Future Proof
Youth Advisory Board
What do young people actually need from Zest as we look to the future?
How can we make a more meaningful impact and better amplify young voices?
What does theatre look like after everything we’ve lived through?
No one is better placed to help us answer these questions than young people themselves. Made up of previous participants from both Youthquake and *untitled, this group draws on diverse voices from 15 towns across the country.
Future Proof meet remotely as paid consultants every month, tasked with helping us re-imagine the Zest of the future – a future for young people just like them. No area of the company is off limits; from the rewriting of policies through to the conception of brand-new work, they work with us to ensure Zest is Future Proof in years to come.
But this isn’t just about getting young people involved in vision and strategy. Look across Zest and you’ll find Future Proof members in paid roles on interview panels for new staff and trustees, co-facilitating workshops in the community, and proofing scripts or designs for new work.
Future Proof+
Shadow Board
Zest wants to involve more young people in governance.
How can we genuinely do this without being tokenistic?
How can we ensure that young voices have an equal voice around the top table?
Zest has recruited 7 Future Proof members to form Zest’s first Shadow Board. In 2023/24, these young people will be mentored by Zest Trustees and Senior Management to develop understanding of board papers, governance procedures and charity law. They’ll also attend quarterly board meetings in an advisory capacity - bringing the voice of young people directly into board meetings.
Through this process, Zest aims to appoint a number of Shadow Board members as full Trustees by 2024/25, giving young people a vote, as well as a voice, at the top table. We first met these young people back in 2019/20 when they were at still college and Youth Cast participants in our Youthquake national tour. Excitingly, 4 years later, they're on a journey to become Zest Trustees and an active part of the governance for the whole organisation!
Future Proof+ members are listed below, marked with an ⍟.
Updates
Stay tuned for updates as Future Proof help us question, imagine and create Zest’s future:
Future Proof
Ralphie Acton
Elly Adam
Hally Austin ⍟
Aman Basha
Seb Betts
Sophia Bowe
Lily-Mae Cartwright
Izzy Chantler
Chloe Collins
Chris Connors
Harvey Farrell
Darrel Felix
Frankie Garrood ⍟
Jessica Gomez-Ejimbe⍟
Katie Grant ⍟
Eryn Harper
Robert Hart ⍟
Kadey Hall
Kez Harris
Millie Jenkins ⍟
Laura Lillystone
Lachlan Madin
Gaby Maxwell
Rakeem Murray Martin
Cas Potterton
Lizzie Race
Alishia Roberts
Aija Sandhu ⍟
Ben Shorthouse
Nina Simpson
Chris Stacpoole-Ryding
Billy Thompson
Alan Tarkil
Abi Vause
Jasmyne Wigfield
What a year 2023 has been! As we lock up Zest HQ and head off on our well-deserved festive holiday, join us as we reflect on the last 12 months: an epic year of graft, changes, and growth. A year that saw Zest go BIG, reaching over 424,000 people with our work! Let’s look at our 2023 best bits…