Why Not I was invited to take part in the Your Voice, Your Future: Understanding Politics & Leadership programme, a high-impact initiative hosted inside the Houses of Parliament. The programme was curated by Laura Kyrke-Smith MP and led by I. Stephanie Boyce, former President of The Law Society, with the aim of empowering young people from Aylesbury through leadership development and political engagement.

Founder Kofi Josephs was selected as a panel speaker alongside senior government and legal leaders, including Susanna McGibbon (Treasury Solicitor and Permanent Secretary, Government Legal Department), Fiona Rutherford (Chief Executive, JUSTICE), and Sophie Jamieson (Senior Associate, Lewis Silkin LLP). The panel shared insights on leadership, resilience, and the realities of working in high-pressure environments, offering students a unique opportunity to learn directly from experts in law, public service, and mental health advocacy.

Kofi’s contribution centred around the importance of lived experience in shaping leadership, highlighting how mental health, identity, and emotional resilience must be part of future leadership conversations. His message provided a vital perspective to the next generation of young leaders — demonstrating that value extends beyond qualifications, and that personal journeys can inspire real systems change.

This engagement reflects Why Not I’s continued commitment to placing lived experience in rooms of influence and contributing to national conversations around wellbeing, leadership, and youth empowerment.