Forty years ago, a grazed knee marked the beginning of what would become a national movement for youth voice and youth-led change.
Long before she founded Participation People, Antonia Dixey was a young girl in a tiny village primary school. One day during break time, a friend fell and cut their knee and, without thinking, Antonia ran to the toilets, grabbed one of those stiff blue paper towels and rushed back to help. She dabbed at the blood and called for assistance.
That small moment, instinctive, caring and human, stayed with her. And, it sparked something powerful – a deep-rooted desire to help others when they are in pain, to show up when systems or people don’t.
It’s a story Antonia still shares. Not because it’s dramatic. But, because it’s the thread that runs through everything that came after. From that playground moment came a career built around service and, eventually, the founding of Participation People. This organisation is dedicated to creating platforms for young people to speak, be heard, and drive youth-led change.
From Babysitting to Building a Movement
Antonia’s journey was entrepreneurial from the start. As a child, she set up a babysitting business in her village – not for pocket money, but to provide care and connection. That instinct to nurture, organise and do better by others shaped her approach to everything that followed.
But when Antonia stepped into youth services, she quickly noticed a painful truth: young people were often overlooked, underestimated and unheard by the systems meant to support them. Yet, alongside this, she also saw something powerful. Their clarity, creativity and courage could shape the future.
Once again, Antonia felt that deep need to help and heal. Driven by this, she set out with a clear vision: to place young people at the heart of decisions that impact their lives and to create youth-led change. Whether in social care, health, education, or government, she wanted to build spaces where young people and decision-makers come together to shape better futures. And so, Participation People was born.
“Can you be my unicorn?”
A clear example of this rift in youth services – one that really highlighted the need for Participation People – came early in Antonia’s career.
She had been commissioned to deliver youth participation work in Dorset and was meeting with a teenage girl in care. The young person had experienced multiple system failures. She had been misnamed in court, denied access to her own notes and was left feeling voiceless.
During their meeting, the girl pointed to her unicorn toy and asked Antonia, “Can you be my unicorn?”
To that young person, a unicorn was someone who treated her with respect, remembered her name, advocated fiercely, and ensured no one else had to endure what she did. But a unicorn is more than that. It’s a rare, mystical force of change; a trailblazer shining bright that’s different from the rest.
Antonia didn’t have all the answers, but she answered the call regardless, and worked with the young person to shape the future together. Embracing youth-led change, the duo co-hosted conferences, co-designed tools and boldly spoke truth to power in spaces where youth voices were rarely heard. Over time, this became the foundation for Participation People, shaping it into what it is today.
And that young person? She went on to create real change in her local system – not because someone spoke for her but because someone made space for her to speak.
The Mission for Youth-Led Change Continues
This month, Participation People celebrates 15 years of championing youth-led change, building on the legacy Antonia has created. Just like her journey, the work has evolved. It’s expanded across sectors, embraced new technology and engaged more young people than ever. But the heart of it remains the same: show up, listen well and create spaces where young people feel seen, heard and valued.
To mark the milestone, we have launched a new podcast, People x Participation. In Episode 1,
Antonia talks more about this journey of hers and how Participation People came to be. Join us in celebration as she shares the bold beginnings, proudest wins, and deeply personal reasons why this work gets her out of bed every morning.
It all began with a grazed knee – a small moment that sparked a lifetime’s commitment. And, 15 years on, Antonia’s instinct to help, listen and co-create remains as strong as ever, shaping the present and future with authentic youth-led change.
