When the Youth Advisory Board YAB first launched 7 years ago the young people involved were clear that they did not want a joint board of directors but their own board with a link to the main board, whilst maintaining their autonomy.
Over the years the members of the main board and YAB have worked collaboratively in several ways, most notably on the Active Governance programme where bi-annually members of the main Board and the YAB visit St Basils departments and projects to access together their strengths and weaknesses, listen to any concerns and to see how well they are adhering to St Basils strategic priorities. During 2010-11 two members of the YAB started to attend meetings of the Main Board to feedback on YAB activities.
This year the YAB and Main Board have launched the Board Apprenticeship Scheme where, after some training from the St Basils Youth Involvement team and mentoring from other members of the Board, the Chair and Deputy of the YAB will have the opportunity to progress to sit on the main Board. The scheme will ensure that young people have a voice at board meetings, that those individuals have a means to build on the skills they have obtained by leading the YAB and that the Apprenticeship scheme will continue to evolve and develop.
The first young people who will have this opportunity are Spike and Denika who were YAB Chair and Deputy respectively in 2011-12.
Spike said of the opportunity:
“It’s quite exciting to join the main Board; I’m looking forward to understanding and being more involved in the structure and future changes of St Basils. I’m hoping to gain vast knowledge of each department at St Basils and the fine details of it all.”
Denika said:
“I’m looking forward to working with my professional mentor from the Board, understanding the basics of governance in an organisation and enhancing my professional conduct as this will lead to gaining general skills and experience that will enable me to one day sit on other boards in the future”.
Added March 2012
