Okay, we admit it. There’s only one of us!
But hear us out—every big idea starts with a solo act, a little chaos, and one inspirational story.
Nathanial-Elliot Coad - Founder
Hey there!
I’m a 1st Year social work student at Manchester Metropolitan University with a big interest in the public sector, social equity and global politics. I love reading, rugby and a good salad!
When I am not too busy with the university workload, I’m a member of Adoption England’s National Youth Network and Ashoka’s Youth Changemaker Network, advocating for services to better reflect the needs of young adults.
My previous work includes being involved in the Make A Stand campaign, encouraging teenagers to become upstanders against bullying and antisocial behaviour. I’ve also been part of Adoption UK’s annual YouCanAdopt campaign, sharing my personal story and highlighting the profound impact adoption has on children’s lives.
As an adoptee from Uganda who benefitted from a bursary scholarship, I had the opportunity to explore a wide range of extracurricular activities. Through these experiences, my passion for rugby, debating, content creation, and advocacy really took off.
However, my adolescent years also opened my eyes to the inequalities in youth development—differences in funding between state and public schools, disparities in career guidance and enrichment opportunities, and the growing lack of funding in the youth sector.
It’s no surprise, then, that 66% of young adults say they didn’t have the opportunities to discover what they wanted to pursue after secondary school, potentially explaining the high rates of NEET status and university dropouts.So, why focus on redefining youth development and advocating for a new approach to youth work?
Youth work plays an essential role in shaping the future of society, providing young adults with the support, guidance, and opportunities needed to transition successfully into adulthood. These services are often the lifeline for many, particularly those from overlooked communities, helping to break cycles of inequality and open doors to future success.
As the founder of YOUTHOOD, I am committed to taking a creative and disruptive approach to changing how we serve young adults. Through YOUTHOOD, we aim to adopt a partnership-driven model , to collaborate across sectors—schools, employers, young adults services, and communities—to build a stronger, more equitable foundation for the next generation.
While we have a strong research sample supporting our current campaign (see Katalyst), we urgently need to grow our team. We’re specifically looking for young adults who share our philosophy and are passionate about disrupting the inequalities in adolescent experiences.
But, in order to reach a position where we can begin our work, we desperately need support from professionals in policy, youth work, education, business and the charitable sector in setting up and providing long-term guidance for our charitable initiative.
ENGAGEMENT
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ENRICHMENT
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EDUCATION
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AWARENESS
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EQUITY
ENGAGEMENT | ENRICHMENT | EDUCATION | AWARENESS | EQUITY
But what do I know about the youth sector?
During sixth form, I tackled this head-on with an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), diving deep into the current state of youth work and education in the UK.
This wasn’t just any essay—it was an A*-graded research piece that explored the ins and outs of multiagency approaches, school education, youth sector funding, enrichment opportunities, and the stark disparities in adolescent experiences nationwide.
This essay didn’t just earn me top marks; it laid the foundation for my understanding of the youth sector and shaped my vision for YOUTHOOD. It’s enabled me to identify where youth development needs a serious upgrade—and how we can make it happen.
