Launch of the YLCB

The Youth-Led Consultancy Board (YLCB) launched recently with an event held at SEALIFE London Aquarium which showcased the talents of the ‘Board’ members.

The YLCB is a group of 13 Teens and Toddlers graduates whose role is to give our young people a voice in the charity… And this they did with a stunning drama performance; a beautiful, moving poem (see below) written and performed by Emily Simoncini, and a song by the talented Paris Magonya.

The event was a great success with many of the 150 guests who attended offering their further support, particularly as a mentor.  A new mentoring scheme will be starting in the New Year and if you would like to be involved please contact Diana Whitmore at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

A delighted YLCB Chair, Tina Paolo, said “It was a fantastic event.  It was very inspiring for the young people to get so much support from our guests.  Going forward we want to empower our young people today to become the leaders of tomorrow.  We want to invest in community projects and give emotional support to our peers to help them progress successfully at school, home and in life“.

This Is It.

A Poem by Emily Simoncini

This is it, this is me; my guards are down.

I reveal my eyes, a washed out brown

My confident smile drifts to a frown.

My laughs weren’t fake, just not real,

Made it impossible to tell how I truly feel.

What I have seen I can never share.

You claimed to be close you, you were nowhere near

You didn’t want me around and made that clear.

Searching for somebody that doesn’t want to be found

Any time I rise to the top, I’ll be sure to fall to the ground.

I’ve given so much of me,

I’m just waiting for you to be received.

Why am I so lost in a place called home?

I’m scared, I find myself bleeding alone,

Fighting tears from falling I’m supposed to be grown!

But it’s my entire fault at the end of the day,

So when they come I say everything you said to say.

We can start all over, you said you’ll try

But then I could always notice a change in your eyes,

So when she returns it’s no surprise.

I don’t know that person and she don’t me,

They claim they can help, but we know we’ll never be free.

This is it, this me; my guards have risen.

All my thought s locked up in mental prison,

No time to be heard but I’m always here to listen.

A heart so warm, a smile so sweet, eyes shine so bright,

There’s no way this girl cries to sleep at night