The boardroom can be a hard place to reach for most people – but for young people, especially those from diverse backgrounds, there can be additional challenges.
The Observership Program aims to change that.
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How do you get on a board? The boardroom is often viewed as an exclusive club, open only to an elite group within society. If you’re a young person, it can seem impossible.
Founded in 2014, The Observership Program aims to boost the number of young professionals from diverse backgrounds on boards by increasing pathways, governance training and mentoring opportunities.
Each year the program matches aspiring leaders aged 25-40 – called Observers – with government and not-for-profit boards for a year, where they participate in training and learn ‘on the job’ from experienced board colleagues, while adding valuable skills and diverse perspectives boards are seeking.
Creative Victoria partners with the program to support a range of creative organisations to take part, providing development opportunities for the next generation of creative leaders.
The 2024 program will see 39 Observers matched with 33 Victorian creative industries boards – up from 29 boards in 2023.
More than half of new Observers identify as female, 53 per cent are from CALD backgrounds and 20 per cent are the first in their family to attend university, while 10 per cent are from rural/regional areas.
Participating organisations include the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Circus Nexus, RISING, VicScreen, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Arts Access Victoria.
The Observership Program not only tackles appointments to boards – with 25 per cent of Observers being appointed to those they observe - but the program creates and nurtures a pipeline of diverse talent, available through the recently-launched Board Search Program.
It also grows the capability of organisations to provide a safe working culture for new entrants to the board environment.
For Observers who’ve been through the program, it can be a game changer for their careers.
Anna Pitt, who observed the Victorian Opera board, said the program has helped add breadth and credibility to her résumé, and provided her with board experience that she believes would have taken “decades longer” to accumulate on her own. She has continued on as part of the organisation’s marketing committee and was formally appointed a full board member on its board of directors.
“The Observership was appealing for many reasons – a desire to give back in a way that meaningfully used my skillset, the joy of working on things I’m passionate about, a curiosity about how boards and not-for-profits operated and a love of learning in general were the core motivators for me. It felt like an opportunity to be part of the change to unlock senior leadership roles for women and other diverse groups, in a structured and supported way,” she says.
Nanthesh Sivarajah, a concert organiser who practices an ethnic art form called Carnatic music, said his pairing with Footscray Community Arts helped him understand where he “fit in the mainstream arts scene” by seeing the inner workings of Footscray Community Arts.
Nanthesh cites the “numerous networking events (which) provided the opportunity to interact with a number of individuals within the creative industries” as vital to his learning.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for anyone who wants to contribute to the not-for-profit sector,” he said.
Like Anna, Nanthesh has continued his involvement with his Observership organisation – he is currently serving as Footscray Community Arts’ board treasurer.
The long-term benefits of the program extend beyond the careers of the individual participants. Bringing more diversity and different perspectives to boards will strengthen the governance and decision-making of creative organisations and ensure they better reflect and serve the state’s diverse creative community and wider Victorian public.
The Observership Program is being supported as part of the Victorian Government’s Creative State 2025 strategy which commits to providing development opportunities for young leaders that drive more inclusive and representative creative industries boards.
The Observership Program has recently launched Board Search as the second pillar to the foundation program, with a pipeline of top talented alumni from diverse backgrounds keen to pursue board roles. To find out more about Board Search, or if you’re a creative industry board interested in hosting an observer, contact Catherine Reiser, Director, The Observership Program at Catherine.Reiser@observership.com.au
For more information about the Observership Program, which is open to applicants aged 25-40, visit observership.com.au