Future Board Leaders 2025

Boardmatch and The Leadership Academy are delighted to announce that we are now taking expressions of interest from both candidates and Boards for our 2025 programme!

PS: If this isn’t for you, we would love if you could forward it to a colleague or friend that you feel would benefit from the programme. You can send them this TEENY FORM to complete for more info  

 What is Future Board Leaders? 

FBL is a programme co-designed by Boardmatch and The Leadership Academy which aims to bring new and diverse voices to Irish Charity Boards. 

In 2023 they found a group of 22 people from all walks of Irish life who had limited or no Charity Board Experience. Successful applicants were provided with Director training and were matched with Charity Boards based on their interests outlined. Charities who were interested in diversifying their membership were recruited to meet with candidates and when a successful appointment was made, the Charity helped provide additional support to new trustees in their role.  

Following on the success of 2023 we ran the programme for the second time in 2024 and received even more expressions of interest from candidates.  

To date we have placed and supported 36 new voices onto Irish charity boards. 

What’s special about this programme? 

Many boards know the value of having diverse trustees and hearing new voices, but simply don’t know where to access potential new candidates. 

There are also many highly committed people in Irish society who would love to get involved in Boards but have never been given an entry point or simply don’t know where to start. 

Future Board Leaders actively approached and engaged with people who wouldn’t normally put themselves forward for a position and supported and encouraged them through the process. The groups also benefitted enormously from the network they formed amongst themselves. Boardmatch and The Leadership Academy staff also helped navigate the interview process and hosted online drop ins for candidates to update each other and share learning. 

Who can apply 

If you are someone who: 

• Would you like to hear different voices represented across Ireland? 

• Wants to see positive change in your community and society? 

• Is you a keen volunteer? Or would you like to be? 

• Would you like to grow your network? 

• Do you want to get experience? 

• Do you want to learn new skills? 

• Do you want to meet new people? 

If you fill even one of these criteria, please apply. DO NOT DISQUALIFY YOURSELF. Apply and let the process decide. 

What’s involved 

Because we are engaging with people who might not normally put themselves forward for a Board position and because some of them may have vulnerable circumstances, we have live information webinars to explain what data we are collecting, why, and how the process works. Only people who attend the webinar will receive an official application form to apply.  

Successful applicants will then receive potential matches which when confirmed will lead to phone interviews. In-person Director training will be provided on two Saturdays. Attendance at these events is mandatory. Training for 2025 has been confirmed as Saturday 5th April 2025 and Saturday the 26th April 2025 in Dublin City centre. 

Once the training is complete and a match has been confirmed its all done! We do have private groups online for the group to stay in touch and arrange zoom drop-in session to catch up from time to time. The project will be complete by 31st May 2025 and will not run again in 2025. 

What people say 

The programme was really well received by candidates and Boards alike. Here’s what some of the candidates had to say: 

The Future Board Leaders was a great opportunity to be more informed of the charity sector, how to run a successful board and to join a network with others on the same journey. 

Pierre Yimbog, 2024 Programme Participant 

Board Member IDEA (Irish Development Education Association) 

I truly cannot recommend the ‘Future Board Leaders’ programme enough. As a young queer woman from rural Ireland, I struggled to have the confidence to believe in myself & recognize the value my voice could bring to the world of governance. However, through taking part in this programme, I have not only received top class governance training, I  finally have the confidence to take my sit at the table & have recently joined my first board as a trustee at the YMCA Dublin. Thanks Sharon & Hannah. 

Amy McRory, 2024 Programme Participant 

Board Member YMCA Dublin 

The Future Board Leaders Programme spoke to me because if its purpose to diversify Boards and encourage under-represented voices to be included in decision-making spaces. I didn’t really know what to expect when I first signed up but it certainly surpassed all my expectations! The programme allowed me to meet and connect with liked-minded individuals, learn, grow and be equipped with the skills to contribute meaningfully in my capacity as a Board member.  

Clare Austick, 2024 Programme Participant 

Board member, Aware 

Who’s Involved? 

Boardmatch is an Irish charity that specializes in charity board recruitment. They match individuals that are looking to volunteer their time and skills at board level, with charities and not-for-profits that have board and committee vacancies. 

The Leadership Academy is a project of The Wheel, Ireland’s national association of charities, community and voluntary organisations and social enterprises 

It is a space for leaders at all levels in the nonprofit sector, to access relevant upskilling resources, find spaces to engage with other people interested in leadership, learn from those with leadership experience and gain tools and opportunities to take the next step on their leadership journey, wherever their starting point. 

Sharon Hughes and Hannah Coleman are the staff involved in the project