We caught up with 3 of our Advisory Panel members, Mollie, Meg and Simone to ask them about their experience of the panel. In this blog we hear what being a member of the panel has meant to them, and how it has increased their confidence and helped them feel connected.
Mollie
Since starting on the Advisory Panel my life has changed positively. I am very shy and often isolate myself due to confidence issues, so I would normally avoid anything like this as it makes me nervous meeting new people. I took the leap and applied to join after meeting Diana, the Senior Participation Officer and I have never been so relieved and grateful.
Every single woman on this panel is so lovely. I feel my ideas are listened to and we never talk over each other. I love working in groups and getting to know every woman on the panel. We engage in some fun games which I love! We give each other ideas, and I love hearing everyone’s point of views on different topics. It has made me feel so much more confident since joining and I am eternally grateful for making some friends for life.
I cannot wait till the next online residential. It is always really well planned, and the staff in charge work so hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. I highly recommend applying to join if you are like me and get a bit nervous taking steps to new adventures, but I promise you won’t regret it. It is the best decision I have ever made.
Meg
I joined the panel during the pandemic when the world around me felt so closed off and dark. The residential weekend which was done through Zoom was a real shining light in my lockdown experience. Having women supporting one another, to tackle the issues which we as a community face, felt revolutionary. I had been reading so much about campaigns for change, and women’s issues, but stuck alone in my house it did not feel that I had any power to offer help.
A lot of charities focus on receiving financial support from campaigners, or fundraising. As a parent on a very low income, this is something I have not had the opportunity to become involved with. However, receiving education on how I could be a part of changing the world for other women and opportunities to actually do this work has been so empowering.
My confidence and overall outlook have definitely improved. I feel like Young Women’s Trust has given me roots (connected me to my sisters around the country) that have enabled me to grow and blossom. Using the free Work It Out support service as well was like the icing on the cake (or maybe the fertilizer on the soil?) in terms of feeling like the world was not so scary. Overall, I think that my experience with the Advisory Panel has let me feel as though I belong in the world and have something positive to offer out into it.
Simone
Being on the Advisory Panel has helped with my confidence and personal growth. Public speaking and interacting with people has always been challenging for me. I have come a long way. I am now taking on opportunities such as speaking with journalists, MPs and participating in activities with other Advisory Panel members.
There is zero pressure to say yes to opportunities. Young Women’s Trust offer so much training and support. It really calms any anxiety or worries you may have about these opportunities and your time on the panel. I have been able to meet really amazing people, we all support each other. It is a sisterhood.
What Advisory Panel members mean to us
The voices of our panel members are essential in keeping our work authentic and accountable. Whether it is sitting on interview panels or speaking with our corporate partners, Advisory Panel members ensure that the voices of young women with a range of different backgrounds and experiences are at the forefront of all we do.
If you are a young woman and would like to find out about more opportunities to be involved with our work, then join our Facebook Lounge.
This is a private group where you can connect with other young women and find out about opportunities to help shape the work of the organisation.
