The JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons (TOYP) Programme is our annual programme designed to recognise those who excel in their chosen field; acting as both a leader and a role model in their local communities.  With categories ranging from business accomplishments and outstanding leadership, to cultural achievements and humanitarian efforts, we can recognise work across sectors and industries.

In advance of this weekend's TOYP ceremony at our National Convention in Belfast, the JCI UK National Board is delighted to announce our TOYP honourees for 2019.  Please read on to find out all about our amazing honourees!  Subject to further eligibility checks, our 2019 UK honourees will be put forward for the global TOYP competition in 2020.

 

Conor Lambe

Business, economic and/or entrepreneurial accomplishment

Nominated by JCI Belfast

Conor has achieved significant success in his career to date and this is particularly shown by him advancing to become Chief Economist within a major bank in Northern Ireland.  He is an important  voice in the Northern Ireland business economy and has achieved this through hard work, consistency and reliability.  Furthermore, Conor is someone who believes in the power of young people to create positive change in their community.

 

Ellis Roberts-Wright

Personal improvement and/or accomplishment

Nominated by JCI Leeds

In July 2017, Ellis founded the non-profit organisation The Rainbow Cards Project which is an organisation aiming to combat the prejudice and discrimination that LGBTQ+ people face.  The project sends birthday and holiday cards to those with discriminatory families, in the hope that they can be reminded that they are always loved and never alone.  Though often unable to leave the house due to chronic illness, this hasn’t prevented Ellis from becoming an active citizen and creating a development opportunity that enables people to creative positive change.

 

Jade Kelly

Personal improvement and/or accomplishment

Nominated by JCI Derry

 Jade has overcome many challenging experiences throughout her life.  Jade was born with cerebral palsy and due to her health and educational requirements she lived away from home to attend the Fleming Fulton School who supported and encouraged her personal development.  In the last 5 years Jade has transformed her life by developing a number of new interests (including poetry writing and dance performance) and becoming more socially independent.  Jade’s ultimate aim is to live and work as independently as she can achieve and become a spokesperson for other young people in the pan disability community.

 

Jajini Varghese

Medical innovation

Nominated by JCI London

Jajini is an exceptional doctor with a hunger to help every woman with breast cancer.  She is the perfect combination of a person with a passionate social concern and excellent academic performance and surgical skills who has assiduously sought out needy persons to help in every way she can.  She now works as a plastic surgeon at Guys and St Thomas’s Hospital in London and is also Honorary Clinical Lecturer at University College London.  She is one of a select group of doctors who has been awarded a Cambridge Commonwealth Scholarship at the University of Cambridge so she could complete her MPhil and PhD on the genetics of breast cancer.

 

Jillian Kowalchuk

Contribution to children, world peace and/or human rights

Nominated by JCI London

 

Magid Magid

Political, legal and/or governmental affairs

Nominated by JCI Sheffield

Magid Magid, also known as Magid Mah, is a British-Somali activist and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of Sheffield from May 2018 to May 2019.  His appointment attracted significant media attention as he is the first ethnic Somali, the youngest ever and the first Green Party councillor to hold the role.  In May 2019, he was elected to the European Parliament as Green Party MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber.  Also in 2019, Magid was announced as one of One Young World’s Politician of the Year 2019.  According to OYW, the 2019 shortlist “exemplifies the outstanding achievements of young leaders who have infiltrated the old guard of politics worldwide”.

 

Marko Salopek

Business, economic and/or entrepreneurial accomplishment

Nominated by JCI London

Marko has made an incredible contribution to London’s economy through his work with the Battersea Power Station (BPS) which has shifted from near wasteland to a hot spot for business and culture.  BPS will ultimately become a 42-acre miniature town and even house Apple’s UK headquarters.  The high complexity and pressures behind large scale building projects make them unpredictable and tough to get right.  Marko has demonstrated high precision in his work and commitment to delivering on promises to the community and other stakeholders.

 

Michael Niles

Humanitarian and/or voluntary leadership

Nominated by JCI Sheffield

Mike moved to London in his mid-20s after studying journalism at university but unfortunately soon began to feel isolated.  Looking for a way to meet new people, Mike was introduced to a charity in North London which matched young professionals with their older neighbours so they could help one another out.  Mike was matched with 73 year old Mitsi and visited her regularly.  In the Summer of 2016, Mike decided to move back to his hometown of Doncaster and soon began a charity called b:friend and which was similar to the one he had been involved in in London.  B:friend now has 50 volunteers and supports about 150 older people a week.

 

Simon Alexander Ong

Personal improvement and/or accomplishment

Nominated by JCI London

Since leaving the world of finance, Simon has transformed the lives of so many individuals through his coaching and development work.  His progress and determination is evident through his work.  He began with coaching at an individual level, moved to corporate events, gained more prominence through features in major publications, and was eventually presented with prestigious opportunities such as working with 10 Downing Street and collaborating with world renowned authors and leaders.  Despite having a large portfolio of clients, Simon graciously offers his time to developing young leaders in the community, including by supporting JCI initiatives.

 

Tony Koutsoumbos

Business, economic and/or entrepreneurial accomplishment

Nominated by JCI London

Tony has made an outstanding contribution by educating members of the London and global communities on the important skills of debate, critical thinking and public speaking.  In 2009, he setup the Great Debaters Club which is now an organisation with over 100 paid members and a debating club with over 7,000 followers across London.  Debates are run fortnightly and free for anyone to attend and participate as audience members.  Debate topics focus on important social issues, related to national and international politics, technology, climate change and education to name just a few.  Tony has managed to evolve the Great Debaters Club into a full time business which helps people around the world to become more skilled orators.