Introducing our Youth Advisory Board

Our Youth Advisory Board is made up of six former Apps for Good students who are providing input and feedback on our strategy and course content, ensuring young people are at the core of what we do. We wanted to give them the opportunity to introduce themselves, you'll notice some familiar faces.

Ellora James

My name is Ellora James, I'm 21 years old, and I am a 4th year University student studying BSc (Hons) Ethical Hacking. It was whilst taking part in the Apps for Good competition in high school that I discovered my love for technology which has led me to where I am today. I’m outspoken about ensuring girls have all the same opportunities to discover this and my work has won me the FDM everywoman in Technology ‘One to Watch’ award, a Diana Award, and I was even named the 90th coolest person in Scotland in The Herald's 2018 'Cool List'.

My most recent venture has been starting my YouTube channel where I share my Raspberry Pi projects amongst other work I’m proud of. It’s received great feedback so far and opened up opportunities for me to feature in The MagPi - the official Raspberry Pi magazine - as well as on the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s own YouTube channel. I’m really proud of the videos I’ve made so far and I’m looking forward to continuing to make them.

Apps for Good played a significant role in me pursuing a career in technology, and their continued support of my work with my app ‘Envirocache’ has been greatly appreciated over the years. It feels great to be able to give back to them by being a member of the Youth Advisory Board, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to help shape something that I know has the potential to have a lasting impact.

Rebecca Jilks

I am a recent Part 1 Architecture graduate from the University of Kent, now working for an architecture firm in Ramsgate. I am passionate about design and technology, and how they can work hand in hand to generate a better and healthier environment for everyone.

I am proud to now be working in an industry which can have a positive impact through design.

My first involvement with Apps for Good was in 2015, winning the educational app category with My World of Atoms, the periodic table app game, in a team with my brother, Ben. We have worked hard promoting the app since, gaining over 10,000 downloads worldwide and winning multiple awards with our first version.

I joined the advisory board to help more young students have fantastic experiences and gain technical, design and business skills through new courses run by Apps for Good. I am particularly interested in helping to develop their new course on climate action.

Katie Griffiths

I’ve just moved up to Manchester for my graduate role at Barclays in their technology department. I’m super excited to be so close to the peak district and am planning some camping weekends there this month. I love to keep myself busy with kayaking, hiking and rock climbing.

Moving to a new city where I didn’t know anyone was really scary and so I’m proud of how I pushed myself to attend different events and meet complete strangers. The past month I’ve been able to try so many new things and meet new people and so it’s all been worth it!

The Apps for Good course teaches so many essential skills to young people and gives them exposure to what working in technology is like. Completing the course myself sparked an interest in the technology industry and prompted me to work in tech. I understand how impactful the course can be and therefore I’m very excited to be able to be part of the team.

Adam Lee

My name is Adam, I completed the Apps for Good in 2013 with my app, Social Bank. I have developed a passion for hospitality as a result of doing the Apps for Good course by combining the skill of both selling myself and engaging peers while doing the course and the Fellowship programme.

I am proud to be part of the shaping of Apps for Good into the future as a member of the Youth Advisory Board alongside people I have worked with for many years at several events since winning.

This is the main reason I joined was so that I could give back and give my learned knowledge to future students of the course and continue to learn and participate in such a vital part of young peoples futures.

Ben Jilks

I'm a full time student at UEA, studying computer science. While working part time at MIT Dynamics, as a trainee develops engineer. I've always had a strong interest in programming, and often contribute to open source projects.

In 2015, along with my sister Rebecca, we won the Apps for Good educational category with My world of Atoms.

I'm excited to help to provide the same opportunities that we had for our app.

Zak Miah

My name is Zak Miah, I am 18 years old and currently studying Economics, English Literature and Psychology in my last year of sixth form. I’m planning to study a Major in Law alongside Philosophy at University. I first got involved with Apps for Good in Secondary school, where my fellow students won the Barclaycard Tech Prize, I won the schools internal Dragons Den the following year, whilst also participating in Apps for Good events as a Fellow.

I have a keen interest in writing which I use as an output for my ideas relating to philosophical notions, such as ‘How can Jurisprudence be regarded as beautiful?’. I publish these articles on my website (adastrabyzzm.com), which enables me to share my work with those interested and allows me to network with like-minded people.

Participating in Apps for Good has catapulted my personal development, allowing me to improve transferable skills, helping me achieve everything I’ve done to date. Being a part of the Youth Advisory board is an exciting opportunity and I'm glad that I’ll be able to help grow the programme that’s helped me, and students alike!

Habibah Miah

My name is Habibah, I am 21 years old and I am currently a medical student. I am an avid dancer and belong to my university's dance societies. I also really enjoy playing tennis (but I'm not that great at it). I originally took part in the Apps for Good programme in 2014/15 and continued my journey with AfG as a fellow thereafter.

I think one of my biggest achievements is making it to medical school. People often underestimate how gruelling and competitive the application process is and I personally was faced with many other challenges, resulting in having to take a gap year (during a pandemic) and applying for a second time. My main takeaway from that experience is how resilient I can be when I am passionate about something, so that is the part I am really proud of.

My experience with being an AfG student and then a fellow was so incredible and I got to learn so much, experience many great things and was given opportunities that other teenagers did not have access to. AfG also allowed me to develop fundamental skills and create meaningful and valuable connections. I was moulded by these experiences so when the opportunity came up to offer my hand to help mould the next generation of AfG students, I knew it was something I wanted to do; not only to give back but to help other young people find their voices and prepare them for their futures.