How Do We Consult with Under-represented Groups to Find Out Board Application Barriers?

What is this advice about?

This advice is for any heritage organisation that has a board of trustees who are looking to develop their inclusive practices by understanding the barriers faced by different people when it comes to board roles.

The guidance covers some of the ways organisations can find out this information and use it to adapt and structure their board processes.

What are the key points?

Which groups are under-represented on heritage boards?

Our research shows that heritage boards lack diversity and are not representative of the UK population.

Under-represented groups for heritage boards mean that perspectives are not being heard, and a diverse range of lived experience, knowledge, and expertise are not informing the governance and leadership of these organisations.

These under-represented groups are:

• People from the Global Majority
• People under 30
• Disabled people (which includes anyone who would fall under the definition of disabled under the Equality Act 2010, covering chronic and long-term illness, neurodivergence, mental health conditions, learning differences, physical impairments, blindness, d/Deaf people)
• People from lower socio-economic backgrounds

Organisations can establish where they lack diversity and potentially identify barriers by conducting a board diversity audit. You can find more information on how to do this in our resource, 'How Can We Conduct a Board Diversity Audit and Share Our Findings in Compliance with GDPR?'

What are some of the barriers these groups face?

There are many and complex inter-related barriers facing these under-represented groups, but the most common are:

• A perception that "It's not for me" or "I'm not good or experienced enough"
• Physical access
• Social and policy barriers
• Responsibilities including work, caring and education

These general themes cover some of the barriers – there will be specifics depending on each organisation and the individuals who make up your potential board members. Although the broad demographics of under-represented groups are known, it is important not to treat them as homogenous (the same) but as individuals. This is why it is important to conduct some research and reach out to your potential pool of applicants to find out where to target your resources.

You can find some ways to address these barriers in our resource 'How Can We Recruit More Diverse Members for Our Heritage Board?'

How can heritage organisations consult with these groups?

The best way to find out what barriers might be in place is to ask the affected groups. Once you have established who is and who isn’t on your board, it is time to find people from under-represented groups and work with them to evaluate your board practices, policies, and culture to identify where the barriers lie.

Prepare some text based on your aims:

• Be clear as to your aspirations and why you are approaching them
• Share the results of your board diversity audit, and state why a more inclusive approach is important to your organisation
• If you have a set date and time for consultation, include details, including any access information
• State what you are trying to find out and what kind of processes and documents you would like them to review or evaluate as part of the consultation process

There will be local or national organisations that are led by or work to represent and advocate for the under-represented groups on your board. These may be specifically governance-based or might hold activist or advocacy roles. Identify some suitable organisations and approach them with your prepared text. There are links to get you started in the further reading section at the end of this resource.

Some key principles to remember when reaching out to these groups:

• People should not be expected to consult with you for free, especially as they are likely to be discussing challenges and barriers they face that might be distressing or involve sharing personal experiences. Identify a budget for your consultation work, and state this budget when reaching out
• They are the experts in their lived experience, needs, and requirements. Allow space for them to be honest and open about their responses to your board practices, and take their feedback as constructive advice
• It can feel confronting and personally challenging to hear perspectives different to our own, especially if this contradicts established ways of working or points out ways that they are being excluded or discriminated against even by organisations that consider themselves inclusive. Remember that this is not personal and is not accusatory or seeking to place blame

What questions should we be asking?

As part of the consultation process, there should be space for people to share their thoughts and constructive feedback, with plenty of room for them to talk about this in their preferred format or medium. Make sure you invite responses in several ways, including written, verbal in person, verbal in online meetings, as an audio recording, or in other formats that are accessible to them.

To guide this feedback, you could answer questions based on documents and details of board processes, such as policies, examples of minutes, recruitment copy, and any communications and marketing you have done. Prepare for frank answers that may challenge your current procedures, especially if a long-standing way of working has not changed for a significant amount of time.

• Were these documents easy to read and understand?
• Do the procedures make sense, or did you feel things were unclear or you had to 'read between the lines'?
• Would you feel able to take part in one of our board meetings? Why / why not?
• Based on these documents, do you see yourself represented in our organisation?
• Was the language relevant and clear?
• What would you do differently?

Further reading

Action for Trustee Racial Diversity: an organisation to boost representation of Global Majority people on charity Boards

Young Trustees Movement: an organisation to develop and promote opportunities for young people to take on Board roles

A list of disabled-led Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) across the UK, with a searchable map to help find one near you

Getting on Board’s resource on making board positions inclusive for disabled people