Ray Arthur Lewis is a

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

-born

youth worker A Youth worker is a person that works with young people to facilitate their personal, social and educational development through informal education, care (e.g. preventive) or leisure approaches. All types of educative approaches are not ethical for ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

and a former

Deputy Mayor of London A Deputy Mayor is a member of the London Mayoral cabinet, in the executive arm of the Greater London Authority. They serve as political advisors with responsibilities and powers corresponding to portfolios delegated by the Mayor. One of them mu ...

Career

Ray Lewis is founder and director of Eastside Young Leaders' Academy, a youth leadership development organisation based in the

Newham The London Borough of Newham is a London borough created in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. It covers an area previously administered by the Essex county boroughs of West Ham and East Ham, authorities that were both abolished by the s ...

, east London. Other roles have included Senior Advisor to the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, focusing on solutions to youth crime and mentoring. Lewis was educated in a school in

Walthamstow Walthamstow ( or ) is a large town in East London, east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London and the Historic counties of England, ancient county of Essex. Situated northeast of Chari ...

. He began his career in the

civil service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...

, then studied

Theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

Middlesex University Middlesex University London (legally Middlesex University and abbreviated MDX) is a public research university in Hendon, northwest London, England. The name of the university is taken from its location within the historic county boundaries ...

. He later worked as a prison service manager at

HM Prison Woodhill HM Prison Woodhill is a Category A male prison, located in Milton Keynes, England. Woodhill Prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. A section of the prison is designated as a Young Offenders Institution. A Secure Training Centre ...

Milton Keynes Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...

. Established in 2002, Lewis' charity has become a model of excellence as it transforms the lives of young people at risk of social and educational exclusion. EYLA focusses on leadership skills, supplementary education, aspirational opportunities, family support, health and well-being. There are now 5 other similar projects across the UK based on the YLA model.

Personal life

Born in Guyana, Lewis has three grown up daughters. He is a social entrepreneur, life coach and expert in transformational programmes for youth. He was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in the 2022 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours.

References

External links

Eastside Young Leaders' Academy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Ray 1963 births Living people Alumni of Middlesex University Politicians from London Commanders of the Order of the British Empire