Blog

Growing up in Camden, I didn’t always feel confident speaking up. Like a lot of young people, I had thoughts and opinions about what was happening around me, but I wasn’t always sure they mattered, or that anyone would really listen. Over time, Camden and especially the opportunities I found through YCF helped me realise that having a voice isn’t about being the loudest person in the room. It’s about feeling confident enough to speak, and knowing your voice has value.

We have some exciting news to share! Our CEO Daisy Srblin is heading off on maternity leave from May 2026. We wish her all the joy in the world for this next chapter and we're thrilled to announce that Honor Wilson-Fletcher MBE will be joining us as Interim CEO during this period, starting in April 2026.

YCF recently brought together local experts and partners for an engaging and practical session: Demystifying Corporate Partnerships. Designed for Camden’s not-for-profit members, the two-hour session explored how charities and community groups can better understand, approach, and build meaningful relationships with businesses, especially within Camden’s unique economy.

Growing up in social housing is something people talk about a lot but rarely from personal experience. It shapes you in ways you do not always notice until you are older. It affects your mindset, your ambitions, the way you read people, and even the way you move through the world. Growing up in social housing is not just about a postcode. It is a whole education.

On Monday 19 January 2026, a historic moment took place in Camden: the borough’s first Full Council Debate centred on the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS).

There is something incredibly comforting about a warm, hearty stew on a cold winter evening, and Ades, the Eritrean Red Lentil Stew, has been my go-to for just that. Growing up in an Eritrean household, flavors like berbere, turmeric, and the earthy aroma of simmered greens were the essence of home. This dish brings all of that together in one pot. It is simple, nourishing, and full of flavor.

I started at Young Camden Foundation straight after finishing my master’s degree in Race, Media and Social Justice at Goldsmiths. I initially thought I’d take some time off, travel a bit and start a “proper big girl job” in a few months. I’d been in education for two decades and thought I needed a break. I’d applied to a few jobs while finishing my dissertation and, to my surprise, got an email back from Daisy asking if I would like to interview for the role of Membership Engagement and Communications Officer.

As we enter October, it brings with it a month packed with opportunities to embrace and spread awareness to all of the individual differences that make Camden the truly unique and diverse community that it is. For many young people, like myself, these differences are expressed through neurodivergence. These differences are not burdens or problems that need to be fixed, but instead unique perspectives that shape how neurodivergent individuals experience the world. Perspectives that shouldn’t be brushed away, but instead highlighted and praised. With ‘World Mental Health Day’ on October 10th, it’s the perfect time for us to reflect on how we can unite and create a nurturing community that welcomes and celebrates everyone across the borough.