Trustee She/Her Mems Ayinla Phonetic spelling: M-em-s

Mems is a Civil Servant at the Department of Education and a Trustee at YoungMinds. We asked Mems to tell us a little bit more about herself, how her skills and knowledge help with her role as a Trustee and how she takes care of herself. Find out more about Mems.

Mems' values and experience

What skills and experience do you bring to your Trustee role?

"I am a high-achieving Civil Servant at the Department for Education and I have a strong track record of success in delivering key campaign objectives, developing/implementing strategies and researching/analysing political issues."

Which of our values do you relate to most, and why do you think it’s an important value for us?

I relate most to 'we celebrate what makes you, you.'

"Celebrating difference is a value that I identify with most. It is important to understand how different identities and intersectionalities impact a person’s experience with mental health."

About Mems

We celebrate what makes you, you. What three words describes you best?

  • Ambitious

  • Dynamic

  • Considerate

YoungMinds staff

What do you do to switch off and take care of your mental health?

I switch off and look after my mental health by crocheting, playing netball and travelling.
Mems

What is a Trustee?

Our Board is made up of 12 amazing volunteers who bring a huge commitment to our cause, some with own and family lived experiences of mental health needs, as well as a wealth and diversity of experiences and skills. They expertly oversee the charity under the leadership of Caroline Hope, our Chair of the Board.

The role of trustees is to share their knowledge, skills and expertise, as well as give up some of their time unpaid as volunteers, to help us achieve our mission: to make sure all young people get the mental health support they need when they need it, no matter what.

They help us to enhance our three main strategic programmes:

  • Never alone: Helping young people to look after their own mental health.
  • Someone to turn to: Making sure young people have adults around them who can really help.
  • Powerful young voices: Building a youth-led movement to make sure mental health support is there for anyone that needs it.

Our Trustees oversee everything we do, from setting our strategy to being responsible for our work and finances, in line with the key duties as set out by the Charity Commission. They empower our CEO and Senior Leadership Team to take responsibility for the day-to-day running of YoungMinds, but they are the final decision-makers with ultimate responsibility for our success or failure. The Board are supported by the Senior Leadership Team, our wider Leadership Group and our Youth Panel; a group of 14 young people directly involved in our governance and strategy. 

Take a look at our Trustees

Find out more about our Trustees and their role at YoungMinds

Find out more about YoungMinds, who we are and what we do

Take a look at our mission, values, strategy and meet more of our team.