When we talk about governance that reflects the communities we serve, it comes down to voice. Who is shaping strategy, whose perspective is influencing decisions and who is being heard in the room?
For many organisations, young people are still missing from that.
Young trustees, youth boards or youth advisory boards are one way for those voices to influence decision-making.
In simple terms, a youth advisory board is a group of young people working alongside an organisation to influence its work and direction. Sometimes that’s through formal trustee roles, sometimes through advisory groups that meet regularly to share insight, challenge thinking and work more directly with staff and boards.
Where youth boards add value
When they’re set up well, youth boards can change how organisations think and make decisions.
1. Relevance and insight
Young people are experiencing many of the changes organisations are trying to respond to in real time, whether that’s how they engage online, move through education or enter the workforce.
That perspective brings a different kind of insight into the room, shaping how boards understand risk, how they interpret public sentiment and how they think about the people they are there to serve.
This isn’t about assuming younger voices are more innovative. It’s about bringing in perspectives that might otherwise be missing, leading to different questions being asked and, in turn, different decisions.
2. More inclusive governance
If we are serious about equity and inclusion, governance must reflect the communities we exist to serve. But this can only happen if those voices are actually part of it.
Many young people are excluded from traditional trustee pathways, but youth boards offer an alternative route. They bring people into governance earlier, often before they would be considered for formal board roles, and can change how organisations approach governance.
Dedicated youth boards can help us challenge outdated assumptions and invite future leaders into the conversation earlier, widening access to governance experience.
3. Stronger decision-making
Constructive challenge plays a real role in how decisions get made. Youth board members and young trustees often ask questions that cut through complexity.
They can identify when language feels inaccessible, when engagement risks being performative, or when strategies overlook real-world implications.
4. Leadership development and long-term success
Youth boards also act as developmental spaces for young people to build governance knowledge, strategic thinking and confidence.
This has a longer-term impact for charities thinking about sustainability. You are cultivating future trustees and sector leaders who understand your social purpose from the inside, focusing not just on a single appointment but on how organisations develop leadership over time.
Where it gets harder
1. Representation without real influence
Without real influence, a youth board is simply symbolic.
You can ask for input, run sessions and involve them in discussions, but if nothing changes as a result, it becomes clear quite quickly.
Young people are perceptive; they will know when their role lacks substance. They will see this as a lack of authenticity and lose trust in the organisation.
2. Lack of clarity
Without a clear remit, reporting lines and feedback loops, youth boards can lose their focus and purpose. Are they advisory, decision-making, or project-based? Ambiguity leads to frustration for both young members and trustees.
Clear structure helps. People need to understand the role, how it connects to decision-making and what happens next.
3. Emotional and practical burden
Young people often bring lived experience that connects directly to an organisation’s work. Asking them to revisit difficult themes without the right support can be emotionally taxing.
Similarly, unpaid governance roles may exclude those who cannot afford to volunteer their time. If we care about equity and inclusion, access, mentoring, flexibility and safeguarding need to be thought through carefully.
Thinking about access properly is part of safe recruitment and responsible governance.
4. Resistance within the board
Intergenerational governance requires humility on all sides. Established trustees may feel challenged by new perspectives, and younger members can find formal board culture slightly intimidating.
Without intentional relationship-building, misunderstandings can grow. Building quality relationships and trust requires effort and openness.
Are boards ready for intergenerational leadership?
Embedding youth representation is a positive step, but it takes real commitment. To be meaningful, it requires intention and care: clear roles, genuine influence, ongoing support and respectful space for challenge, not just consultation.
When that’s in place, youth boards and young trustees become part of how governance works, shaping decisions rather than sitting alongside them.
Introducing a youth board is an effective way to show who you listen to, how you share influence and how you bring different perspectives into your decision-making.
Marie McQuade has a long history of working with charities to create impact. Since 2023, she has been recruiting board members for charities nationwide. You can reach Marie via her LinkedIn profile or email.
