The Value of Stewardship and Engagement

The Jed Foundation: Advancing Board Stewardship and Engagement Student’s Name University Name Date Executive Summary Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential in the positive development of any origination. The impacts of these aspects are best captured by the CEO of Accenture, Julie Sweet, assertions that diversity makes organization stronger, smarter and more innovative (Roy, 2022). This board proposal is centered around advancing diversity, equity and inclusion at the JED Foundation. The proposal recommends establishment of a Youth Advisory Board and launching a Community Partnership Initiative as the two strategies to ensure the organization better serve diverse communities experiencing mental health challenges. Current Board Demographics The Jed Foundation’s board is largely professional. The board is made up of professionals with high qualifications in different crucial industries. For example, Kamelia Aryafar is a board member and also a chief analytics officer at Google and Alex Chi is largely involved in Goldman Sachs asset management. From the list of members, it is easier to tell that there are no individuals with small title but ground understanding mental health at the bottom level. By this I mean that youths with experience in mental health are not represented in the board. Given that approximately 57% of U.S. teen girls report persistent sadness or hopelessness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023), the board requires increased representation of youthful populations affected by mental health. Key Stakeholder Groups for Recruitment Current stakeholders include educational institutions implementing JED Campus programs, students and young adults aged 13-25, parents, mental health professionals, and corporate funders. The current board best represents corporate funders and also mental health professionals. Expanded engagement and board recruitment should include underrepresented communities and youth advocates with lived mental health experience. These individuals would serve as board members, advisory council participants, and community ambassadors. Strategy 1: Youth Advisory Board with Compensation Structure Overview Establish a paid Youth Advisory Board comprising 12-15 young people (ages 16-25) representing diverse backgrounds, identities, and experiences with mental health. This board would inform organizational strategy, program design, and communications. Who Benefits Young people gain leadership experience, professional development, and financial compensation for their expertise. JED benefits from authentic youth perspectives on program effectiveness. Partner schools and communities ben...