Golden Valley Youth Advisory Board – selection criteria
Golden Valley Youth Advisory Board - selection criteria....
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The Golden Valley Youth Advisory Board is a group of young people aged 16–24 who will help shape discussions about the future of Golden Valley and its impact on Gloucestershire. Members will share their ideas and experiences with leaders from industry, education and the public sector.
Golden Valley is one of the UK’s most significant cyber, AI and technology developments. It will create new jobs, opportunities and investment in Gloucestershire, helping to establish the county as a leading hub for innovation, cyber security and secure communications.
Board members will:
Rather than delivering projects, the Youth Advisory Board will help shape Golden Valley by sharing ideas and providing young people’s perspectives as decisions are made. As the Board develops, there may be opportunities for members to get more involved in areas that interest them.
The purpose of the Board is to ensure that young people’s voices are heard by those shaping Golden Valley. Members will have opportunities to influence discussions and provide feedback on plans, projects and opportunities.
Success means young people’s voices are genuinely heard and help shape the future of Golden Valley. We also want Board members to gain confidence, skills and valuable connections through their involvement.
Anyone aged 16–24 who lives, works, studies or has a strong connection to Gloucestershire can apply.
Yes – but because the Board is focused on the future of Gloucestershire, we are looking for people who live, work or study in the county, or have a strong connection.
No. This opportunity is available to all young people who live, work or study in Gloucestershire. This includes school, college and university students, but also apprentices, trainees, young professionals, full-time carers and those who are not currently in education, employment or training.
No. We are looking for people with a wide range of interests, experiences and perspectives. You do not need any technical knowledge to take part.
No. In fact, we are particularly keen to hear from people who may not have had opportunities like this before.
Applications will be reviewed by a selection panel. We are looking for enthusiasm, willingness to contribute and a range of different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
We are looking for people who:
We’re looking for people who are enthusiastic, curious, collaborative and keen to make a positive difference. You don’t need any previous experience – we value different perspectives, a willingness to contribute ideas, and an interest in helping shape the future of Gloucestershire.
No. They’re simply two different ways to apply, and both will be assessed in the same way. We wanted to give applicants the flexibility to choose the format they feel most comfortable with.
Applications will be reviewed by the selection panel. Successful applicants will be contacted with details about the next steps and the first Board meeting.
The selection process will primarily be based on the digital applications. However, if we need any additional information to help us make our final decisions, we may invite some applicants to have a short, informal conversation with us.
We’ll review applications after the closing date, so applicants can expect to hear from us in September. This ensures everyone is considered fairly through the same process.
We’ve had a really positive response so far, which is encouraging. While we don’t know how many applications we’ll receive, we’d encourage anyone who’s interested to apply – every application will be considered carefully on its own merits.
We expect the Board to meet approximately four times a year, with occasional additional opportunities to take part in workshops, events or consultations.
Most members should expect to commit a few hours every few months. We understand that people have education, work and family commitments, and we will try to be flexible wherever possible.
We expect most meetings to take place in the early evening, typically between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.
A mixture of online and in-person meetings is likely. Venues for the meeting will include Students’ Union spaces at University of Gloucestershire. We will provide details well in advance and will aim to make participation as accessible as possible.
We expect most of the commitment to be attending the quarterly Board meetings – we are very mindful of people’s time and other commitments. There may occasionally be some light reading or preparation beforehand, but we’ll keep this to a minimum. As the Board develops, members may also have opportunities to explore particular topics or areas of interest in more depth if they choose to.
The quarterly meetings will be the main way the Board comes together. From time to time, we may also share updates or ask for members’ views between meetings, but we’ll be mindful of everyone’s time and other commitments.
The first meeting will focus on introducing members to Golden Valley, setting expectations for how the Board will work, and identifying the priorities and topics the group wants to explore together.
We completely recognise that there may be occasions where Board members are unable to attend a meeting due to other commitments – in these circumstances, we ask that members give their apologies. In circumstances where Board members consistently fail to engage, we may end their membership early to enable the recruitment of new members.
The Board will appoint a chair or co-chairs at the first meeting. A Golden Valley Liaison Officer will coordinate meetings, support members and ensure that feedback is shared with senior leaders.
That’s completely normal.Board members will be supported throughout, and there will be lots of ways to contribute. You won’t be expected to be an expert or speak all the time—we are interested in hearing your ideas and experiences in whatever way works best for you.
We are looking to recruit between 8 and 12 members.
Members will serve a term of 1 to 2 years, with the option to serve one additional term if they wish.
The initial term of membership is up to two years, with the option to serve one additional term (giving a maximum of four years). Our priority is to give as many young people as possible the opportunity to get involved, so we expect new members to join over time. We’ll keep the Board under review as it develops, so any future arrangements will be considered closer to the time.
The role is voluntary. However, reasonable travel expenses for approved in-person meetings and events will be reimbursed where appropriate, and members will receive a £25 voucher for each Board meeting they attend in recognition of their time and contribution.
These would cover reasonable costs of getting to and from Board meetings.
You will have the opportunity to:
Please get in touch at: [email protected]
We will be happy to answer any questions and help you decide whether the opportunity is right for you.