Subject: Young trustees
A report released today by the Charity Commission urges charities to do more to attract young trustees. Their research finds that only 0.5% of trustees are aged between 18-24.
They say: "New research suggests that few young people know about charity trusteeship, and that charities are not doing enough to think creatively about how to attract them to the role. As a result the vast majority of charities are missing out on the energy, enthusiasm and fresh perspective that young people can bring to charity trustee boards. It also means that many young people do not have the chance to experience a role that, as one young trustee interviewed pointed out, can lead to a sense of achievement, new friendships and enhanced job applications."
- Do you have young trustees on your Board? Has this been a positive thing?
- What do you do to attract new trustees and do you target younger people?
- If you are a young trustee, what can Boards learn from you?
- What are the barriers to young people volunteering in this way?
Share your views here...
To support us in our work our board has a group of special advisors, these are well respected senior professionals from the non profit sector. They offer us insight which comes with experience and a strong guiding hand.
The energy which is in the room when we meet as a group of trustees is really amazing. As a result I strongly believe that there is room for young trustees on more conventional advisory charity boards.
The model we have at the Young Achievers Trust could be implemented in reverse, whereby the board in mainly made up of experienced trustees but with 2 or 3 junior advisors to ensure boards thinking represents the thoughts of younger people.
This would be easy to implement all it would take is everyone treating each other as equals in the board room and a step away from the mindset that inexperience means you can’t be a good trustee.
Debra Allcock Tyler, CEO of the Directory of Social Change talks about young people in this speech and says “young people are not the problem were are”
Maybe she is onto something?
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