On 9 July 2024, Stephanie Peacock MP was appointed Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth. Alongside her role, Minister Peacock is Patron of the dementia charity BIADS, and was former parliamentary chair of the campaign ‘Hope not Hate’.

Along with Baroness Fiona Twycross and Chris Bryant MP, Minister Peacock joins the ministerial team led by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport the Rt. Hon. Lisa Nandy MP. Before entering Parliament, the Secretary of State worked to support vulnerable children, as a researcher at the homelessness charity Centrepoint from 2003 to 2005, and then as senior policy adviser at The Children’s Society from 2005 until 2010.

On 19 July, Minister Peacock visited young people at the Barnsley-based social enterprise Really NEET, where she heard from staff on how their organisation supports young people to build relationships and develop vital skills. She shared that “working in partnership with charities will be vital in delivering the government’s missions,” stating that she “looks forward to the government working with the sector for the best outcomes possible.”

Last month, the Secretary of State attended an event at Buckingham Palace alongside HM The King and Prince’s Trust alumnus Idris Elba OBE to discuss the charity’s ongoing work to support young people and address youth violence in the UK. On 25 July, the Secretary of State met with young people at the Manchester-based mental health charity 42nd Street, to learn about their pioneering work and how they integrate creativity with mental health support and recovery. Nandy shared that “42nd Street is a shining example of the positive impact that access to creativity can have on young people’s lives”