Kids rule?The involvement of young people in governance in the youth sector
Shivani Smith, Rebecca Molyneux and Richard Ollerearnshaw25th March 2010
Tel: 020 7486 8888Email: [email protected]: www.nfpsynergy.net
Agenda
• Introduction
• Research objectives and methodology
• Young people and governance
We area research consultancy that specialises in the not for profit sector
We provideorganisations with the insights and information they need to understand their audiences
Our services includetracking stakeholder opinion and designing tailored research into issues of interest or concern for our clients
Research objectives
• To explore the work of children and youth charities and not-for-profit organisations in involving young people in their governance.
• Specifically to find out:
o What are the mechanisms in place to hear young people’s voices?
o What are the challenges and barriers organisations face?o Success stories and plans for the future
Methodology
• Desk research
• In depth interviews with individuals working in children and youth charities.
• Fieldwork carried out in March 2010 by telephone.
• Ongoing
o Why and how to involve young people
o Recruiting young people
o Supporting young people
o Making it a reality
Young people and governance
Why involve young people?
How are young people being involved?
• Setting strategic priorities
• As trustees
• Consulting on papers to the
board
• Designing and delivering
projects
• Grant-making decisions
• Sitting on sub-committees,
working groups and panels
• Advisory or reference groups
• Decisions about services
• Adult trustees meeting young
people
• Recruitment and staff
appraisal
Choosing structures and processes of involvement to fit aims
Promote young people’s rights
Want young people to have
leadership opportunities
Board comprised entirely of
young people
+ =
Bring fresh perspective and
creative thinking, and help avoid
groupthink
Bring energy, diligence and idealism to
decision making
+ =One or two adequately supported
young people on the board
Improve the quality of services
Keeping service users at the
forefront of adult decision makers’
minds
Research/consultation
sometimes more appropriate
e.g. Older trustees meeting young people
e.g. User panels
=+
Participation
Non -participation
“You may have a vision of a 51% [youth] led
board, but you need to work up to it.”
Considerations and constraints
• Internal considerationso Sizeo Role of the organisationo Existing cultureo Resources available
• External constraintso Enthusiasm of funders to invest in engaging young
people in governanceo Legal responsibilities
Recruiting young people
• Transparency and diversity
• Organisational knowledge or external expertise
• Pathways vs parachutes
“The issues that a board discusses, they are so strategic, it’s really difficult for a
young person who only has experience of a small part of the
organisation.”
Recruiting young people
• Transparency and diversity
• Organisational knowledge or external expertise
• Pathways rather than parachuting
• Building experience through a longer
commitment“It’s generally by your second year that you become effective. And I think that applies to any board member, not just
young people”
“They’d come to a meeting and they’d be really quiet –
overawed by the responsibility, and, er, you know, and the kind of issues... And they tended to
be very quiet.”“Even the concept of unrestricted income, you know, for a 21 year-old, is... a bit
new. “
“For any of us, the more we understand,
the better we participate”
Supporting young people
• Working with senior management or adult trustees to adapt structures for young people
• Support from those who provide services to young people, harnessing their knowledgeo Use of specific communication tools
• Residential training used by a number of organisations• Allows sufficient time• Builds group dynamics
• Mentoring also important means of support, particularly for board members
What is the impact on the young people involved?
• Developing experience and skillso Watching experts at work through working alongside
experienced board memberso “The experience of decision making for real... Not learning by
watching”
• Networking with influential people
• Building confidence and self-esteem through their views being listened to
• Making a difference to the work of the organisation
What might success look like?
• Knowing young people have changed decision making in
a meaningful way
• Embedding young people’s involvement in the culture of
the organisation-
“simple processes and simple structures which enable
young people’s participation, which go up and down the
organisation”
• Successful service provision
• Successful recruitment
Making it a reality
Initial stages • Identifying the appropriate aims and the starting point for
your organisation- is that involving young people at board level, or building participation from the bottom up?
Making the changes• Getting buy in from senior executives in your organisation-
when they are enthusiastic, it makes a big difference• Demonstrating young people’s capabilities to get involved• Ensuring adequate resources and support are available to
make young people’s participation meaningful
Making it a reality
Keeping it on the agenda • “It needs a constant champion”- someone to ensure it is an
ongoing process• Getting evidence of the impact young people can make on
governance to make your case to continue
• One size does not fit all
• Support and resourcing
• Championing
“Get out there and speak to some young
people!”
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