Promoting inclusive governance and ensuring that a more diverse range of voices are included in board, steering groups and leadership of Arts, Culture and Heritage organisations in the West Midlands.
Find out more information about the programme that was delivered by People Make it Work in partnership with WMCA.
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) in partnership with People Make it Work delivered the Future Boards Accelerator Programme as part of the ACTIVATE programme.
ACTIVATE was a programme to grow the cultural and creative ecosystem of the West Midlands that will empower freelancers and small organisations to advance their career through a series of tailored workshops, mentoring, and wellbeing support.
Future Boards Accelerator (FBA)
FBA was an extension of a previous pilot completed in 2023 and was designed as a training programme to support people currently underrepresented in arts and heritage sector boards to gain the skills and confidence to take on board opportunities. In addition, this programme was expanded to deliver a series of training events to arts and cultural sector organisations on how to make organisations' practice more accessible and inclusive.
The programme engaged with a diverse range of 24 individuals and 11 organisations to participate in the programme. A two-day residential for the individuals also took place which included sessions of mock board exercises and conversations with key guest speakers.
Following the programme, the impact has resulted in growth for the participants and organisations, supporting innovation in terms of expanding and diversifying boards across the sector and increase of confidence. This programme has allowed investment in skills and training for the individuals who have now gone onto receiving mentoring and coaching and resulting in some participants applying for trustee positions and getting on boards.
The Stats?
- An increase in familiarity and understanding of legal responsibilities and governance structures for Individuals.
- An overall understanding of the West Midlands arts, culture and heritage sector and an increase in confidence to go onto apply for a board position, contribute to high level decision making and organisation strategic direction for individuals.
- 76% of organisations felt they now have a deeper appreciation of the value gained from diversifying their board and rethinking its ways of working and understanding more about what potential trustees, underrepresented on their board might need.
- 86% of organisations have a better understanding of how other organisations think about inclusive governance and the commitment required to make changes to how they govern and recruit trustees with the next 12 months.
- 96% of organisations have identified some changes to the way they govern themselves that would make their work more inclusive and dynamic.