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Young people

How are young people involved in the Network?

The Heritage Network offers a range of opportunities for young people get involved in heritage. Our Youth Forum open to members aged 18-30 is now over 300 members strong. It provides a space for early career professionals to connect, share ideas, and shape projects. Alongside this, initiatives like Step on Board and Digital Heroes give young people the chance to gain governance experience and support organisations with digital skills.
Together, these opportunities help young people contribute fresh perspectives, develop confidence, and play an active role in the future of heritage.

A group of six young women stand in a garden. Behind them is Dunfermline Abbey.

What is the Youth Forum?

The youth forum is a group of 18- 30-year-olds and early career professionals who are passionate about heritage and want to make our voices heard in the sector. We co-produced our goals and plan our programme in order to realise them and we meet monthly and organise regular activities to help us achieve our aims. Now 250-strong, we have achieved a great deal, including hosting a Careers Panel and Speed Mentoring event, producing regular blogs, starting a podcast channel, creating an advice library, and consulting and collaborating with heritage organisations.

Join the Youth Forum

Goals

These are the aims of the Youth Forum.

  • Be the youth voice for the Heritage Network
  • Improve engagement with heritage for young people
  • Produce resources for the heritage sector
  • Be inclusive – heritage is for everyone
Two young women stand either side of a display screen showing a presentation. The slide on the screen reads "Introducing the Youth Forum".
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Our placemaking manifesto

We’ve also spoken at the Network’s conferences and created a series of active sub-groups such as EDI, placemaking, podcast and carbon literacy. You might be interested in our Placemaking Manifesto!

Download the Placemaking Manifesto
A young person is showing a mobile phone to an older person who is pointing at the screen.

Digital Heroes

The programme connects 18-30 year olds with heritage organisations across the UK, offering volunteer placements to boost digital skills and audience engagement. From websites and social media to fundraising strategies, the Heroes help secure the future of heritage sites while gaining valuable experience.

Find out more

Step on Board

Step on Board is our new initiative to connect young people (18-30) with heritage organisations seeking fresh voices on their boards. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, it offers shadow trustee placements that build confidence, skills, and pathways to full trusteeship, strengthening governance through diversity.
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