Lee is Engagement Manager at VOYPIC- Voice of Young People in Care, the organisation for children and young people with lived experience of care in Northern Ireland. Since joining the organisation in 2019, he has worked to promote the voices and experiences of children and young people in the development of legislation, policy and practice. His role includes leading external communications, media relations and public affairs activity, as well as coordinating Northern Ireland’s annual Care Day celebrations. He managed the facilitation of a Young Person’s Advisory Panel to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care Services, as well as supporting the inclusion of young voices in the passage of the Adoption and Children Act (NI) 2022 and the development of A Life Deserved, the cross-departmental strategy for children in and leaving care.

Prior to joining VOYPIC, Lee was Regional Coordinator of the Northern Ireland Anti-Bullying Forum for ten years, where he worked collaboratively across education, government and community sectors to address bullying behaviour and support safer environments for children and young people. Through this role, he worked with the Department of Education on the introduction of the Addressing Bullying in Schools Act (NI) 2016.

Lee has a particular interest in the use of administrative data alongside lived experience evidence to inform policy development and improve outcomes for vulnerable groups. Through partnership work with ADR NI, he has supported projects exploring the experiences of care-experienced young people in relation to mental ill health and homelessness, highlighting the value of data-informed research in shaping services and policy responses.

“Administrative data research helps us to draw a picture of what is happening, while the voices of lived experience colour that picture in, giving us a clearer understanding of the issues impacting real lives. When we bring robust data together with voices and experiences of the people behind the data, we are better equipped to share policy and practice that is informed, compassionate, and effective. Used well, this combination has the power not only to improve services and systems, but ultimately to improve people’s lives and outcomes across society.”