Article last updated 3 October 2024.
According to the Charity Commission, the average age of charity trustees in the UK currently sits at 57 years old, and more than two thirds of trustees are over the age of 50. Many boards have trustee vacancies and are struggling to recruit. With only 2% of trustees between the ages of 18 and 29, and just under 10% between 30 and 39, it seems that younger people are a largely untapped resource for charity boards, and boards are potentially missing out on fresh perspectives, life experiences and knowledge.
Kaveed Ali from UK Community Foundations shares some thoughts on how charities can attract and retain young trustees.
Identifying the challenges
Kaveed suggests there are several potential reasons for the low numbers of young trustees across the UK. For example, younger candidates might not fully understand what the role entails, have concerns about not having the right skills or experience, or be worried about the associated responsibilities and time commitment. Charities have typically tended not to engage with these demographics and other underrepresented groups about being trustees.
“One of the main challenges is the status quo regarding boards’ processes and procedures. There can also be pervasive cultural challenges, and a tendency to only look for candidates from certain sectors with certain types of experiences. While often unspoken, the habit of recruiting in a particular image or in a particular vein is still quite strong,” suggests Kaveed.
Breaking down barriers
Kaveed believes there are several ways in which boards can engage with younger people and increase their involvement.
Improve understanding of the role. Educating and raising awareness about what it means to be a trustee, what the role involves, and the types of applicable skills that charities are looking for is key. “Some of this might be about debunking certain misconceptions and developing messaging that resonates with younger audiences,” Kaveed suggests.
Protect board ‘seats’. “Charities may want to identify specific skills or characteristics, such as age, and then protect spaces on the board for them,” Kaveed explains. For example, younger generations are more likely to have expertise in technologies like artificial intelligence. Boards may need to have a space reserved for someone with these tech skills and knowledge.
Accommodate different needs. To attract younger trustees, boards may need to be more flexible in the way they operate, for example holding board meetings outside working hours or virtually to accommodate trustees with full-time jobs, varied schedules and commitments.
Be clear on what you’re looking for. It’s important to communicate to potential candidates that you’re actively seeking trustees of a certain age. As part of this, explain why you think they can add value and how they can make a difference. “For instance, for charities that support young people, there’s obvious strategic value in having that representation on the board.”
Tailor your recruitment process. Kaveed also suggests that charities may need to use different channels to advertise roles, particularly social media. They may also need to adjust the application and interview procedures to accommodate candidates who may not have had previous experience of the process. This could include providing opportunities to have informal conversations before interviews, or giving applicants an idea of the questions they’ll be asked. “Most importantly, give applicants feedback if they’re unsuccessful, so that they’re not discouraged from applying for similar roles in the future.”
Offer learning and networking opportunities. Tangible opportunities for professional growth, mentorship, and training can also help to attract younger people seeking career advancement opportunities. Boards should provide a well-planned onboarding process for new trustees that fits with their personal needs and schedules.
Good practice in action: becoming a trustee of Turn2Us
Reflecting on his own experience of joining the board of Turn2Us in 2023 as one of its younger, working-age trustees, Kaveed explains: “I was approached by someone I knew through the industry. They mentioned they were recruiting trustees and wanted to know if I was interested in an initial conversation to find out more.”
This initial informal conversation gave Kaveed more clarity about the role, as well as helping to demonstrate what he might be able to offer. As such, this was a very good starting point that gave him confidence and engaged him in the process. “Although the chief executive offered all candidates an informal conversation, the application process itself was blind. It also helped that the interview panel was very diverse and it was nice to see someone else of a similar age represented.”
Once appointed, the trustee induction and training was well staggered over a long period of time, which allowed Kaveed to fit it in with his other commitments. He was also paired with a ‘board buddy’: “Just having someone to talk to about things goes a long way. It helped me understand the processes better, built my confidence and gave me the ability to ask questions to better support the organisation.”
“In addition, having the board chair and the chief exec really engaged throughout the recruitment process was a big help because it meant we had already established a rapport,” Kaveed adds. “They were also very clear about what they wanted from me as a new trustee and why it was important to have me on board, so it never felt like a tickbox exercise.”
Future-proof by engaging younger generations now
Summing up, Kaveed says: “Charity governance can often feel retrospective. And while there is value in the knowledge and expertise that more experienced trustees bring to the board, there is also an exciting opportunity to have younger people involved. This can help shift the conversation to be more forward thinking and future-focused.”
