Charities need to embrace Gen Z’s willingness to become a trustee

The specialist insurer, in conjunction with Young Trustees Movement, conducted a survey* of over 500 18-24 year-olds – otherwise known as Generation Z – to understand their perceptions of charity trustees.

The research carried out for the first time since 2019, has been released to coincide with Trustees Week.

In 2019, the survey asked whether Gen Z would consider becoming a trustee and a little under a quarter (24%) said they would. This year’s findings revealed two in five (40%) would consider being a trustee – a marked increase.

When asked why they would consider becoming a trustee, the respondents said they wanted to give back to a charity they support (45%), others believed it would help with their personal development (43%), over a third (37%) said to improve their sense of wellbeing and a third (34%) that they felt they could add value to a trustee board.

Of the contingent that said they wouldn’t consider becoming a trustee (26%) the main reasons given were time constraints (21%), a lack of interest (19%), fears around pressure and legal responsibilities (19%) and too much work (18%).

The survey asked whether there was anything charities could do to encourage them to become a trustee and the most common answer given was financial incentive (22%), followed by training (19%), confidence in knowing they would be adding value (19%), time off from work (19%), if it supported career ambitions (19%) and if younger people were encouraged to get involved (19%).

The uptick in willing trustees among Gen Z mirrors an increase in awareness of what a trustee is. Just one in 10 (10%) were able to explain what a trustee was in relation to a charity in 2019, while five years on almost three quarters (71%) of respondents understood the role of a trustee.

This presents charities with an opportunity to tackle the continuing challenge of a lack of trustee board diversity by recruiting more young people.

In 2023, Ecclesiastical’s Charity Risk Barometer found just half of charities were actively looking to recruit trustees from more diverse backgrounds, despite just three in five (58%) charities believing their board was made up of trustees from a diverse enough range of social and ethnic backgrounds – showing there is work to be done.

Laura Carter, said: “This latest survey shows that there is an opportunity here for charities to improve their trustee board’s diversity by bringing in young people. They’ve shown a willingness to get involved, giving their time through volunteering, and recognise the benefits trusteeship could bring to them.

“The role also comes with a lot of responsibility, as trustees have to make sure the charity is run properly and uses its charitable funds and assets wisely to deliver its objectives - but for young people, it’s a great opportunity to learn new skills and gain experience.

“It’s win win for both parties as by encouraging trustees from a wider range of ages, backgrounds and communities charities can bring in new ideas, identify different opportunities and safeguard against potential risks they’re not currently sighted on.”

The survey asked respondents to rank in order of importance what charities could do to make trusteeship more accessible.

The highest priorities for young people considering becoming a trustee were reassurance that they don’t require any specialist knowledge or experience to be a trustee (75%), the opportunity to shadow current trustees (70%), having someone to talk to in order to overcome any barriers that may crop up (69%) and receiving training (68%).

While there is a clear opportunity for charities to recruit young people, there is more the third sector needs to do to convince them to take the plunge.

Young Trustees Movement is a leading charity which brings together current and aspiring young trustees, employers, and allies to increase the representation of trustees aged 30 and under on charity boards, enhancing the quality of their experience.

They provide training including free monthly Champion Training to drive change on trustee boards and Board Boost – a six month programme that supports young trustees’ personal and professional development whilst helping their wider board to create inclusive, accessible practices.

Mita Desai, Chief Executive of Young Trustees Movement, said: “It’s no secret what needs to be done to include young people in governance—and this data makes it crystal clear. The positive change we’ve seen over the last five years is down to people in the charity sector taking action. These actions don’t have to be big; they can start small and there are three simple steps we’d encourage charities to take.

“Firstly, making it clear that intergenerational perspectives aren’t just a ‘nice to have’—they’re essential to good governance. Secondly, rethinking recruitment. Young people often tell us that trustee packs exclude them with requirements like ‘demonstrable experience in X,’ while charity boards continue to struggle to recruit any trustees, let alone attract young people. Finally, to provide support to encourage young trustees to stay once they’ve joined. We know that when charities invest in training and support, everyone benefits.

“There are countless more opportunities yet to discover, and we look forward to working with partners in the sector to explore what’s possible. The important thing is to keep moving forward.”

The findings also revealed Generation Z mostly showed their support for charities by following on social media (34%), while just under a third (32%) volunteered and almost a quarter (22%) made donations. One in five (21%) signed up to newsletters while the same number (21%) said they were fundraisers.

The latest results also revealed a change in young people’s habits, as more offered time volunteering (29% in 2019) but donations saw an 8% drop compared to 2019 where previously almost a third (30%) were donating to good causes.

Almost one in six (15%) responded to say they didn’t currently support any charities compared to two in five (43%) in 2019 – indicating a significant increase in support for charities among young people in that time.

*Survey of 545 UK adults aged 18-24 carried out by OnePoll between 30 September and 8 October 2024.