What does it mean to give young people a voice in an organisation? Not a token seat at the table, but a real one where their ideas get heard, debated and acted on. That’s what the National Saturday Club Youth Board was built to find out, and over the past two years, this cohort has shown what that looks like in practice.
In October 2024, twelve Saturday Club alumni walked into Somerset House for the first time as members of the National Saturday Club Youth Board. They came from Manchester, Hull, Lincolnshire, Middlesbrough, Luton, Nottingham, Essex and London — different backgrounds, different Saturday Club journeys, different life experiences.
What they shared was a belief that young people’s voices belong at the heart of the organisations that serve them. From the very first session, that came through. As Youth Board member, Martha put it: “I now feel much more able to engage in discussions as I have been assured that my voice is, and will be, valued and respected.”
As the 2024–26 Youth Board draws to a close, it’s time to celebrate the achievements of this group of Saturday Club alumni, the changes they made and what they learned along the way.
Youth Board 2022-24 at their meeting at Tate Britain to reflect on their journey as a Youth Board member
The Youth Board programme not only provides a space for alumni to share their Saturday Club experience and ideas but is a personal and professional development opportunity for 16–25-year-olds.
Every meeting is structured around facilitated workshops to support the members to share their valuable feedback, plus includes cultural visits, development sessions, external collaborations, guest speakers, and public speaking opportunities.
For Florrie, one of the standout moments was simply the access it gave her: “I really enjoyed the session with the Board members and had some good chats with them about career paths and roles in arts charities.”
Throughout the years at the in-person Youth Board meetings in London
YOUTH BOARD 2024-26 PROGRAMME
So, what did they get up to throughout their two-year term?
Objectives and skills identifying, Makerversity, Somerset House
It all started at Somerset House. The first session built the foundation, getting to know each other and identifying what each member brought to the table and hoped to achieve. For Julia, the tone was set immediately: “I felt the freedom to express myself with no worries of judgment.”
National programme feedback, Online
Joined by Toria Brook-Hill, Director of Programmes and Communications, and Juliet Quintero, Founder of Public Art Matters, members shared their experiences of The Visit and the Summer Show, feeding directly into the future of both events the future of both.
Governance and leadership, V&A
A day at the V&A saw the Youth Board meet with the National Saturday Club Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to work together in focused workshops and insightful discussions; the day ended with a guided tour of the museum. For Riya, it was when the purpose of the Youth Board clicked: “I gained insight into how National Saturday Club is run from a higher level; this helped me to understand how our input can actually be translated into action.”
Sustainability, Online
In partnership with Julie’s Bicycle, the group explored environmental responsibility, both personal and organisational. Karim left with a fresh perspective: “I was inspired by stories and lived experiences of people who are making a real impact. It gave me new ideas and inspiration to draw upon in my own practice.”
‘Creativity For All’ research, UCL
Hosted at UCL, the group fed into National Saturday Club and UCL’s live research project, “Creativity for All: An impact evaluation study of community-based creative education on young people’s mental health outcomes in the UK” , before visiting the Wellcome Collection. For Karim: “The experience helped me develop my skills in creative thinking, collaboration, and reflective research practice, while strengthening my confidence in communicating ideas and engaging with others in a professional setting.”
Development and pitching skills, Online
Led by Hannah Travers, Development Director, and Alex Bird, Regional Relationship Manager, members learned how the National Saturday Club builds relationships with funders and put their own pitching skills to the test. Martha summed it up: “I really appreciate how there is space for all our thoughts, and how the whole team valued our ideas.”
Reflecting on the Youth Board, Tate Britain
The penultimate session brought the group to Tate Britain, alongside the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees, to reflect on two years working together. They wrote a collective letter to the next Youth Board cohort, before participating in a zine-making workshop with Tate Collective Producers and a guided tour of the gallery.
Advocacy, Somerset House
The final session brought the group full circle back to Somerset House, where it all began. Members crafted and shared their own stories of the National Saturday Club, before heading to the London Eye to mark the end of their term.
Youth Board members were invited to the Summer Show private view and donors’ reception as VIPs and discussed their thoughts with the Board of Trustees.
BEYOND THE SESSIONS
Summer Show steering group
Through a dedicated Youth Steering Group, six members worked directly with Summer Show exhibition designer, Juliet Quintero, across a series of sessions to shape how the exhibition looked and felt for visitors.
Speech bubbles throughout the space told the stories of Club members’ journeys in their own words. An interactive selfie area gave visitors a hands-on way to engage with the show. Captions were added to all video content. Youth voice didn’t just inform the design of the Summer Show; it was woven into it.
For Martha, seeing the results in person was something she hadn’t quite anticipated: “Seeing our ideas included while walking around the exhibition was incredible and really cemented the fact that we as a group were listened to and how our ideas were valued.”
After the last Youth Board meeting, members were given goody bags with personalised stationery and a certificate of completion, before heading off for a trip on the London Eye!
FINDING THEIR VOICES IN PUBLIC SPACES
Throughout the term, members commented on the growth of their confidence, resulting in undertaking many public speaking opportunities.
Martha spoke at an online sustainability CPD session as part of the Tutors’ Programme, making the case that young people have a genuine role to play in finding and implementing solutions to help the environment. However, argued to make that makes that possible, young people need inclusive, creative spaces to help develop their critical thinking and support their contribution to change at any scale.
Geneva represented the National Saturday Club as a keynote speaker at the London Visit. She also attended the Fair Education Alliance Youth Summit in London as an advocate for creative education.
Florrie and Zora joined the youth panel at the Tutors’ Conference in Birmingham, speaking alongside previous Youth Board members and student assistants about what it means to be a young person today.
WHAT COMES NEXT?
The 2024–26 Youth Board didn’t just participate in the National Saturday Club; they pushed it forward, and the mark they’ve left on the Summer Show, on research, on discussions with trustees and funders, and on the young people who will walk into a Saturday Club next will be felt long after their term ends.
Kaya Brennan, Programme Producer, reflected on the two years: “Seeing the people they are today — creative, compassionate and engaged young changemakers- has been a highlight of my career to date.”
National Saturday Club is now looking for new members to join the 2026-28 Youth Board. Does this sound like something you’d like to be part of, or do you know a Saturday Club alumni aged 16-25 who’d be great for this paid opportunity? Applications are now open and close midday, 10 August 2026. Click here for more information and to apply.