Children and young people - The Churchill Fellowship

Children and young people

About this theme

This theme covers topics relating to the protection, development and wellbeing of children and young people in society. It is an area of enduring interest that runs throughout our grantmaking. Fellows’ stories

Blogs & conversations Following curiosity towards lasting change

Following her Fellowship across Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, Clare Holdsworth reflects on how paid lived-experience roles can support care-experienced young people to shape services, policy, and practice. Drawing on conversations with organisations, professionals, and young people, she explores what it takes to make these roles psychologically safe, meaningful, and supportive of long-term careers. She is now sharing this learning in Sheffield, using curiosity as a way to ask better questions with young people, not just about them.

By Clare Holdsworth, 2026

Blogs & conversations In conversation with Ali Zafar: Redefining financial literacy and shaping policy

We spoke to Ali Zafar about how his Fellowship is shaping new approaches to financial education in the UK. After already founding LifeSmart, Ali used his Fellowship to explore why financial literacy remains low, learning from systems in Singapore, Vietnam, and Bali. His research has led to a new framework for understanding how financial capability develops, and has already informed updates to his work and contributions to UK policy discussions. Ali is now finalising his report and developing resources to share his findings across government, charities, and the private sector.

By Ali Zafar, 2026

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