Introduction
David Gustave (February 23, 1967) is a youth advocate and political figure.
Early Life and education
David Gustave (b. 1967) is of mixed Irish and St. Lucian heritage. He was raised in Peckham, a mostly white working-class neighbourhood in London where he was forced to confront racism in the form of verbal and physical abuse from neighbours. At 16, uninterested in, and uncompelled by his studies, he left school. That same year, unable to cope with a difficult relationship with his father, he also left home. Gustave spent the next 15 years finding a range of ways, sometimes illegal ones, to earn a living. At 30, personal events sparked a desire to change the course of his life; He was encouraged and supported by his Union to enroll in an adult education course where he took ‘A’ level and undergraduate equivalency courses. Among the external readers of a research paper he wrote for one course was an Oxford University Professor who encouraged him to apply to Oxford, and at the age of 32 he enrolled as an undergraduate to study history at Wadham College.
Career
After Oxford, Gustave won a number of Scholarships from the Middle Temple to pursue a career at the Bar. It was here that he decided to make a difference and impart his knowledge at a street-level. For the past 4 years Gustave has been working with young gang members at Kids Company as an Educational Motivator. Gustave has been described as a ‘Social Visionary’. He was featured in Channel 4’s ‘Disarming Britain’ debate alongside Dawn Butler, Dominic Grieve and Peter Hitchens and in the ‘CNN Heroes’ Series alongside Russell Symonds. Gustave states ‘he is not content with fulfilling his own ambitions, but is determined to help others to set and reach theirs’. Gustave has been described in the media as the ‘British Obama’ Gustave is a member of the Labour Party.
Awards & Honours
- 2009: One of the 100 people who make Britain a happier place.
- 2009: Elected Fellow of The Royal Society of the Arts (FRSA)
- 2008: Evening Standard’s list of the 1000 most influential people in London
- Thiruchelvam, Sharon "The 2009 Happy List", Independent on Sunday, 19 April 2009.
- Society Pages "The 1000: Londons most Influential 2009", The Evening Standard, London, 8 October 2008.