Ep 34. Mita Desai, CEO Young Trustees Movement: What is the role of charity Governance? (and what Boards must do to get it right!)

The Charity CEO Podcast

“It’s not the role of a Trustee to know all the answers; it’s asking great questions. And if we only have a homogeneous group of people on (a) Board, it lowers your ability to ask really great questions from different perspectives, which lowers our ability to manage risk.”
Mita Desai is the Chief Executive of the Young Trustees Movement.
The Young Trustees Movement aims to double the number of young trustees, so that charity boards can better navigate uncertainty, better reflect the interests of their communities and future-proof their decision making.
Currently only 3% of charity Trustees in the UK are under the age of 30.
Mita talks about the disruptive campaign her organisation is running to change perspectives on who a Trustee can be. They are also raising awareness on the role of governance and what charity governance is really there to do.
We talk about how organisations can create the culture for diverse perspectives to thrive, not just on their Boards but across their workforces. Mita shares practical advice on what Boards can do to ensure that representation is not tokenistic and that different voices are genuinely welcomed and valued.
Mita shares her own experiences of being a young Trustee and how the maxim ‘Never let fear get in the way of the choices you want to make’ has led her to where she is today.
Recorded July 2022.
Guest Biography
Mita Desai currently serves as CEO of the Young Trustees Movement.
Mita has over 10 years of experience in the Youth Sector and youth voice advocacy. She has been part of a variety of campaigns including Votes at 16, A Curriculum for Life, and the Alternative Vote referendum.
Mita holds a BA in Social Policy, has served as Chair of the British Youth Council and sat on the Advisory Board for Step Up To Serve.
Links
https://youngtrusteesmovement.org
This episode is kindly sponsored by EdenTree, a charity owned investment manager and leader in responsible and sustainable investing.