There are a lot of opportunities out there for young people who are engaged, passionate and enthusiastic about making meaningful change. Finding the opportunity that suits your interests, however, can be a little difficult. At YWCA, we have two opportunities for young people (aka you need to be 30 or younger by the time it kicks off) and to help you work out which one will suit you best, we’ve put together a little guide.
So you want to:
- Learn how to navigate Boards and governance structures?
- Learn about Board cultures so you can change it for the better?
- Observe how an organisation makes decisions and how feminist leadership works under formal and legal requirements?
You should apply for: the Board Traineeship
The Board Traineeship is a year-long opportunity to observe and participate in Board activities without the legal obligations of being a Director. Trainees undergo a rigorous induction process that gives them an understanding of how the operations of the Y intersect with strategy, as well as the history, governance and current strategy of the Y. Trainees are paired up with a buddy who will provide guidance and mentoring throughout their time with the Board, attend every Board meeting and are encouraged to join a Committee for additional learning and development.
So you want to:
- Contribute to meaningful change for women’s access to safe, affordable housing?
- Collaborate with other passionate young women and non-binary folk?
- Work to ensure that the voices of young people in all of their diversity are represented in YWCA advocacy and strategic priorities?
You should apply for: the Young Women’s Council.
After a short hiatus, the Young Women’s Council is back from 1 July 2023 and you can sign up HERE to be notified of when the application process opens. The Council is made up of 9 young women and non-binary people and over the course of their two-year term, they’ll take an active role in providing advice on YWCA advocacy campaigns, assist in developing improvements from YWCA’s impact insights and take on development activities to build their advocacy muscles.
If you also have lived experience in housing risk, housing instability or homelessness and want to use your experiences to drive advocacy that reflects the reality of people like you, this is definitely the opportunity you.
