Guide us on our journey!

We are looking for Trustees to join our Board in 2022

YHA is a leading social enterprise charity with a 90-year history of making travel and adventure available to all. We improve health, wellbeing and life skills through brilliant hostel stays and the experiences we create at c.150 locations throughout England and Wales.

As an ambitious and progressive organisation, we’re determined to extend our reach to people from more diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on young people — in line with the priorities outlined in our 10-year strategy: Adventure. For the first time and a lifetime.

YHA’s Board is committed to being reflective of the communities and society we serve. We value personal expertise and lived experience —your personal characteristics and life outside of work — as well as your technical expertise and career history. We believe that a diversity of experience and expertise makes us a stronger organisation.

Becoming a Trustee

This year we are looking for people who demonstrate at least one of the following attributes:

• aged between 18 and 26 — YHA values the contributions made by youth voices through our Trustees and Youth Advisory Team
• an understanding of Welsh policy and Welsh agenda, e.g., experience of Welsh government or public administration, Welsh grant giving, tourism/rural development in Wales
• strategic hospitality experience, gained through an understanding of the wider hospitality sector or experience of project management within the sector
• strategic property experience, gained through an understanding of property management, multi-site property management and/or historic property management

We are looking to diversify our Board!

We are keen to receive applications from people who can help us improve the diversity of our Board in every way.  People with disabilities, neurodiverse candidates, those from under-represented communities and those from less advantaged backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.

We are looking for candidates that will fully support our charitable object and focus on young people, as Trustees are ambassadors for YHA.

Candidates must have the vision, enthusiasm, excellent communication, and interpersonal skills necessary to influence Board decisions whilst challenging and supporting the executive team.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications are invited from members and non-members with relevant skills and expertise. To be elected you must become an Association Member of YHA before the AGM on Saturday 5th November 2022.

To ensure a fair and safe recruitment process only the following documents will be accepted:

• a completed online application with diversity monitoring included (link to online application

platform provided by email)

• a completed ‘candidate statement’ (template will be provided by email)
• your CV — a maximum of two pages highlighting a short summary of skills and experience likely to be of value to YHA, education and qualifications, employment history, general interests and activities

In order to adhere to our safer recruitment practises all applications must be submitted through our Applicant Gateway. You will find a link to the vacancy on our job’s website at jobs.yha.org.uk. You can also find this in the email sent with this pack.

All applications must be completed no later than 9am on Monday 1st August 2022 in order to be considered for shortlisting. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed by Friday 19th August 2022. If you have not heard by that date, your application has been unsuccessful. We are sorry but we are unable to provide individual feedback to candidates who are unsuccessful at this stage.

If you require any assistance in submitting your application or have any questions relating to the Trustee Recruitment process, please email trusteerecruitment@yha.org.uk.

Applications will be assessed by YHA’s Nominations Committee (NC), which oversees the candidate selection process on behalf of our members. Trustees are elected by Association Members through an online voting process.

Interviews will take place virtually between Saturday 10th September and Wednesday 14^th September 2022.

Following the interviews, the NC will confirm the successful Trustee candidates to be put forward for election by 16th September 2022. Online voting for Trustees will open to YHA members on 23^rd September 2022 and closes on 21st October 2022. All shortlisted candidates will be informed of the results as soon as possible after this.

Newly elected Trustees will be expected to attend the AGM which will be held virtually on Saturday 5^th November 2022.

We realise that being a Trustee can incur financial expenses such as travel or the cost of covering care. We are committed to ensuring that these costs are not a barrier to the application or to carrying out the Trustee role.