Panel event: Why the environmental sector needs more young trustees and what you can do about it. About this event The average age of a UK trustee is 59 years old while less than 0.5% of current trustees are aged 18–24 . Despite this, when surveyed 85% of under 35s said they would consider becoming a trustee.

Kate Roberts has launched a campaign to raise awareness of how this is a particular problem for the environmental sector, with a clear solution.

'Diversity of perspectives is integral to tackling sustainability as a board. Young people have been leading the agenda when it comes to the climate crisis and sustainability. Ensuring young people have a voice in all aspects of your organisation, including at trustee level, creates a space for the issue of sustainability to be raised and questioned.'

We need the following people to be part of creating this much needed change:

Staff and trustees of Environmental charities, to make their boards accessible Aspiring young trustees who are passionate about sustainability Current young trustees on environmental boards, to share their stories This is why Our Bright Future, the Wildlife Trust and the Young Trustees Movement have teamed up to bring you this 1 hour webinar.

The speakers: Jeanna Malhi is a trustee at Friends of the Earth. She was the charity’s first youth board member and is keen to share her experience with others wanting to become a young trustee. Jeanna has been a climate justice organiser for the past ten years and is currently a systems change organiser at UK Youth Climate Coalition as well as supporting people to effectively engage their councillors on climate change at Hopefor the Future.

Jack White is a trustee at Groundwork UK. He recently graduated from Newcastle University with a history and politics degree and is now studying for his graduate diploma in law. Before becoming a trustee at Groundwork, Jack was a member of the of their Youth Advisory Board. He is passionate about green spaces and getting young people more involved in their local communities.

Nina Vinther is a trustee at Earthworks St Albans and is also part of their YTM Sustainability Group. She is a languages graduate and aspiring classical singer. Nina has a longstanding interest in charity and volunteering, now increasingly from a strategic, future-proofing and climate-change perspective.

Elliott Lancaster is a trustee at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and this year won of the Support Staffordshire’s Trustee of the Year Award. His work focusses on the areas of sustainability, youth empowerment and peace building. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts, an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and a member of the Association for Project Management.

Join us on October 19th, 6:30-7:30PM to hear first hand from young trustees in the environmental sector, have your questions answered and find out how you can be part of meaningful change.

Be part of this change, register for your free ticket now.

Hear real life examples and the honest truth about the challenges and opportunities that focussing on board diversity brings. About this event The average age of trustees on boards in the UK is 62. Charities in the UK aren’t making the most of the benefits that young talent can bring at board level.

Hear real life examples and the honest truth about the challenges and opportunities that focussing on board diversity brings.

This session will provoke thinking about how board diversity could help your charity, and explore what support you can access on the journey to a more diverse board.

This event is a collaboration between the Young Trustees Movement and Time to Change, a Surrey-wide project delivered by Voluntary Support North Surrey on behalf of the Surrey Council of Voluntary Services (CVS) which aims to enable more young adults to volunteer.

Speakers: Peter Davies: Chair of WCVA, WCVA is the national membership body for voluntary organisations in Wales - https://wcva.cymru/team/peter-davies/

Awarded the OBE in 1995 for his work in establishing links between business and education, Peter was Managing Director at Business in the Community UK from 1995 to 2005. He returned home to Wales in 2005 and was appointed Commissioner for Wales and Vice Chair of the UK Sustainable Development Commission.

Following the closure of the UK Commission Welsh Government appointed him as Wales’ first Sustainable Futures Commissioner in April 2011. Peter was awarded a CBE for his contribution to sustainable development in June 2016. Peter was instrumental in the establishment of the Institute for Sustainability and resource Effectiveness (INSPIRE) at the University of Wales Trinity St David in 2011 where he has an associate role as Professor of Practice. He has extensive experience chairing voluntary organisations and groups.

Rianna Patterson: Trustee at Vana Trust and Age UK Hythe and Lyminge. Rianna is a social entrepreneur, global speaker and mental health advocate. They founded a youth-led dementia charity in memory of their grandfather in 2016. In June 2017, they were awarded by her Majesty the Queen as a Queens Young Leader.

In 2020, Rianna graduated from the University of Kent with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. They have spoken at various conferences and radio shows and events including, BBC One with Prince Harry at Buckingham Palace, Alzheimer’s Association’s International and the University of Kent as a TEDx speaker on finding the youth in you.

They have spoken at the Royal Commonwealth Society Virtual Cyprus Leadership Workshop in 2020. They are a certified #IamRemarkable workshop facilitator and also a member of Coaching UK.