My name is Dalitso, I work as an Independent Sexual Violence Advocate for children and young people. Alongside my job I also have an editorial business: Tapeza and I run a ministry called Twenty Four Five.  I have always been passionate about empowering young people and was voted in as Member of the UK Youth Parliament at age 15. This motivated me to become an AYA mentor and Strategist in 2017 as growing up a Black British person I never felt like there were any spaces outside of church for people like me or to prepare me for life after school. As a result I always felt like I did not fit and couldn’t truly embrace my African culture unless I was at church. AYA provides a space for young people of African descent to learn about their heritage and prepare them for life outside of school.

AYA is important because it helps empower young people by giving them access to successful people from the British African people. It gives the young people confidence and faith that if someone else who was once in their shoes can become successful, so can they. This is my favourite thing about AYA, seeing shy young people find their confidence because of their involvement with AYA. As a mentor and Strategist AYA has also helped me in my personal and professional development as it has provided many opportunities to develop my skills, knowledge and expand my network. Through AYA, I have made connections that have helped me secure an internship in the legal sector, which resulted in me landing a graduate job straight after finishing my Law degree. In the next 5 years, I would love to see AYA covering the whole of the UK, so that every young person of African descent like myself can have the support and space they need to reach their full potential.