Meet the User Voice and Participation team

We're here to work with you to shape, change and develop the services in Surrey positively!

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Management Team

Sam – Head of Customer Engagement and System Development

What has been your best moment in the team?

Surrey Youth Voice Awards was such a great buzz with so many young people, parents and carers attending. I loved seeing loads of new members of the UVP team in action, doing their best to make sure young people felt recognised and celebrated!

What did you want to be when you were younger?

F1 racing driver!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite TV show was Friends and my favourite film was Braveheart!

Jamie-Leigh – Team Manager

"I like to spend my free time socialising with friends and family. When I was younger, I wanted to be a beautician!"

Olivia – Team Manager

What has been your best moment in the team?

Surrey Youth Events and Awards. It's great seeing children and young people being celebrated and proud of their achievements.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to be a nurse!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

When I was really young, I used to love the Teletubbies and the Tweenies.

Charlotte – Business Support Coordinator

What has been your best moment in the team?

My best moment in the team so far was the High Ashurst outing!

What did you want to be when you were younger?

When I was younger, I wanted to be a Legal Executive or something in the legal world – it didn't quite work out!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite TV shows when I was younger was The Clangers and Friends.


Senior Officers

Dan – Senior Participation Officer

What has been your best moment in the team so far?

Getting to work with some amazing people and helping to make a positive difference to the services children and young people are using.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

An archaeologist, travelling the world digging up bones as I was obsessed with dinosaurs.

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

Lord of the Rings (all three films) – hands down the best film trilogy of all time.

Gemma – Senior Participation Officer

What has been your best moment in the team so far?

My best moment in the team so far has been the Summer Party.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to be a zookeeper?

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

I loved watching Saved by the Bell when I was younger.

Di – Senior Digital Engagement and Communications Officer

What has been your best moment in the team so far?

Getting to know everyone and finding out what projects the team are working on.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

Archaeologist – I wanted to travel the world and find the most fascinating objects!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

This one is a hard one to answer but I think Looney Tunes was the best! It always made me laugh so much!

Coral – Senior Participation Projects Officer

What has been your best moment in the team so far?

Joining the team has been great so far and everyone is super welcoming.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to be a children's TV presenter. I always thought it looked great fun and a good excuse to be silly!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

I loved Mary Poppins when I was younger – I love a good musical.


Participation Leads

Maisie – Care Participation Lead

What has been your best moment in the team?

Surrey Youth Voice Awards 2023. It was great getting to share in the celebrations with so many amazing young people. And getting to meet so many amazing children and young people, getting to learn about them and who they are, and making the groups even more fun for our participants.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

So many different things! I first wanted to be an astronaut, then a singer or actor, then a teacher!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

Ever After – still my favourite!

Eleanor – Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Participation Lead

What has been your best moment in the team?

My favourite part of working in the team so far has been facilitating CYA, spending time with some amazing young people and hearing their views!

What did you want to be when you were younger?

When I was younger I really wanted to be a singer! I studied songwriting at uni and dreamed of being the next Taylor Swift, but then I decided working with young people was much more fun!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite film when I was younger was the Emperor's New Groove. My sisters and I used to watch it every week when we were kids!

Cammie – Surrey Youth Cabinet Participation Lead

What has been your best moment in the team?

Taking our Members of Youth Parliament to debate in the House of Commons – what a fantastic day!

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to an author, teacher, lawyer or actress.

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite film when I was younger was The Lord of the Rings.


Participation Officers

Lucy – Youth Research Participation Officer

What has been your best moment in the team?

My best moment so far has been getting to know everyone in the team and sharing our passion for empowering young peope.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to be a vet – a safari vet specifically. I was (still am) super into giraffes!

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite when I was younger was definitely High School Musical. Such a classic.


Apprentices

Marisa – Apprentice

What has been your best moment in the team?

My best moment in the UVP team so far has been our trip to Chessington and the Surrey Youth Voice Awards!

What did you want to be when you were younger?

When I was younger I wanted to be a singer.

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite TV show was Hannah Montana!

Demi – Apprentice

What has been your best moment in the team?

My best moment in the team has been the Christmas event.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to be a beauty therapist or work within the criminology sector.

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite film was Drop Dead Fred.

Libby – ATLAS Apprentice

What has been your best moment in the team?

My best moment on the team so far was the Surrey Youth Voice Awards!

What did you want to be when you were younger?

When I was younger, I wanted to be a journalist or a Baker.

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite film was Cinderella when I was younger.

Jordan – Apprentice

What has been your best moment in the team?

Going into my first Surrey Youth Cabinet meeting and talking to the young people about their goals and concerns.

What did you want to be when you were younger?

A fireman.

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

My favourite TV show was Merlin.

Sameer – Apprentice

What has been your best moment in the team?

The Summer party!

What did you want to be when you were younger?

I wanted to be a business owner.

What was your favourite TV show/film when you were younger?

The regular show.

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