meet the team
The Board defines the overall strategy of the European Youth Forum. Board Members are democratically elected every 2 years at our General Assembly.
The Secretariat is the permanent structure of the Youth Forum. It is made up of employees under the supervision of the Secretary-General.
For speaking invitations, please email invitations@youthforum.org
For media requests, please contact rafael.shilhav@youthforum.org
Board
Rareș Voicu
Rareș has been involved in the field of youth and child participation since the age of 15. Over the past seven years, he has successfully led various youth organisations at the local, national, and international level, tirelessly advocating for the rights of his peers and empowering them to have their voices heard by decision-makers. He has previously served as a Board Member of the European Youth Forum and has worked for UNICEF in the field of child and adolescent engagement, supporting the participation of children in decision-making processes.
Andreea-Alexandra Scrioșteanu
Andreea (she/her) is an enthusiastic youth advocate from Romania, fighting for youth rights ever since her school years. She is the Vice President of the European Youth Forum, where she first got involved representing the Romanian Youth Council (CTR), and has been particularly active in advocacy for youth rights, European integration, and sustainability, both at European and international levels. Andreea holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and European Studies from the University of Bucharest and is pursuing an Advanced Master of Laws in European and International Human Rights Law at Leiden University.
Giorgos Aggelos Papaioannou
Giorgos (he/him) became an advocate for youth and children’s rights when he joined his primary school union. He has participated in different youth movements and organisations for the past 17 years. For the last five years, he has been an active member of the Erasmus Generation, advocating for the rights of international students and promoting inclusive and sustainable student mobilities. He did his mobility in Belgium & Palestine and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.
Anna Holtkamp
Anna (she/her) is a dedicated youth volunteer and advocate with 14 years of involvement in the European umbrella youth organisation JECI-MIEC. From the local level in Germany to the European and international level, Anna has held various positions, most recently serving two successive mandates as President of JECI-MIEC. Her work is driven by a commitment to foster European and international solidarity and promote a democratic and inclusive society. Having studied abroad in Spain and France, Anna is fluent in Spanish and French, in addition to German and English. She is currently completing her Bachelor’s degree in Economics at Humboldt University in Berlin.
Caillum Hedderman
Caillum from Limerick, Ireland is a passionate advocate for youth participation in our democratic processes, currently serving as a Board Member of the European Youth Forum. A lifelong scout and active member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, his dedication to youth participation and environmentalism is shaped by extensive non-formal education and volunteering. With a robust background in local, national and international policy-making, he provides a balance of experience in youth advocacy, political strategy and diplomatic negotiation. He is currently pursuing studies in Political Science, International Relations, and Sociology at University College Dublin, with specialised studies completed at Michigan State University and the University of Miami.
Natalia Kallio
Natalia (she/they) is an author, Human Rights advocate, activist and trainer. She has been active in youth organisations for over 20 years. Natalia got elected to her local City Youth Council when she was 14 and has served as a board member in the world’s largest LGBTQI+ student and youth organisation: IGLYO. She has delivered a range of global long-term projects and educational and campaigning activities about social and economic inclusion, LGBTQI+ rights, populism, sexual violence, peace and more. Natalia's books are her political weapons and strong stands on feminism, poverty, mental health and class division.
Sina Riz à Porta
Sina (she/her) is a human rights, youth and climate activist. She got involved in youth organisations over 13 years ago, advocating for accessible mobility, intercultural understanding and the recognition of non-formal education with EEE-YFU. She has since worked with the Swiss chapter of Amnesty International to bring youth perspectives to the organisation’s advocacy and participated in countless activist projects pushing for more sustainable legislation in Switzerland and beyond. She is an experienced trainer and facilitator and holds a BA in Social Anthropology, Political Science and Sustainable Development.
Chloë Cauchi
Chloë (she/her) is an intersectional human rights and climate activist and a public speaking trainer. Starting her activism journey at the age of 9 by forming part of her primary student’s council in Gozo, she found her passion in serving the human family, which led her to engage in various local, national and international organisations and platforms. For the past four years, she has held several positions in the National Youth Council of Malta (KNŻ), representing and advocating for Gozitan and Maltese youths. Chloë is currently reading for a Bachelors of Law at the University of Malta.
Laure Verstraete
Laure (she/her) is an enthusiastic youth advocate from Ghent, Belgium. She has been involved in various youth organisations and has been the European youth representative of the Flemish Youth Council. During the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU, she also coordinated the contribution of the Belgian youth councils towards the presidency. Laure is currently doing her Bachelors of Law at the University of Leuven.
Tom Matthew
Tom (he/him) has been a campaigner and advocate for the past ten years, volunteering and working in various organisations at the local, national and international level. He works at Brunswick Group where he advises some of the largest organisations in the world on tackling societal issues. Previously, Tom was a Board Member of European Youth Forum in the 2021-2022 mandate and he worked as a research assistant to the Director of the Cambridge University Centre for Governance and Human Rights. He holds a degree in Human, Social and Political Science from Cambridge University.
Policy and Advocacy
Membership, Communications and Outreach
Operations and Finance
