Youth Board

Participants will be introduced to each other and take a tour of the house to build familiarity with the space and one another. They will learn about the role of the Youth Board and how it fits within CHT’s wider governance, including the responsibilities of trustees and staff. The session will also focus on vision-making, where participants will explore setting goals and connect them to CHT’s objectives, understanding where the organisation is headed and why. They will begin to see how their input can shape future decision-making at CHT.

Participants will explore how decisions are made in charities and what it means to act in the best interests of an organisation. Through a group exercise, they will identify what knowledge and information they need to contribute to decisions, particularly in relation to the design of the Highbury project. They will also learn how to structure decision-focused agendas and will receive a presentation on the current stage of garden and landscape design, including key constraints and opportunities.

This session will introduce the role of storytelling in communicating with visitors and stakeholders. Participants will learn about interpretation and how themes and storylines can connect to both the organisation’s mission and their own lives. Through group exercises, they will explore personal connections to key themes and work together to identify three core messages that CHT should aim to convey. They will also discuss how design choices can support the image and values that CHT wants to project through its storytelling.

The Youth Board will learn how CHT ensures it delivers public benefit through its work. They will be introduced to the charity’s approach to activity planning, including identifying target audiences and aligning programmes with its charitable purposes. The session will also focus on financial stewardship, with participants considering which types of activities CHT should prioritise in order to deliver the most public value for the resources it spends.

In this session, participants will explore the seven Nolan Principles of Public Life and how they apply to leadership in a charitable context. They will engage in a practical exercise examining Joseph Chamberlain’s leadership traits through the lens of these principles. The session will also include discussion on different leadership styles and how strong community leadership can shape the impact of an organisation like CHT.

Participants will learn about ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) frameworks and why they are becoming increasingly important, even for smaller organisations like CHT. They will explore the global influence of corporations and how responsible governance can drive positive environmental and social change. The session will include a practical activity where participants assess how well the Highbury project aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. They will also consider how Highbury can become a space for activism and a model for sustainability in practice.