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: insight@nfpsynergy.netWeb: 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!”

Email: rebecca.molyneux@nfpsynergy.net

2-6 Tenter GroundSpitalfields

London E1 7NH

(w) www.nfpsynergy.net (t) 020 7426 8888

(e) insight@nfpsynergy.net

Registered office: 2-6 Tenter Ground Spitalfields London E1 7NH Registered in England No. 04387900

VAT Registration 839 8186 72