New Young Mayor and deputy elected by Islington Youth Council

After last week's vote, YCllr Joseph said: “I feel happy to be elected Young Mayor to help Islington and serve its young people. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me. My campaign was ‘disability is not inability’.

“I’m most looking forward to helping Islington to the best of my ability; ensuring all young people achieve their potential and can overcome any barriers.

“My inspiration is my mum – I’m also an Arsenal fan and Saka is my footy hero!”

YCllr Joseph, who attends Capital City College Finsbury Park, will be responsible for representing Islington's Youth Council at regional Young Mayor meetings and will have the casting vote among the council.

The election also saw Thomas Brown voted in as Deputy Young Mayor. He said he was “extremely enthusiastic” about being elected, adding: “I am most excited about representing Islington at multiple events, creating a better, more inclusive borough and making it a safer area.”

In addition to the civic roles, youth councillors also elected Ryden O'Brien-Kingston as Islington’s Member of London Youth Assembly (MLYA) while D'Eric Koy become the borough’s Member of UK Youth Parliament (MYP).

YCllr O'Brien-Kingston said he was “excited to work together” with other members of the London Youth Assembly “to create positive social change”.

The 14 youth councillors who cast their votes have now started working hard for the young people of Islington following the election in November. They have all undergone an exciting and comprehensive induction aimed at equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to meet the challenges of their new roles.

The youth councillors will be responsible for making sure the opinions of young people in Islington are heard, and will campaign for youth services in Islington to be responsive to the needs and interests of young people. The youth councillors will work with council officers and elected members to ensure young people have a key role in planning, designing, delivering and reviewing services.

To find out more about Islington’s Youth Council, visit islington.gov.uk/YouthCouncil or follow them on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Notes to editors

The aim of Islington Youth Council is to provide a central mechanism for young people to influence the services available to them and spending across the council, as well as helping to ensure that services are good quality and respond to the needs of young people

A key function of the Young Mayor of Islington and the youth council is to champion the needs of young people in the borough and raise awareness of issues affecting them. They also have a key role in setting the commissioning priorities of council departments and in procuring services to meet these needs.