But what does being on a board actually involve, and how do you get on one in the first place?
The kind of board we’re talking about (nope, not a long plank of wood) is something that most charities, social enterprises and non-profit organisations have — it’s a group of people that come together (with a variety of skills and experience) to ensure an organisation is run effectively and in line with its mission.
A board may not always be called a board: other names may include a management committee, council, executive committee, board of trustees, or board of governors. The board consists of trustees, directors or members, who share a collective responsibility. To govern a board means to secure its long-term direction, furthering an organisation’s purpose as set out in its governing document — this is like a big how-to-guide for everything that happens within a company.
someone’s gotta ask the important questions
So, what’s the benefit of being on a board as a young person and how the heck do you get on one?
We spoke to one of our own Board Directors, Thomas Clark, on being young and in a position where he can share his perspective, experience and ideas, in a forum that affects a whole organisation.
Tom is a graduate of science and anthropology, as well as commerce and marketing. He grew up in outer Western Sydney, and has a full-time marketing job. He also coordinates his own social enterprise called Communicare, which is an initiative that seeks to make telecommunications more accessible to people experiencing homelessness.
Tom was first introduced to FYA as a participant in the Young Social Pioneers program, through that program Tom met FYA’s CEO Jan Owen and other members of the board — “this is when I first became part of the ecosystem and network. After Young Social Pioneers finished up, I was actually at an event that Jan was speaking at and she mentioned that FYA were looking for Young Directors and she suggested I apply.
“I’d never been on a board before. I think I had a picture in my head that a board was going to be a long table of old men, but the reality was quite different. I found that FYA has a great focus on diversity and representation of ideas. It was a huge learning curve — from legal to judiciary responsibility; they’re not things you get taught in school and I had to come to terms with them pretty quickly.
“Especially as a young person, networking is so important when you’re trying to get your name out there — especially in the circles that you want to be in. Because a lot of opportunities will come and go by very quickly. I highly recommend that you pay attention and really take the time to nurture those connections and relationships if you do want to become part of the ecosystem.
“Unfortunately not a lot of groups bring young people onto their boards (often their idea of a young person is someone under the age of 50). You have to keep your eyes open because someone might be willing to give you that opportunity. If you can get a seat on a board you need to remember that they put you there for a reason — because they want your point of view. Growing up where I did outside of Sydney, and just being a young person, it was easy to get bogged down by the idea that I might never be able to do something like this. And I can’t stress this enough: everything you have to offer is so relevant.
“It’s helped me to develop high-level strategy skills (or ‘big picture’ thinking) and focus on teamwork, communication and stakeholder management, and how to integrate a variety of voices and opinions. I realised with my own enterprise I was basically governing my own organisation too, so as I developed skills on the board they became vital to my own practice. The focus on communication and strategy was on an organisation level rather than just a single product or customer level, and it’s that kind of exposure that I don’t think you could get unless you are on a board.
“If you look at the composition of a board it’s really about bringing a spectrum of experiences together — at FYA there is a big focus on youth and education, but (of course, as with any organisation) there are also people who sit on the board that are financially-minded. I’ve found that FYA look beyond their board members having formal qualifications, what’s more important is really life and work experience. Of course this preference will vary wherever you go, I was lucky enough to be taken on by FYA with a high school diploma and a certificate in retail management.”
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