Our Voice Board brings together members of our community to help shape everything we do as a charity, making sure the voices of children, young people, and their families with lived experience of cancer are at the heart of our work. With a current team of 13 young people, siblings, and parents, we’re opening recruitment to grow the team.
We want to ensure we include a diverse range of experiences within our Voice Board. Understanding different needs and any potential barriers to support is hugely important, and we need a broad range of voices to represent the wider community and influence our work. Therefore, we’d especially encourage applications from:
- Siblings
- Bereaved parents/carers and siblings
- Parents and carers
- Young people and their families from minoritised ethnic communities
- Young people and families from devolved the nations and northern England
- Males
- Young people and their families with experiences of neurodivergence
If you’re passionate about improving the lives of children, young people and families affected by cancer and want to help influence decisions at Young Lives vs Cancer, we’d love to hear from you! By joining the team, you’ll take on the role of Voice Board Member for two years during which you’ll have the chance to build your confidence, learn new skills, and connect with others who have been affected by cancer.
To apply to join the Voice Board you must meet the following criteria:
- Be aged over 16
- Been diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 0-24, or are a parent/ carer or sibling of a young person who was diagnosed between the ages of 0-24
- Be happy to commit to the role for two years
- Be happy to attend each of the quarterly Voice Board meetings, including two face-to-face events each year with the option to join remotely if needed
- Be happy to attend monthly online meetings and ad hoc events or share feedback through surveys and email to support different projects when you can (approximately once per month)
- Be able to attend an induction meeting for new members in Bristol on Wednesday 12th November
What will you be doing as a member of the Voice Board?
- Attending Voice Board Meetings four times a year to discuss issues of strategic importance to the organisation and those we work with
- Joining optional online monthly meetings to discuss key projects and areas of work
- Collaborating with other Voice Board members and staff across the organisation, using your experiences to help create change
- Providing honest feedback and bringing lived experience to Trustees and Directors to influence decisions that impact young people and their families affected by cancer
- Speaking out about the issues you’re passionate about that affect children, young people, and their families
- Working in partnership with the Voice Team to develop our voice work, ensuring young people and their families are at the heart of everything we do
- Taking part in face-to-face training in person twice a year, connecting with other Voice Board members and staff across the organisation. All travel and accommodation is provided and our team will discuss any additional support you might need such as bringing a loved one for support or joining remotely when on treatment
- Taking part in ad hoc opportunities to shape our work across the charity. There are loads of opportunities available from sharing your story to shaping services and systems. You can get involved in a way that fits your time, interests, and energy
- Helping us understand the effectiveness of the Voice Board by taking part in monitoring and evaluation by providing regular feedback
What’s in it for you?
During your time on the Voice Board our team will support you to:
- Be listened to and taken seriously
- Influence the decisions made at Young Lives vs Cancer
- Raise issues you feel are important for other young people and parents/ carers using our services
- Meet new people and become part of a welcoming and supportive team
- Learn from others’ cancer experiences and gain new insight
- Take part in different experiences and opportunities
- Expand your knowledge and your CV
- Gain access to training and support
- Build your skills and confidence