Seeking young people to join FYA’s Board and Committees
We are currently seeking to recruit four Board and Committee members, aged 18 to 25 years old.
About FYA
The Foundation for Young Australians (FYA) exists to back young people. We provide the training, resources, and connections they need to create lasting change in the face of injustice. As the largest independent nonprofit dedicated to building the capacity, voice, and power of young changemakers, we work nationally with headquarters in Melbourne (Naarm) and teams based around the country.
Our work is guided by values of respect, equity, care, and impact. We are committed to shifting power to young people and building a future led by their vision.
Why you should join us
You’ll play a vital role in shaping the present – and future – of FYA. Your skills and experience will guide the organisation and ensure we’re doing our best for young people.
We are proud that our Board and Committees all include young people under the age of 26, and are made up of a broad range of people. We strongly encourage applications from First Nations people, Black, Brown and people of colour, people with disability, people from LGBTIQA+ communities, and individuals with diverse lived experiences. You can be based anywhere in Australia, as our meetings are held online. You can read about our current Board and Committee members here.
Board Directors and Committee members are provided with onboarding support, learning opportunities, and reimbursement of travel and accommodation costs for in-person meetings. These are volunteer roles. An honorarium is available to remove barriers to participation on the Board.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for young people with knowledge, passion or experience in organisations that exist for young people. You don’t need to have experience of being on a Board or Committee, as we’ll support you to understand what’s required of you. You’ll need to be able to commit to the role for at least two years, and be able to attend meetings during the daytime (Monday to Friday) via Zoom.
Key requirements for all roles
- Aged 18 to 25 years
- A commitment to FYA’s vision and values
- Capacity and willingness to contribute to strong governance
- Ability to collaborate effectively with other Board / Committee members
- Based anywhere in Australia
- Able to attend meetings during the daytime (Monday to Friday) via Zoom
- Able to commit to the role for at least two years
- Police Check and Working with Children Check (we will help you to obtain these if you’re appointed)
- For Board Director role: Director ID (mandatory requirement under the Australian Business Registry Services)
- For Board Director role: able to travel once or twice a year for a one- or two-day, in-person meeting. We will pay all your travel expenses and accommodation, and provide an allowance for meals.
At this time, we only have vacancies for young people. However if you’re interested in any of the roles and are 26 or older, get in touch with us to hear about future vacancies!
Roles - Click on each role for more details
FYA is governed by an elected Board of Directors who oversee the organisation’s strategic direction and performance. The Board is supported by subcommittees composed of Directors and subject-matter experts. To ensure young people are at the centre of our decision-making, our Constitution requires that the Board includes a number of Directors under the age of 26.
What you’ll do
As a Director, your responsibilities will include:
- Contributing to strategy-setting, resource allocation, and performance evaluation.
- Overseeing financial performance, investments, and risk compliance.
- Ensuring strong governance and compliance standards.
- Overseeing safeguarding, wellbeing and organisational culture, including FYA’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for a young person with knowledge, passion or experience in organisations for young people. You don’t need to have experience of being on a Board, as we’ll support you to understand what’s required of you.
You’ll need to be able to attend six Board meetings per year, plus additional meetings if you join any Committees. When you first join the Board, additional time will be required to learn about FYA, the Board and your role.
Meetings are mostly online. Once or twice a year there will be an in-person meeting for one or two days. We will pay all your travel expenses and accommodation, and provide an allowance for meals.
The terms of office for Board Directors are two years, with the option to continue for up to three terms. We’re looking for people who can commit for at least two years – and ideally for up to six years.
It will be a bonus if you have experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Organisations working with young people
- Not-for-profit organisations
- People and Culture
- Philanthropy / Fundraising
- Government relations
- Impact measurement
- Policy and advocacy
- Legal qualifications
- Finance qualifications (e.g. CPA or CA)
- Management and development of investment portfolios
- Governance and risk management
This is a voluntary role. However we know that the time commitment may be a barrier for some people, so an honorarium payment is available. Please chat to us for more information about this.
The Governance and Risk Committee assists the Board in risk management, compliance, safeguarding, wellbeing and organisational culture, including FYA’s commitment to becoming an anti-racist organisation. It drives evaluation of the Board, Committees and the CEO, succession planning for these roles, and the appointment of Board Directors and Committee members.
What you’ll do
You’ll attend up to four online meetings per year (1.5 hours for each meeting), and do around three hours of preparation per meeting. There may also be some additional tasks in between meetings.
At meetings, you’ll contribute your knowledge and ideas to discussions and decisions.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for a young person with knowledge and passion for organisational responsibility and effectiveness. You don’t need to have experience of being on a Board or Committee, as we’ll support you to understand what’s required of you.
Why join?
As a member of the Governance and Risk Committee, you will play a critical role in ensuring that FYA is managed responsibly and effectively.
The Investment Committee assists the Board in overseeing the management of FYA’s Corpus. Distributions from the Corpus fund our strategic objectives, so effective investment management is critical to our mission. We have a strong commitment to applying ESG approaches to our investments.
The Committee provides oversight on investment performance, recommends appropriate management approaches and fund manager appointments, ensures the investment portfolio is structured to balance risk and return, and monitors ongoing performance. It also advises on the level of annual disbursements to support FYA’s initiatives.
What you’ll do
You’ll attend up to four online meetings per year (1.5 hours for each meeting), and do around three hours of preparation per meeting. There may also be some additional tasks in between meetings.
At meetings, you’ll contribute your knowledge and ideas to discussions and decisions.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for a young person with knowledge and passion for managing and developing investment portfolios. You don’t need to have experience of being on a Board or Committee, as we’ll support you to understand what’s required of you.
Why join?
As a member of the Investment Committee, you will play a critical role in ensuring that FYA’s resources are stewarded responsibly and sustainably for maximum impact.
The Finance and Audit Committee assists the Board in meeting its responsibilities in relation to internal controls, statutory obligations, protection of assets, financial reporting and the application of accounting policies. It oversees the annual audit process, and the process for selecting the auditor.
What you’ll do
You’ll attend online meetings throughout the year (1.5 hours for each meeting), and do around three hours of preparation per meeting. There may also be some additional tasks in between meetings.
At meetings, you’ll contribute your knowledge and ideas to discussions and decisions.
Who we’re looking for
We’re looking for a young person with knowledge and passion for all things finance! You don’t need to have experience of being on a Board or Committee, as we’ll support you to understand what’s required of you.
Why join?
As a member of the Finance and Audit Committee, you will play a critical role in ensuring that FYA’s finances are managed responsibly and in accordance with compliance obligations.
Application process
Please complete the form below, and attach your CV if you have one.
You can apply for more than one role. However successful applicants will only be appointed to one role.
Applications will be reviewed and shortlisted candidates will be contacted on a rolling basis. There isn’t a closing date, so if you’re interested please apply!
Any questions?
We’d love to hear from you! Please email [email protected] and we’ll be able to help.
Apply here
We ask for some personal details in this form. These are collected for the purpose of contacting you about your application.
We will also use this information to add you to our mailing list to receive communications about our upcoming programs, events and opportunities. If at any time you wish to opt-out of receiving communications from us, you may unsubscribe using the link provided or email us at [email protected]