Leigh Middleton, Chief Executive Officer, National Youth Agency - he is recognised as a senior youth sector leader across the UK and is the most senior youth worker in England. He is an advisor to the UK Government and Commonwealth Secretariat. Leigh led the inquiry into the future of youth services the most comprehensive national inquiry into the role and future of youth work (APPG for Youth Affairs Inquiry). In response to Covid-19 Leigh pivoted the entire NYA and was recently named in the ‘top twenty’ pandemic pioneers by Charity Times. At the outset Leigh convened and engaged all parts of the youth sector, and worked with government (DCMS, Cabinet Office, DfE) for guidance and updates on managing all youth sector activities. Through his perseverance, youth services were recognised as an essential service and qualified youth workers as essential key workers. It has singularly contributed to youth sector activities safely opening and remaining open and updated, from uniformed groups to targeted specialist services.         

He is an experienced senior executive manager and a professional education and youth work practitioner with 25+ years’ experience. He has highly developed analytical and outcomes assessment skills, and a strong track record of successful collaboration with partners and customers in delivering positive outcomes for children and young people, including as former local authority lead commissioning manager.