Overview

The Young Advisory Committee (YAC) exists to empower under-35s within CA member organisations to influence the long-term sustainable future of the Cambridge city region. This role is fulfilled through a number of working groups/subgroups that produce research, organise events and engage with the wider community. The Committee’s active subgroups focus on:

Future of Work

The YAC Future of Work subgroup is driven by a commitment to understanding and shaping the drivers that are revolutionising how work is done, organised, and perceived. We analyse the profound impact of emerging technologies and pivotal societal shifts, focusing on how these transformations influence productivity, job satisfaction, economic structures, and work-life balance. Our purpose is to amplify the voices and perspectives of those under 35, ensuring their needs and expectations are at the forefront of the future of work.

Our primary goal is to empower young professionals under 35 who live or work in Cambridge, especially those employed by Cambridge Ahead members, by giving them a platform to share their ideas and opinions. We also support employers in Cambridge, with an emphasis on office-based professional services and knowledge-driven organisations. Additionally, we recognise that our initiatives may resonate with a broader audience, including academic and educational institutions, as well as local and national government.

Culture Through Place
The Culture subgroup facilitates conversations to uncover Cambridge's unique identity and how it is perceived by young professionals in the city. Through qualitative insights, we aim to inspire action and equip employers, local authorities and the wider community to create meaningful change in the city.

YAC Policy Group

The YAC Policy Group is the agile and responsive policy arm of the YAC, translating the work of Cambridge Ahead and the YAC into impactful public policy. In particular, our mission is to ensure that the perspectives of young professionals in Cambridge are effectively represented and that their needs are understood by decision-makers.

We aim to do this in three ways:

Supporting the policy work of other YAC subgroups. On request, we will support other YAC subgroups to translate their work into policy messaging and engage with relevant policy makers.

Embarking on cross-cutting policy projects.We will quickly address emerging needs and opportunities that span multiple domains, beyond the scope of any single YAC subgroup. This may involve leading initiatives to influence and respond to policy issues through commissioning or conducting research, generating key messages, and engaging with policy makers.

Feeding into Cambridge Ahead initiatives.We will ensure that Cambridge Ahead’s public policy engagement reflects the views and priorities of Cambridge young professionals.

As part of this work, members of the YAC Policy Group will have opportunities for professional development through networking, learning new skills, and expanding their understanding of various policy areas.

Sustainability in the Built Environment

To make Cambridge a more sustainable place to live and work, by sharing insights and connecting people across the ecosystem, engaging our community on best practice and encouraging sustainable practices to benefit the environmental and reach net zero, so that young people in Cambridge can thrive for future generations.

Members of the YAC have the opportunity to also sit on other CA groups to provide their insight into project work and to feed that back into the Committee.

Young Advisory Committee Interim Chair: James Curtis

James is the Business Development Manager for Morgan Sindall Construction’s Cambridge Business, having worked in the city and surrounding areas for  the last 6 years. He works across sectors from Health care and  Life Science to Education and Leisure projects with values from  £5m up to £100m+. With a background in Economics, he has a  keen eye on policy and a professional interest in making sure  developments are sustainable.