The British Youth Council Board of Trustees met at the start of August, and we had a packed agenda!
This is currently a very busy time for the Board of Trustees as we look ahead to our Annual Council Meeting on 9th September where our members gather together for the day to debate policy motions, provide an update on the charity and our work on the issues that matter most to young people, and importantly elect the future leaders of the British Youth Council to our youth-led Board of Trustees.
We are very excited to announce that we have had a record 99 applicants for this year’s Trustee recruitment cycle, where we will be looking to elect a new Treasurer to lead the board on all things to do with finance as well as four new Trustees aged 16-25. We are currently in the process of shortlisting candidates to go forward to the Annual Council Meeting. But we also wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone that took the time to submit an application. We have really enjoyed hearing everyone’s stories and are reassures that whoever is selected will further strengthen the skills and experience on our Board, for the benefit of all our members.
At the event we will also be hosting a second important election for the British Youth Council’s Honorary Presidents. These Presidents come from the three largest political parties in the UK Parliament and act as ambassadors for youth voice within Westminster, so it is vitally important that we choose powerful champions who can advocate on behalf of the British Youth Council and the issues that matter most to young people across the UK.
At our August meeting, Trustees also discussed the development of the next strategy for the British Youth Council. We agreed on areas we want to ask members about as we gather views and opinions to feed into our next strategy. We will be speaking with members and partners across the UK to dream and develop a plan for where the British Youth Council goes next. We would really love to hear your opinions as part of this process. The survey for feeding into our strategy will shared on our website and social media very soon so keep an eye out for it.
Finally, the British Youth Council is very excited that this year marks the 75th Anniversary of the charity, which is a landmark moment worthy of reflection. As a young person who has benefitted so much from the Youth Voice programme, as a Member of Youth Parliament and someone who represented the British Youth Council internationally in my teenage years, I am so excited to be celebrating this milestone and want to reflect on the commitment of so many people that have given youth councils across the UK a national and international platform to have their voices heard. A special thank you to all our wonderful staff (past and present), Trustees, young people and volunteers who have shaped the British Youth Council over the past 75 years.
The reality is that to keep the wonderful work of the charity going, we do need your help to fund-raise and shout about the work we do. These are tough economic times and as a small youth-supporting charity we need everyone to work together to ensure the British Youth Council thrives for another 75 years (and many more beyond that). If you are able to make a contribution to keep our this charity thriving, please donate.
If you are not able to give at this time we completely understand, but we would really love if you would think about fundraising on our behalf. Considering a running challenge? Ever wanted to attempt a sky dive or abseil. Or perhaps you have a birthday coming up that you want to attempt a creative challenge for? Take a look on the fundraising page and download our Fundraising Pack, or you can get in touch with our staff team for an informal chat by emailing fundraising@byc.org.uk – they are more than happy to support your efforts.