Our flagship project is the Festival - the world’s largest youth drama festival.
About our impactFor over 20 years, our charity has delivered our flagship Theatre Festival projects, Creative Workshops and Outreach Programmes in schools, theatres and community spaces nationwide – now we have launched a new opportunity to make all the world a stage. Our Youth Board will play a vital role in steering us into the future – meeting with our dedicated core team regularly to discuss ideas, help us to make important choices and to untangle big questions. If you are aged between 13-16 and based in the UK, our Youth Board could be exactly what you've been looking for.
Click here or scroll down to register your interest and let your voice be heard! Meet our current Youth Board members here. To apply to join our Youth Board, click here. Meet our current Youth Board members.
Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation: Youth Board ↓
Having A Say - Teaching Resource
Frequently Asked Questions ↓
What is the Youth Board?
Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation’s Youth Board launched in 2023 as a way of putting youth voice at the heart of our organisation. For a long time, we've been sector-leading in young person-led rehearsal rooms. Now we've taken this a step further by putting young people at the centre of our decision-making as a charity.
Who are the Youth Board?
The Youth Board consists of young people aged 13-16 from across the UK. Some have participated in the Theatre Festival, some have engaged in one-off projects, and some have never worked with us before. All are passionate about the arts, care about creativity in schools, and have opinions they want to share. You can learn more about our current Youth Board here.
When and where do the meetings happen?
A typical Youth Board meeting happens online and includes a check-in, some games, and our CSSF question time. During question time, we ask quick-fire questions from our staff team to stay in constant dialogue with young people. We then give them a creative challenge, where the group is asked to solve problems creatively, generate ideas, or challenge and question us on a specific area of our programs.
What do the Youth Board get involved in?
In their first year, the Youth Board have been special guests at our What you Will gala performance in the West End. They developed ideas for merchandise for our Theatre Festival and shared feedback on our current social media output while helping to generate new content. They have also joined a trustee meeting to reflect on the importance of the arts in school and have written to the new Secretaries of State for Culture and for Education. They have been an integral part of our 25th-anniversary planning by sitting on our 25th Anniversary Steering Group.
What else can the Youth Board offer?
Each young person has identified a personal goal and has been supported to work on this through 1-1 mentoring sessions. This has included being paired with industry professionals in a networking session for advice on the difference between directing for theatre and film, navigating the industry as a black female artist, or having the opportunity to present at a trustee meeting to develop their public speaking.
What can you expect to gain from joining the Youth Board?
Being part of our Youth Board is a great way to develop your teamwork and leadership skills. It's a place to make friends with like-minded young people and get to know people from across the UK. Through the tasks set in meetings, you will work on critical thinking, analysis, debating, and creative skills. The work will enable you to have a greater understanding of how charities work and increase your knowledge of arts education.
The 1-1 mentoring will enable you to create and work towards your own development goals.
How often do we meet?
The Youth Board will relaunch for 2024-2025 on Saturday 5 October at our summit in London. This will involve a group meeting, cultural activities across the city, and dinner.
Following this, the group will meet online once a month. This will alternate between two-hour group meetings and a 25-minute mentoring session.
The online sessions take place on Zoom, usually between 5 pm and 7 pm.
There will then be another annual summit in the summer/early autumn 2025, in another location in the UK.
If you get a place on the Youth Board, you will have the option to serve for up to two years.
Will it cost me anything?
The Youth Board is free to be a part of. If there are any meetings in person, we will cover travel required and provide refreshments as appropriate.
If you need support to join us online, please get in touch.
Why do current members think I should join?
What are we looking for in a Youth Board Member?
You don't need to be an expert in Shakespeare! In fact, you don’t even have to love his work. You should care about the future of arts and creativity in schools, but you don’t have to be an experienced performer.
You might have taken part in one of our Festivals or been in the audience, you might have taken part in a one-off workshop or project, or you might have never heard of us before. Your level of experience with Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation isn’t important, but it is important that you want to meet new people, learn new skills, and come up with new ideas.
We are looking for people who are passionate about making change, are opinionated, like working in a team, and care about the arts.
How do I apply?
To apply to the Youth Board please follow this link.
You will need to share some of your contact details, including some information for a parent, carer, or guardian. You will then be asked to complete this short application task.
"We know what we are, but know not what we may be."
Ophelia, Hamlet (Act IV, Scene V)
Please give us your response to this quote!
- Written e.g: a diary entry, a letter to the future, a monologue. (max 300 words)
- Audio e.g: a rap, a poem, a song. (max 180 seconds)
- Filmed content e.g: a dance, an animation, art with an audio description. (max 180 seconds)
Your response could include your ideas on the following:
- A change in society you'd like to see for your generation.
- A time when you have made change happen.
- A time when someone has changed your mind.
What happens once I apply?
Once your application has been sent, your parent, carer, or guardian will receive an email confirmation.
- Applications will close 5pm, 12 September.
- We will get back to all applicants by 5pm, 16 September.
- There will be a short informal interview online with the Youth Board team on 18 or 19 September for 20 minutes between 4-7pm. We will send you any questions in advance. This is a chance for us to have a chat and check that it is the right opportunity for you.
- Places will be confirmed on 23 September
- The first meeting is in person in London for a full day on 5 October
If you have any questions, please reach out to our Youth Board team at youthboard@coramshakespeareschools.org.uk
Applications to join the Youth Board have now closed.