Aged 14-25? You can apply today to join the Highly Sprung Youth Advisory Board for the next year. Here are all the details you need, plus insights from our first YAB cohort…
So, first question… what is the Youth Advisory Board, and why do we need it?
Since 2018 we’ve been a charity, with a brilliant Board of trustees. The trustees guide our strategy, our plans and the work we create.
Research from the Young Trustees Movement shows that charity boards are are around 92% white, with an average age of 60. 18-24 year-olds only account for less than 0.5% of all charity trustees. As a charity with young people at the very heart of what we do, it’s important to us at the Highly Sprung that those same young people help to make the decisions. That they help us to have a real impact. Enter the Youth Advisory Board…
We’re now coming to the end of our first year of the Youth Advisory Board (or YAB for short). It’s been a brilliant year of conversations, creativity, changes and ideas which are all fed back to our main Board of Trustees. The YAB meet 4 times a year, and discuss all the different areas of our work.
Highlights from the first year include:
- Sitting on the steering group for our wonderful Highly Sprung Play Day
- Considering how we can communicate our work around the climate crisis
- Planning out our celebrations for our upcoming anniversary for Sprung Youth
- Reviewing our website, social media, marketing and communications
Let’s hear from our current Youth Advisory Board members!
In our most recent meeting, we asked our team a few questions …
What advice would you give to the next cohort of YAB?
“Don’t be frightened or scared to share your opinions – all ideas are welcome!” – Aisha
“Be prepared to say yes to the responsibility, and have confidence.” – Lucy
“I found myself being able to speak in meetings – the leaders make it that type of room every time.” – Sebbie
What does being a part of YAB mean to you?
“Being given a voice – it could give us an opinion to be able to share. You’re not just told ‘you’re just a teenager, it doesn’t matter.” – Lucy
“Seeing Highly Sprung’s work from a different perspective – what it entails, taking you behind the scenes of all the work that goes on.” – Nell
“Being able to make decisions, then seeing them being actioned and having an impact.” – Paul
What’s in it for me if I join?
The YAB is a fabulous chance for personal and professional development. It’s great for any young person interested in the arts, or how charities/companies are run. Sitting on the board will give you skills to discuss big questions and make decisions that feed directly into our Trustee Board meetings. Young people’s voice is so important to our work, and so hearing from young people to feed into leading our organisation should be no exception. The YAB will also allow you to make a real, tangible impact on other young people like you, who can benefit from our work.
Volunteering to be a part of the Youth Board will also look great on applications for jobs, college or uni, and could potentially be used for Duke of Edinburgh. You’ll also build other ‘soft’ skills like confidence, public speaking and constructive challenge- transferable to all sorts of career paths, and everyday life!
Final question… how do I join you?
To apply to join the Youth Advisory Board, visit our Opportunities and download our info pack. You can also get in touch with us via:
- Emailing team@highlysprungperformance.co.uk
- Calling us on 07780626604
- Find us on social media @HighlySprung