What I wish charity boards knew about bringing in young trustees

James Hancock is Vice Chair of Trustees for The Birds of Prey Project and, as a young trustee, he is dedicated to increasing the representation and quality of experience for trustees aged 30 and under. To this end, he shares his trustee journey so far, exploring how board members can help young trustees thrive

I became a trustee in December 2024 primarily because I enjoy, and find a great sense of purpose in, helping others. Becoming a trustee for The Bird of Prey Project in Bath has allowed me to do this through something that I am very passionate about, namely promoting the welfare and conservation of birds and wildlife.

1. The personal perspective

In my experience, teams always perform better when diversity is valued, encouraged, and respected. This is no different for charity boards, which is why bringing in younger trustees, and allowing for the representation of younger voices, matters so much. Without them, boards miss out on vital experience and perspectives, which can lead to substandard governance.

Appointment is only the first step. I’ve heard stories from fellow young trustees who felt like they were a token hire, which is perhaps worse than having no young board representation. To develop mutual trust between young trustees and other board members, a culture should be created whereby young trustees immediately feel that their input is as valued as any other board member: only then will charity boards get the best out of young trustees.

2. Young trustees bring different experiences

Perhaps the most obvious form of experience that young trustees bring is digital insight.

Growing up, our lives have been dominated by technology, to the extent whereby many of us have become completely reliant on it. The worrying implications of this aside, such digital knowledge is key for charities in terms of staying relevant and in the forefront of supporters’ minds.

Also, in their lifetimes, young trustees will have memorable experience of some unprecedented periods of change from the 2008 financial crisis and the decision to leave the EU through to the COVID-19 pandemic — that everyone, in all walks of life, will still be feeling the effects of in some way.

Young people experienced these events - as with every age group - and continue to experience the ripple effects, in a unique way, so without their lived experience on boards, charities may be overlooking the unique needs of younger beneficiaries of their services.

As much as anything, young people can bring much-needed enthusiasm and energy to charity boards, which can freshen things up and ensure forward thinking. 

“Younger voices on boards will help you to be stronger, more relevant, and better prepared for the future”

3. What helps young trustees thrive

Before joining The Bird of Prey Project, I assumed charity governance would be quite intense given the level of responsibility. After being offered the position, I thought I may be too young and lacking in the necessary knowledge to make an effective impact — I definitely had impostor syndrome.

However, I was made to feel very welcome and that my contributions were valued. I also realised that, despite the level of responsibility, charity governance is stimulating and enjoyable, as discussing emergency issues is the rare exception. Most discussions focus on doing all we can to make sure that the charity is benefitting local wildlife and people as much as possible, which makes me feel that I’m making a real difference.

My confidence has grown considerably thanks to my fellow board members and the staff, but also because of the Young Trustees Movement. I was fortunate enough to complete their Board Boost programme in June, which is designed to help individuals under 30 thrive on charity boards, and I would highly recommend it to other young people on charity boards, or those who are considering joining one.

4. Why recruitment is only the first step

As part of the Board Boost programme, we were tasked with carrying out a governance project. I decided to carry out a trustee onboarding project, which was very relevant given we recruited two more trustees under the age of 30 at the start of 2026. As part of this project, I decided to implement various things such as a trustee handbook, and a plan to ensure that each future new trustee is assigned a “buddy”, so someone already on the board who they can meet outside normal meeting times to help answer governance-related questions and/or queries about the charity itself, etc.

Onboarding is a crucial step in making new young trustees feel welcome and confident, but I believe recruitment itself is the first step. I was fortunate enough to undergo an open recruitment process for my trustee position, and even before being offered the role, getting shortlisted for an interview made me feel valued. I would advise all charity boards to recruit trustees in this way, rather than through personal contacts.

5. A positive note

By being a trustee, I have learned the value of challenging the status quo. Although doing something a particular way in the past may have been the best way to do it then, things change quickly, and adaptability helps to ensure sustainable positive outcomes.

Just 1% of trustees in the UK are under the age of 30, but I would encourage charities across the country to challenge this status quo. Younger voices on boards will help you to be stronger, more relevant, and better prepared for the future.