Charly Young MBE - CEO and Founder
Charly Young MBE is a distinguished social entrepreneur, mentor, and charity consultant with over 13 years of experience in the non-profit sector. In 2013, she co-founded The Girls' Network, an award-winning charity dedicated to empowering 14–19-year-old girls from disadvantaged communities across England by providing them with female mentors and a network of professional role models.
As a former secondary school teacher, Charly saw first-hand how gender and socioeconomic background could limit young women's aspirations and opportunities. This inspired her to establish The Girls' Network, which grew from supporting just 30 girls to reaching over 1,400 annually by the time Charly left in 2023.
Building on her commitment to tackling gender inequality, Charly founded The Early Years Movement. This initiative seeks to address ingrained gender biases in early childhood education and promote more equitable practices in UK nurseries. By challenging traditional gender roles from the earliest stages of life, The Early Years Movement aims to create a more inclusive and balanced society.
Alongside her work with these organisations, Charly is an advisor and consultant specialising in gender equality, youth development, and mentoring. She collaborates with corporate and non-profit entities, supporting initiatives that work with and for young people. Her expertise includes scaling organisations from concept to impact, and she has provided guidance to social entrepreneurs in the education and social justice sectors through Teach First and the Fair Education Alliance.
In recognition of her contributions to social entrepreneurship and gender equality, Charly was awarded an MBE in the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours.