The Impact of Young Trustees Training

Here at Connected Voice, we offer bespoke Young Trustees training for organisations whether they are looking to diversify their board or upskill their young people. We have recently completed a training package with Northumberland Wildlife Trust, here’s what they had to say:  

“Northumberland Wildlife Trust works to protect and restore nature across Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland, while inspiring people to take action for wildlife. To achieve these goals, we know our governance needs to reflect the communities we serve - including younger voices. That’s why we’re creating two Young Trustee roles. These positions are designed to give people aged 18–30, who might not usually see themselves as trustees, the chance to get involved and influence our work. We’re not asking Young Trustees to represent all young people - we’re recruiting them for the fresh perspective and experience they bring. Research shows that 92% of charity trustees have an average age of 55-64, with fewer than 1% under the age of 30. We want to help change that. 

Recruiting Young Trustees is the next step in embedding youth voice into our organisation. We’ve had a Young People’s Forum for 16–24-year-olds for three years, and now we want to take that further by involving young people in decision-making at board level.  

We spoke to Young Trustees in other organisations, to learn from them so we could shape a really positive and effective experience for younger people joining our trustee board. Feedback was that lots of young people don’t know what a trustee is, and confidence along with knowledge is a barrier to people applying.  

To break down barriers and build confidence, we reached out to Connected Voice to include training as part of our recruitment process. This was to help young people understand what trustees do and give them the skills to be effective in the role. The training included practical sessions on the legal and practical responsibilities of trustees in more depth and how to contribute to effective and inclusive decision-making, plus insights from a current trustee at Northumberland Wildlife Trust and a Young Trustee from Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust.  

We’re excited about the benefits this will bring - not only will it help us make better decisions, but it will also give young people valuable experience and the chance to shape a better future for wildlife. We can’t wait to welcome our two new Young Trustees in spring 2026!” 

If you interested in booking this training we would love to have a chat on how we can make this possible for you. Please contact chloe.titterton@connectedvoice.org.uk for more information.