Adam Pemberton Wickham

Adam has been Chief Executive of akt, the UK’s only national LGBTQ+ youth homelessness charity, since October 2024. During that time and as a result of Adam’s leadership, akt has:

-Supported more young people than ever (nearly 1,200) with a smaller team and young people facing ever more complex and severe challenges -Boldly stepped into provided its own homes for young people, opening its first dedicated housing project in years -Beat its income growth target for 2025/26 by more than 10% and returned to a balanced budget two years ahead of schedule -Through its new youth voice and storytelling projects, revitalised its approach to putting beneficiaries at the heart of everything the charity does -Published groundbreaking research, There’s No Place Like Home, and ensured that the specific needs of homeless LGBTQ+ young people were recognised in the government’s national homelessness strategy -Built psychological safety and inspired and motivated colleagues, leading to a 42-percentage point increase within six months in colleague engagement -Tirelessly championed akt’s work and led by example raising funds for akt’s work -Co-created and launched Home + Hope, a powerful new strategic direction with a new vision of young people not just surviving but thriving into a meaningful young adulthood.

Adam and the team have achieved this in an exceptionally tough environment for LGBTQ+ charities where others have lost significant income, cut back on services or closed entirely. Adam has led with openness, curiosity and hope in his first Chief Executive role – genuinely his dream job.