Bilkis Miah
Member of the GEC Circle of Influence
Bio:
Bilkis Miah is the founder and CEO of You Be You, a Lambeth-based organisation working with young people on identity, confidence, cultural heritage and belonging. Since 2019,You Be You has been embedded in schools and communities across London, Birmingham and Bradford, running programmes that give young people the skills, language and space to find their voice. Bilkis writes for The Times on youth and community issues, is a four-time NatWest SE100 finalist, and a 2026 WISE Pioneering Woman finalist. She believes that no young person should believe their identity limits their potential.
“The GEC and You Be You are working toward the same thing, education systems where every young person feels seen, heard and valued. I'm joining the Circle because I believe the missing voice in most EDI conversations is the young people themselves. Our young people don't just benefit from inclusion, they research it, present it and advocate for it. I want to bring that lived, community-rooted perspective into the GEC's expert circle, because real change in schools only happens when the people most affected by inequality are part of designing the solution.”
Specialist Areas:
Speaker, Trainer / Facilitator, Consultant, Panellist / Subject Matter Expert, Advisor / Mentor, Writer, Organisations/ GEC Partner Education
Social channels:
Useful Links:
GEC Circle Contributions: Strengthening the GEC Framework:
Bilkis Miah brings deep expertise in youth voice, identity and belonging to the GEC Circle through her work as Founder and CEO of You Be You. Working across schools and communities in London, Birmingham and Bradford, Bilkis supports young people to build confidence, explore cultural heritage and develop the language to express who they are. Her perspective strengthens the GEC Circle’s work around student voice, representation and inclusive culture, ensuring that belonging is not treated as an abstract concept, but as something young people actively experience and shape within education and society.
