Beyond Suffrage:
Conference 2023
Measurable progress towards achieving gender equality at board level in the charity sector is being made – however, women from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic communities continue to be consistently underrepresented at both senior leadership and board level. This applies not only in the voluntary sector, but across all the sectors in the UK.
In 2020, Beyond Suffrage launched its inaugural trustee training programme, supported by Social Practice ENT. A cohort of twelve young women from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic backgrounds received training to become trustees serving on charity boards. A second programme was developed and delivered in 2021, supporting a further fourteen young women to become trustees.
When the programme was first developed in 2020, it was one of the first trustee board training programmes, and the only programme dedicated specifically towards supporting women from minoritised ethnic backgrounds, who are currently significantly underrepresented on trustee boards. As at April 2022, several board training and leadership programmes have emerged, and more support is available for individuals from underrepresented backgrounds seeking opportunities to join trustee boards.
Through our conferences and events, we are working to continue supporting women from minoritised ethnic communities, by providing information with regards to trusteeship, as well as a space to network and continue developing as trustees.
About the conference
Our Beyond Suffrage Conference during Trustees' week in November 2023 will be open to all women from minoritised ethnic communities currently serving on boards, or actively seeking board positions – with no restriction on age. The conference is divided into two main tracks – with specific sessions and panel events for prospective trustees, as well as existing trustees.
The full schedule is available below.