Hannah's profile
Hannah is from Co. Down and is currently at school studying A-levels in Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Geography. She enjoys sailing, powerboating, surfing and shopping, and is an aspiring Marine Biologist.
Hannah is a Sea Safety Volunteer with Kilkeel Lifeboat Station, and joined the Youth Advisory Board because she wanted to get more involved with youth engagement and to help secure the next generation of lifesaving volunteers;
'As part of the Youth Advisory Board, I hope to meet new people and to share my ideas and theirs to help promote the great work of the RNLI, and in turn encourage others to help support the charity.'
In the Board’s first meeting at the RNLI's London office, Hannah was most interested in the discussions surrounding new ways in which to involve 13-15 year olds in the work of the charity. Afterwards, she said 'I enjoy contributing towards helping young people to get involved with the RNLI.'
Jack's profile
Jack, from Merseyside, is currently at university in Plymouth studying for a degree in Mechanical and Marine Engineering. He enjoys sailing, photography and playing the bass clarinet in a number of concert bands, and has become quite a fan of the Full Bridge Simulator at the RNLI College after a recent visit!
Jack is an aspiring Naval Architect and wants to volunteer as a lifeboat crewmember. He was previously part of the Young Tate group at Tate Liverpool, has completed two work placements with the RNLI's in-house Naval Architects and Engineers, and is currently a volunteer with the Institution as an Education Speaker in the North and South West regions.
Jack says 'the Youth Advisory Board is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with this exciting organisation. I hope that we will be able to generate a great deal of support for the RNLI through helping to develop new and exhilarating youth engagement programmes – something we started looking at in the very first meeting.'
Jack enjoyed the Board’s visit to Tower lifeboat station, where they had the opportunity to talk to the crew about their new lifeboat ‘RNLB Hurley Burly’.
Emily's profile
Emily is from Kinsale in Co. Cork. She is currently a fifth year at her school, studying for her final exams. She is actively involved in a great deal of watersports due to her home town being famous for its sailing heritage. She was first introduced to the work of the RNLI through her family, many of whom are members of the local fundraising committee. As a result, Emily has been involved in a great deal of local and international fundraising and volunteer work.
Emily said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to get involved in the work of the RNLI and have their say in some of the activities the charity produces. I look forward to being able to play such a key role in the education and information of young people such as myself, as they will of course form the next generation for supporters.”
Edward's profile
Edward, from Norfolk, is currently studying the International Baccalaureate at Sixth Form College and has the ambition of becoming a Music Software Developer. His interests include cycling, skateboarding, DJing and music production.
Edward is currently a volunteer at the RNLI's Henry Blogg Museum in Cromer, and has a vested interest in the history and development of the RNLI, as well as the technical aspects of the Institution. He says 'It is very important to get young people involved with and interested in the RNLI, and so I joined the Youth Advisory Board to be able to assist in developing its relationship with young people.'
'As for the first of the Board’s meetings, I found our visit to Tower Lifeboat Station fascinating, and really enjoyed developing future projects for the RNLI.'
Jessica's profile
Jessica, from Portstewart, Co Londonderry, is currently studying English Literature, History and ICT at Dominican College, Portstewart. She enjoys swimming, has recently started learning to play the saxophone and hopes to become a primary school teacher in the future.
Jessica has volunteered with the RNLI Fundraising Committee at her local lifeboat station as part of her Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and says she really enjoyed seeing how the charity raises money and support for its lifesaving work.
'I am now starting my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. I volunteered for the Youth Advisory Board as I am keen to learn more about how the RNLI works and I would like the chance to share my thoughts and ideas about fundraising and youth engagement.'
After the first Youth Advisory Board meeting in November 2011, Jessica said 'I found it eye opening to hear about other lifeboat stations around England and Ireland, and I liked helping out with some decision making about an upcoming RNLI youth programme.'
Abigail's profile
Abigail, from Norfolk, studied A-levels in Geography, Psychology and Biology at college. She enjoys listening to music and has an interest in environmental conservation.
Abigail completed a work experience placement at the RNLI's Henry Blogg Museum where she took on an assortment of diverse and interesting roles. She says 'the Youth Advisory Board is the perfect way to continue my contribution to this epic charity!'
'As part of the Board, I hope to raise awareness of the RNLI’s work and encourage a great deal more young people to get involved so that the charity can continue saving lives at sea.'
Following the Youth Advisory Board’s first meeting in late 2011, Abigail said 'I really enjoyed visiting Tower Lifeboat Station and talking to the crew there, as well as getting to know the other board members.'
Chris' profile
Chris, from Bristol, is currently studying A-level Politics, Biology and Geography, and wants to become a Police Officer. He is also a keen supporter of the RNLI;
'The RNLI is a fundamental organisation and the fact that it relies entirely on voluntary donations is a testament to its organisation and the willingness of everyone in the UK and RoI to donate. However, I believe that it is equally important to engage young people – such as myself – with the RNLI to ensure its voluntary ethos is not lost.'
'I joined the Youth Advisory Board to play a small part in such an important charity, advising on the best ways to engage young people with the RNLI, and the ways the charity interacts with its supporters. The RNLI would benefit in consulting young people if their schemes and initiatives are aimed at us, and that’s what I’m here for!'
Whilst not living near the sea, Chris is still very enthusiastic about his role on the Board, as it gives him the chance to offer the perspective of a person unfamiliar with the sea and the marine environment.
Chris said he was most interested in the discussions held around future youth engagement programmes at the first meeting, and is very keen to get further involved.
Caelan's profile
Caelan, from Ardglass, Co. Down, is a keen sportsman whose hobbies include surfing, sailing, swimming, wakeboarding and rock climbing. He is currently at college studying Sports Science and wants to be a Watersports Instructor and RNLI lifeboat crewmember.
Caelan says 'My interest in the RNLI lies with the amazing things its crews do for people in trouble at sea, in all weathers. The Youth Advisory Board gives young people a chance to become part of that organisation, offering you the chance to meet new people from across the country. And it looks good on your CV, too.'
When asked what he enjoyed most in the first meeting, Caelan said 'I enjoyed visiting Tower Lifeboat Station, meeting lots of new people, and learning more about the ‘workings’ of the RNLI.'
Harlan's profile
Harlan, from Poole, Dorset, is currently studying at his local Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Music at his local Grammar School and is an aspiring Biochemical Researcher. His numerous hobbies include playing the flute, writing Music, sailing, playing rugby, studying science, maths and reading non-fiction.
Harlan says, “I am a member of the Poole Youth Forum and have been for 3 years. I have been involved in the Mayors debate where young people debate topics relevant to the current times and the youth of Poole.”
When asked why he joined the RNLIs Youth Advisory Board, he said, “I saw this as a fantastic opportunity to use and develop my decision making and speaking skills (getting points across clearly etc.) and to meet new people. It is also an opportunity to do something different that I’ve never done before. I hope to be able to help the RNLI flourish as an organisation that is “youth friendly” and ensure future generations have knowledge and understanding of The Lifeboat Institution and its charitable work.”
At the Board’s first meeting, Harlan enjoyed the group’s work in helping to develop new and upcoming youth-focused activities within the RNLI. He says this is something he feels very strongly about and looks forward to continuing with this in the future.