Founding CEO, Mervyn Kaye, to leave Youth First

Founding CEO, Mervyn Kaye, has announced that he will be stepping down as Chief Executive of Youth First and leaving the organisation. 

In 2015, faced with austerity, Mervyn and his colleagues at Lewisham Council’s Youth Service conceived the idea of Youth First - a youth work organisation, independent of the council and therefore, able to find alternative and additional funding sources. On 1st September 2016, under his leadership, Youth First was born.

Since then, Mervyn has overseen Youth First in securing funding and beginning the process of income diversification. He led the organisation through the process of transferring to a charitable incorporated organisation and has raised capital to rebuild Riverside Youth Club. He also managed the challenges presented by the Pandemic, and ultimately launched a growth-focused strategy to continue serving Lewisham’s young people. After both victories and challenges, Mervyn has decided that it is time to explore new adventures for himself, and open the door for fresh leadership at Youth First.

Reflecting on his role, Mervyn said: “People may not realise I have been working in Lewisham for 18 years, having started in 2005 and intending to stay in the borough for only a year. Lewisham, however, captured my passion for empowering young people. I remained for 18 years and that is a testament to this and all the brilliant colleagues I worked with. It has given me an incredible opportunity to learn and grow, working alongside some fantastic people across Lewisham Council, Youth First and partners. Most importantly, it has been a privilege to serve Lewisham’s community.”

“On leaving, I remain exceptionally proud of what we have achieved to date. We have endured from inception, to creation, to survival through global challenges, when many have not. The latter is a testament to all who have worked and supported Youth First.”

The Chair of the Board, Val Davison said:

“I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to our founding CEO, Mervyn Kaye, who, after years of dedicated service, has decided to step down. He has been a tireless champion for our cause and his leadership has helped us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of countless young people in our community. We are proud to have been a part of his journey and will continue to build on the strong foundation he has laid for us. We are grateful for all that he has done and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

Mervyn will be leaving Youth First this spring.