to help strengthen their visibility and influence so their voices can be heard where decisions are made.
“We’re excited to begin working with this new cohort and to see the impact they will continue to have in the media, in policy spaces and in the communities they represent.”
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be introducing each of our new leaders and sharing more about their work, their communities and the change they’re driving. Stay tuned!