CHAIR

Ali WOOD

Ali Wood is currently chair of YO Solihull.  She has a long history of working with children and young people in a variety of settings including youth clubs, fostering, community arts, playschemes and after school clubs, schools, streetwork and adventure playgrounds.  She is also a writer, a published author, researcher and presenter, has designed and delivered a range of national qualifications and has been an internal and external examiner/verifier in playwork at all levels.  She is also trustee and secretary of the UK Playwork Foundation, chair of the SPARC Trust and works with Play England to promote their National Play Strategy.  She believes that children are the most oppressed group in society and is a passionate advocate of their rights to play, independence and freedom.

VICE CHAIR

Brett CRAYTHORNE

Brett Craythorne is a community advocate with a background in sport, youth development and creating opportunities for disadvantaged young people. He is the founder and Managing Director of Vision Football Academy, Vision football Factory and Vision For All CIC, and supports the strategic development of youth services across Solihull through his role as a board member of YO Solihull.

Brett has also travelled to The Gambia as part of a charitable project connecting UK schools with Gambian schools to share good practice, knowledge and resources. He continues to support the Y.O.U.T.H Project, which provides ongoing development opportunities and support for young people across The Gambia.

BOARD MEMBER

Khaled AYAD

Khaled Ayad is a social entrepreneur with a background in technology education and youth provision. He is the founder and Managing Director of Robocode, which delivers coding, robotics and STEM programmes to children and young people through schools, holiday camps and community settings across Solihull, Birmingham and the wider West Midlands. Robocode runs government-funded Holiday Activities and Food provision, work experience placements for young people, and an alternative route into GCSE computing for home-educated learners. Khaled supports the strategic development of youth services across Solihull through his role as a board member of YO Solihull. Fun fact: he runs a coding company without having come up through coding himself, which is exactly why he is stubborn about making tech feel reachable for kids who think it is not for them.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT AND PARTNERSHIP MANAGER

Munira KHALIFA

With over two decades of experience in the non-profit sector, including eight years in strategic leadership, Munira drives growth and builds impactful community connections for YO Solihull. Alongside her role at YO Solihull, she works as a Life Coach, empowering individuals and groups to unlock their full potential, and works professionally as a model. As a mother of two young men, her personal journey deepens her passion for youth advocacy, ensuring children and young people have the resources, voice and opportunities they need to thrive.