Sponsored by the Institute of Directors
Donna Anderson is a standout leader in the field of youth work. As Team Leader for Youth Services at North Ayrshire Council, she brings clarity, ambition, and deep care to everything she does. Her leadership has reshaped how young people engage with their community and their future.
Donna heads a team working across vital areas—mental health, youth parliament, corporate parenting, digital learning, and equalities. Together, they create rich, informal learning experiences for young people aged 11-to-25, ensuring no one is left behind when it comes to opportunity and support.
One of Donna’s most influential achievements is leading North Ayrshire to become the first council in Scotland to run joint cabinet events with young people. These events have, for over a decade, provided a direct line between youth voices and decision-makers—turning young people’s insights into action and policy.
Donna’s impact extends to her team. She builds trust, brings out the best in those around her, and creates a culture where people feel supported, motivated, and clear about their purpose. Her leadership is built on compassion and conviction—balancing high expectations with genuine care.
She also champions the next generation of youth workers, creating pathways into the profession through Modern Apprenticeships. Her belief in young people doesn’t stop at words—it’s seen in the real jobs, opportunities, and networks she’s helped bring to life.
A colleague shared:
“Donna encourages us to believe in ourselves, no matter the challenge. Without her, many of our best projects wouldn’t have happened.”
From boardrooms to drop-in centres, Donna is a constant presence and a driving force. She’s created lasting shifts in how local government connects with its young citizens, and she’s done it with integrity, heart, and bold ideas.
Jed Milroy has been a key force behind Tinderbox Collective since 2015, leading its community team with quiet strength, deep listening, and a relentless focus on people.
Through music, Jed has helped hundreds of young people uncover skills, confidence, and creative careers they didn’t think were possible. He’s developed a progression model that sees participants move from joining a workshop to leading one—returning as volunteers, trainees, assistants, and mentors.
A defining feature of Jed’s leadership is reflection. Every session ends with a group check-in where young people and staff share what worked and what could be better. This simple but powerful ritual builds confidence and self-awareness, and helps everyone grow—not just as musicians but as leaders and contributors.
Jed doesn’t flinch in a crisis. When the pandemic hit, he moved the entire programme online within a week—making sure no one missed out on the connection, creativity, and care that Tinderbox offers.
He’s supported people not just in workshops but across whole journeys—from the young person he met at age 12 at Pilton Youth Project who now works beside him as a trainee, to the many emerging artists who have built sustainable careers with Jed’s steady guidance behind them.
A colleague shared:
“Jed listens when others don’t, and that creates space for us to listen to ourselves.”
Jed’s legacy is about far more than delivering music programmes. He’s built a community where people believe in themselves, contribute fully, and find paths they didn’t know they could walk.
Jane Akadiri is the founder of Touch of Love Outreach and a powerhouse in Aberdeen’s youth and community landscape. Her work has shifted lives and built stronger, more inclusive communities from the ground up.
Touch of Love has reached over 450 young people through sports, cultural activities, and creative programmes that offer far more than just something to do—they build identity, pride, and meaningful relationships. Her focus is on those often left at the margins—especially young people from ethnic minority backgrounds—and her work has helped reduce isolation and antisocial behaviour while building new skills and stronger peer networks.
But Jane’s leadership doesn’t stop with young people. Her food bank initiative has distributed over 30,000 parcels to more than 35,000 people—18,000 of them children—helping families facing real hardship. Alongside this, she’s run educational seminars for over 350 parents on issues such as autism awareness, domestic violence, and financial literacy—creating stronger, more informed families.
In her employability work, Jane has helped over 60 individuals build job skills and enter the workforce, offering practical routes forward for people often excluded from opportunity.
Jane is also a vocal advocate for cultural sensitivity within child protection and public services. Her work has shaped more inclusive practices and given a platform to young New Scots to tell their stories and pursue their ambitions.
A colleague shared:
“Jane is the heart and soul of Touch of Love. She creates an environment where young people feel seen and supported. She never gives up on anyone.”
Jane leads by doing. Whether delivering food parcels, running workshops, or standing in front of a room of parents, her presence is purposeful, steady, and always grounded in the belief that every person deserves a chance to belong and to succeed.