A message to young board interns

A message to young board interns

At the CMA Conference, we held a short drinks & canapes reception for the interns and their mentors. We heard from mentors, we heard from interns, we heard from The Board Internship coordinators, and we heard from our UK guest speaker, Simon Barrington.

Simon’s encouragement to the interns was inspiring, and it applies to all young people who serve on ministry boards, so we’re giving you the brief summary below:

“Firstly, can I applaud the interns for their willingness to serve. The impact of your decision to give something back and make a difference is hugely significant in three ways:

1. Your very presence on a board brings hope

Your very presence brings a future focus and challenge
Your very presence brings fresh perspective and a diversity of views.

2. Your posture will stand you in good stead for the future. 

Your posture of generosity flies in the face of a culture that is focussed on self advancement. Your willingness to learn is a lifelong attribute that will stand you well in your career and in life. Your Courage to take on a new challenge and see what God will do with and through you shows a boldness and focus on what’s important.

3. Your Passion is contagious 

It’s easy to become tired in ministry. It’s easy to become disillusioned. Even in the best organisations with the most inspiring mission, the day to day operations of compliance and ensuring fidelity and trust can become a drudge. And so your passion, your enthusiasm, your encouragement, your new eyes on a situation can be life giving and hope bringing.

So Thankyou ! But I want to leave you with a challenge. Well 4 challenges as you graduate:

  1. Good governance isn’t just about making charities work better, it’s a great witness outside the Christian community. Let’s raise the bar for your generation and the ones to come after you.
  2. Good governance takes time and perseverance – don’t give up too soon. We always overestimate what can be achieved in a year and underestimate what can be done in 10.
  3. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re too young to be a “real” board member – go for it – you have so much to bring NOW.
  4. Make good governance part of your discipleship, part of your walk with Jesus. Always make it about him and your walk with him. Never make it about you.

As C S Lewis says :

Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ, and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.

If you do all of that you will gain so much and have so much fun as well.”