Team
Meet our Staff
Talia
Founder
Talia Kensit
Talia founded Youth Realities aged 19, in response to abuse she experienced in a teenage relationship.
Talia grew up locally in Colindale, and with her own experience of permanent school exclusion, she is passionate about inclusive education and evidence-based responses to violence that are preventative and trauma-informed.
Talia has an MA in Women and Child Abuse, a Domestic Violence Service Manager Qualification and completed the New Chief Executives Programme at Bayes Business School.
Eleanor
Interim CEO
Eleanor Micthell
Eleanor has 25 years’ experience in the charity sector working across all areas from volunteering to Vice Chair. Bringing an innate understanding of the sector she works to grow, adapt, and enhance charities quickly grasping their areas for development and implementing change. Eleanor works as a consultant to the sector and is passionate in supporting young people. Eleanor is also a mum of two boys and loves sunny beach escapes!
Shirley
Head of Programmes
Shirley Ricketts
I love the energy of young people and I have worked with care experienced, teenage parents and girls and young women who have experienced harmful practices including being in unhealthy relationships.
I enjoy keeping my mind and body well, dancing, listening to music, reading, travelling, socialising and enjoying my life.
Whilst working at Youth Realities, I am determined to support girls and young women to realise their value and what they are worthy of, so that they can heal.
Nekhena
Education & Creative Activities Lead
Nekhena Mullin
My name is Nekhena, but I prefer to be called Keena.
I’m a caring person and enjoy working with young people of all ages. I like to try to bring out the best version of people and put a smile on their faces. I’m always all ears and try my hardest to help out in the best way possible.
I love to listen to music, dance in my own time, explore new things and I’m usually the person that’s up for anything fun.
Working at Youth Realities allows me to work closer with young people to support them and help them understand that they always have a choice no matter what!
Meet our Trustees
Tony
Chair of Trustees
Tony Lewis
Tony has more than 15 years’ experience working with children and youth services. He is currently responsible for partnership safeguarding and child protection arrangements within Barnet and more recently served as CEO of an Unitas Youth Zone.
Tony is passionate about delivering positive outcomes, tackling social disadvantage and improving social mobility, in hope that his young daughter can grow up in a world where she knows she can be whoever she wishes to be!
Roslyn
Trustee
Roslyn Adonteng
Roslyn has six years’ experience supporting young people both in the public and private sector after graduating in Youth and Community Work. Roslyn strongly believes in empowering and supporting the next generation, especially young women, to become the best versions of themselves. She has managed to make a tremendous difference in supporting young people with employment and crime, managed youth projects and worked in partnership with organisations such as Princes Trust, Barclays and Arsenal.
Neil
Trustee & Treasurer
Neil Meyrick
Neil is a chartered accountant with nearly 20 years of experience in finance. In 2020, Neil started his own business supporting charities and social enterprises in managing their finances.
Neil is passionate about improving the world his two young daughters will inherit. “Youth Realities – created by a young woman who saw a problem and developed an organisation to address it – gives me hope for the future!”
Neil, alongside family time, is an avid chef, and enjoys sailing and swimming.
Niki
Trustee
Niki Michael
Hi, I’m Niki Michael and I am delighted to be joining Youth Realities as a Trustee. I have over 20 years experience as a professional fundraiser working for national and local charities, growing both income and staff teams. I am currently working as the Interim CEO of a Hertfordshire based charity supporting pre school physically disabled children and their families, overseeing a team of 35 staff.
I am very much looking forward to supporting the growth and direction of Youth Realities alongside the excellent leadership team.
Claire
Trustee
Claire Silver
Claire is a Chief People Officer and member of the Executive Leadership Team for an organisation within the Infrastructure Financing Sector. She has over 25 years’ experience in senior HR roles, and an excellent track record of coaching executive teams, leading businesses through change and helping to establish strong corporate cultures. The daughter of a teenage mother who had experienced teenage abuse, Claire was brought up within the care system spending most of her youth in foster and children’s homes. She has spent much of her career raising awareness around Social Mobility and championing and mentoring teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds.
