# People with lived experience of poverty sought for foundation’s first Board shadowing scheme

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/02/21/people-with-lived-experience-of-poverty-sought-for-foundations-first-board-shadowing-scheme/
- Published: 2024-02-21T09:00:00+00:00
- Author: Melanie May

**The John Ellerman Foundation is seeking people with lived experience of poverty
to take part in a new six-month Board shadowing scheme.**

This is the first time the [John Ellerman Foundation](https://ellerman.org.uk/) 
has run such a programme, and it is looking for three people from diverse backgrounds
with lived experience of poverty to take part. The scheme is for people with the
availability to attend Board meetings and who want to learn more about charity governance
within a charitable grantmaker. Applicants do not need to have prior experience 
of a Board or Trustee role.

The scheme is unpaid and is for around one day a month. The foundation has an office
in London’s Embankment, and remote and hybrid work is also supported. Expenses like
travel will be reimbursed, and successful applicants will also receive a training
budget of up to £500. To help with accessibility, the foundation also says that 
if people work or have caring responsibilities that make it difficult to attend 
meetings in the day time, it is open to exploring reimbursement for their time to
make attendance easier.

## Advertisement

The scheme will see successful applicants attend all Board and sub-committee meetings
during a six-month period. They will also have the option to observe and be involved
in in the assessment of first and second stage applications, and to attend other
Board-related meetings where appropriate.

As well as the chance to meet and learn from the Board and wider team, people on
the scheme will receive regular support from Annika Small OBE, Trustee and Sufina
Ahmad MBE, the Foundation’s Director.

The deadline for applying is 13 March with [more information here](https://ellerman.org.uk/jobs/apply).

In the post description, the foundation says:

> “We want to design and implement different ways of working that help to create
> more diverse, equitable and inclusive governance structures within the charitable
> sector generally, including the charitable funding sector. It is our hope that
> schemes like this will provide successful candidates with the confidence and experience
> to pursue formal governance opportunities successfully after their time with us.”

The John Ellerman Foundation was set up in 1971 and funds charities for work with
national significance in the fields of the arts, environment and social action. 
Its aim is to advance the wellbeing of people, society and the natural world.

 * **[Magpie Dance & Crohn’s & Colitis UK among UK Charity Governance Awards 2024 winners](https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/05/31/magpie-dance-crohns-colitis-uk-among-uk-charity-governance-awards-2024-winners/)**(
   31 May 2024)
 * **[Lessons for itself as well as for charities from Actors’ Benevolent Fund case, says Commission](https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/06/04/lessons-for-itself-as-well-as-for-charities-from-actors-benevolent-fund-case-says-commission/)**(
   4 June 2024)
 * **[Free webinar on financial governance for small charities](https://fundraising.co.uk/2024/09/03/free-webinar-on-financial-governance-for-small-charities/)**(
   3 September 2024)