Step on Board
Announcing Step on Board, our new initiative matching young shadow trustees with our members.
How do you see heritage as a young person under 30? What do you wish you were seeing from the organisations around you? This is your chance to get involved and create change for the future of the sector, and your generation.
Becoming a young trustee is a brilliant way to:
- Develop transferable skills
- Grow your network
- Learn how charities work
- Learn about governance
- Make a difference in the world!
We are excited to announce the launch of our young trustees initiative, Step on Board. Made possible thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and players of the National Lottery, this new initiative will match young people aged 18-30 with Heritage Network member organisations who want a young person’s perspective on their board.
Step on Board has been developed in response to consultation with the Heritage Network’s Youth Forum, and advice from the Young Trustees Movement and Board Racial Diversity UK. It seeks to develop a pipeline of young people with the capacity and confidence to join boards as trustees, promoting an increased diversity of voices heard at a governance level and challenging old, outdated perceptions of trusteeship.
Diverse board are strong boards
The Charity Governance Code states that “Diversity, in the widest sense, is essential for boards to stay informed and responsive and to navigate the fast-paced and complex changes facing the voluntary sector.” The Heritage Network staff team is often involved in conversations around good governance and in our experience the more diverse boards are, the more successful their organisations are.
According to the Young Trustees Movement less than 3% of charity trustees are aged under 30. Unfortunately, this means that boards across the UK do not accurately represent their communities, staff, volunteers, customers or beneficiaries. We want to see this change.
How does Step on Board work?
For young people:
- Young people aged 18-30 with no previous experience of being a trustee can apply to be matched with a Heritage Network member organisation.
- You will be hosted as a ‘shadow trustee’ on a limited term of 1 year, gaining experience and insight into organisational governance without being a full registered Director.
- You will be assigned a ‘board buddy’ who will be your mentor while you are a shadow trustee.
- At the end of your year, you and your host organisation may decide that you can be voted onto the board as a full trustee!
There will be one cohort of young people each year.
Please read our guidance document for prospective young trustees.
Download the Word Document or open the PDF.
Interested? Apply today by completing our online application form. Please email admin@heritagenetwork.org.uk if you have any problems accessing the application form.
For Heritage Network members:
- Network and Network+ level members can apply to participate in the initiative. Connect level members can apply but must upgrade in order to be matched with a young person.
- You will host a young person as a ‘shadow trustee’ for a limited term of 1 year, benefiting from their engagement and perspectives while promoting their development. The young person will be a trainee, and not a registered Director.
- You will nominate a ‘board buddy’ who will be the young person’s mentor while they are a trainee trustee.
- At the end of the year, you may decide that you want the young person to become a full trustee
There will be one cohort of young people each year.
Interested? Check back for when our host organisation application form goes live, or email admin@heritagenetwork.org.uk to register your interest.
