STARboard
STARboard is our young people's advisory board. It was established in May 2020 and the current cohort is made up of nine young Wish Alumni from across the UK who play a valuable role in guiding our decision-making.
At Make-A-Wish UK, our aim is to be not only child-focused, but child-led. STARboard plays a central role in helping us achieve this. It ensures that young people are at the heart of our wishes and at the heart of our organisation - helping Make-A-Wish be the best it can be for the families we serve.
A STARboard member’s role is to be a voice for wish children on the charity's biggest decisions; steering the direction of Make-A-Wish UK and advising on how we overcome strategic challenges to achieve our goals. There are also exclusive opportunities for self-development, learning and socialising.
It's a vital role that's full of exciting opportunities like the ones mentioned below.
STARboard cohort meet at Make-A-Wish UK headquarters, Febrary 2025
What do STARboard members get involved in?
STARboard has achieved influential and valuable work since its inception and its members continue to shape the vision and work of Make-A-Wish UK and wider organisations through their efforts.
Some of their hard work includes:
- Individuals chairing the monthly virtual STARboard meetings.
- Participating in Q&A sessions with corporate partners to improve their understanding of the impact of a wish.
- Participating in Committee and Advisory Group meetings, linked to the main Board of Trustees.
- Interviewing candidates for Director & Trustee positions within Make-A-Wish and feeding back their views.
- Performing social media takeovers to raise awareness of a variety of topics and events for the charity.
- Participating in skills workshops to aid personal growth, for example public speaking with Make-A-Wish UK Trustee, Emma Johnson
- Informing the charity's three-year strategy and beyond.
- Providing insight and lived experience into the charity’s values and behaviours.
- Advising on how to improve the wish journey, particularly the design of new group wishes.
Emma Johnson, Make-A-Wish UK Trustee, delivers public speaking training to STARboard members
All of this, and more, has been achieved using the unique experience and views of wish recipients.
If you’ve got any questions, call us on 01276 40 50 60 or email [email protected].