New CEO of Leap

Friday 19th November 2010

As Leap Confronting Conflict’s new chief executive, I would like to introduce myself. I am very proud to join Leap Confronting Conflict and to join you in the work we will do together to transform our communities, schools, youth groups and your futures.

You might want to know how I came to be Leap’s new chief executive. The volunteer trustees (the people who decide the future strategy of the organisation) wanted to find someone who understood conflict, the issues that face young people and had some business sense: in fact they asked young people to help to interview the candidates. My history of working with children’s rights, at the United Nations Children’s Fund, with conflict, at the National Peace Council, with young people, as a volunteer in my early 20s, and my experience of business at companies and charities over the last 20 years were what the trustees and panels of young people thought made me the best candidate.

Something that is very important to me and the staff team is to develop the way in which the organisation involves young people in its work. We want to have more young people to volunteer in our workshops, our office and to train to become young trainers.

I would like to invite you to a focus group we are holding at the Leap London office on 30th November 4-6pm to get your thoughts on Leap and Peerlink and what we need to do to improve the way we talk to people about what we do. If you are interested in having your say, please contact my colleague Anita by text on 07545 400011 or you can simply send her a Tweet on Twitter. (Light refreshments and snacks will be available on the day).

By doing this together, we can make a massive and positive difference to the level of conflict and violence that young people across the UK face. Will you help us?

I hope to hear from you

Thomas Lawson
CEO