BBC Radio 1Xtra presenter and Raise Your Voice author Nadia Jae visited The HIVE, Catch22’s youth wellbeing hub in Camden, as part of Youth Work Week 2026, to meet young people and hear directly about their experiences, ambitions and hopes for the future.
Growing up in South West London, Nadia attended youth clubs from a young age. “I had some really incredible youth workers and youth club experiences.”, she said “My earliest memory was when I was about six, and we used to have a little youth club on the estate, and that was great for just learning how to socialise outside of school.”
Nadia remembers taking part in a range of activities which allowed her to express herself and explore her talents. From dance lessons, to playing Fagin in a youth theatre (because she was so good at the cockney accent!), she was always destined to entertain audiences.
“We can’t just have school and home. It’s just not enough. … Without youth clubs, I wouldn’t know half of the friends I know now.”
For Nadia, youth clubs offer more than friendship: they are places where young people can feel understood and find the confidence to be themselves.
“You go to a youth centre and you find someone who understands you. You could be someone who’s shy and you’re not able to come out of your shell in certain spaces at home or at school, but at youth club, it works for you … Youth workers should be celebrated because they are raising the next generation.”
During the visit, Nadia met with a group of young people, aged 16 – 22, who asked her about how she got into her career, overcoming setbacks and finding her own voice.
Here are some of the highlights from the conversation.
What first inspired you to pursue a career in radio and television? Did you always know you wanted to work in media?
“I have a video of me aged five and it was called The Nadia Show. I think my parents knew! I’ve always been really chatty and really confident.”
As a child, Nadia was constantly performing, attending ballet, tap and stage school classes whenever she could.
“I was pushed into everything and I’m really glad my mum and dad did that. I was in stage school, I did ballet from about the age of three, I did tap and every summer and half term, I was always doing something.”
Looking back, she believes those opportunities helped channel her energy, curiosity and confidence into what would eventually become a career in broadcasting.
Have you ever made a mistake that turned into a valuable lesson?
“I mess up every day… but at least you know I’m not AI”, she quipped.
“Sometimes with DJing I look back and think, ‘you should have prepared more’. But more often than not, people are having a great time anyway.”
Her message was simple: mistakes happen, and often people notice them far less than we think they do.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
“Honestly, if younger me turned to me and said, ‘How am I doing?’, I’d be like, ‘Keep going, sweetie. Just keep going.'”
Reflecting on her career journey, she said she has very few regrets and believes that taking risks and trying things is part of growing up, the main thing is just to keep showing up.
“I was a single Mum at 19 – but it didn’t prevent me from pursuing my goals,” she added.
How can young people stay true to themselves?
This sparked one of the most powerful parts of the conversation with Nadia urging the group to be kinder to themselves.
“You need to talk to yourself nicely. I don’t think we realise how nasty we are to ourselves when we’re talking. Whatever it is you’re struggling with, if you’re talking negatively to yourself about it, you’re likely to experience that from other people too.
“Whatever it is that you think is working against you, it’s actually your superpower. I was a single mum. I was a statistic. I wasn’t even supposed to do half the things I did.
Opening up about her own ADHD, she explained how she has learned to see it as part of who she is rather than something that holds her back. “So okay, I have ADHD and I’m working in the best possible job for it. We always say about radio, it’s PR, not ER! Who am I to hide what I am? It just makes me more human.”
She also spoke about seeing challenges not as weaknesses but as strengths:
“Whether you’re disabled, LGBTQ+, struggling with your mental health or facing other challenges, you have to use that as your superpower.”
What challenges are young people facing today?
Nadia spoke about the pressure social media places on young people and the growing loss of face-to-face interaction.
“It seems super social, but only online. They’re missing people skills. They’re missing interacting.”
Nadia said spaces like The HIVE are important because they give young people opportunities to meet others, try new things and explore different sides of themselves away from the pressures of school and social media.
“Places like this are important. You might feel one way at school, but then getting into young adulthood you might want to try something different.”
What advice would you give young people trying to find their place in the world?
Nadia encouraged the group to trust themselves and be willing to experiment.
“Listen to yourself. Take risks. You’re absolutely fine to change your mind,” she said.
And she reminded the group that as young people they shouldn’t feel pressured to have everything figured out.
“You relax. You’ve just got here”
Discussing future ambitions
Towards the end of the discussion, one young person shared that they enjoyed singing, writing poetry and science.
Rather than encouraging them to choose one path, Nadia had a simple response:
“Good. You can be all of those things!”
It was a fitting end to a conversation centred on confidence, curiosity and the many different ways a future can begin.
