People & Planet Student Trustee Elections
People & Planet is a student-led movement and network. That's why students make up over half of our governing body, the Board of Trustees, which oversees the work that People & Planet does.
About the elections
This year, we are looking for three new student trustees to our board! Nominations open in January 2025 but you can find out all you need to know about the roles below.
What's the role?
Student trustees are elected to carry out a three-year term on our Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing the long-term strategy, governance and sustainability of People & Planet. As a student trustee, you will play a vital role in steering the work of the organisation and ensuring it remains student-led.
To learn more about the responsibilities of our student trustees, check out the full student trustee job description and read this short guide put together by the Charity Commission: The Essential Trustee - 6 Main Duties.
Why become a student trustee?
People & Planet is a student-led movement and network. This means students not only set the direction and development of our campaigns, but also steer how we operate as an organisation.
We therefore:
- support campaigns that our student network has democratically chosen;
- provide training to empower students to run the campaigns of their choice;
- have over 50% elected student representation on our Board of Trustees and;
- have a student Chair of the Board of Trustees.
The Board of Trustees guides the long-term planning, finances and legal existence of People & Planet. It works to oversee all the work the organisation does, and to make sure that it’s working in the best interests of student campaigners. This is why having a majority of student trustees around the table is so important: you know what’s affecting activism in your universities first-hand.
As a student trustee, you will play a crucial role in ensuring our movement is student-led and remains a radical, sustainable and powerful force standing up for social and environmental justice.
Meet current and former student trustees
If elected, you would be joining a team of democratically elected student members and also non-student members drawn from other organisations for their areas of expertise.
Meet the current board of trustees
"Joining P&P as a student trustee has been a brilliant experience. Working with the team here is so much fun. Being a trustee has given me a whole new perspective on environmental activism and deepened my understanding of what it takes to win a campaign. Not only has it given me a behind the scenes view, it has provided opportunities to learn and upskill myself to be able to take on a more organisational responsibility in the future. It's a commitment and does require some time investment but its so worth it to work with amazing people and keep fighting for a better world."
Pete Ferguson, current student trustee
'I have been a part of Bath university People & Planet since my second year at university, and became a trustee in my third year. As a trustee I got to see the organisation work at a deeper level, have a direct say in an organisation I care about, and gain the satisfaction that I am having a positive contribution. It is a fulfilling role as I get to be a part of People & Planet as an organisation and also be involved with the campaigns in my university. In my time as a trustee, I have also met amazing individuals who share my passion for a sustainable and peaceful future and who continue to motivate me."
Mueez Abdurrahman, former student trustee
FAQs
Who can nominate themselves to be a student trustee?
Any student at a UK university involved in People & Planet on their campus can nominate themselves to be a student trustee. You don’t need to be part of an official People & Planet society on your campus. If you help run the Fossil Free, Fossil Free Careers or Divest Borders campaign on your campus (even if part of a different society) then you can nominate yourself. You have to be a current student when you nominate yourself but not for your three years as a student trustee (eg. you can nominate yourself to be a student trustee in your final year of university and be a student trustee for the next two years)
What does being a student trustee involve?
As a student trustee you are expected to attend four Board of Trustee meetings each year that take place over Zoom or in different locations around the UK. BoT meetings normally take place on a Saturday from 11-4pm. People & Planet cover your travel expenses to and from these meetings. You are expected to support with overseeing the work the organisation does, and to make sure that it’s working in the best interests of student campaigners. As a student trustee you are expected to participate in working groups which complete tasks outside of Board meetings, and maintain good communication with the rest of the Board and P&P staff. You can additionally choose to support different bits of work that People & Planet do, whether your interest is in fundraising, campaign strategy or growing the network.
How do the elections work?
Anyone who is currently a student at a UK university and is involved in People & Planet on their campus are eligible to vote. Voting is done online via the online voting and elections website http://www.opavote.com.
Voting is done using proportional representation, using the Single Transferable Vote system which is a system of ranking candidates in order of preference so that the candidates with the broadest support win. Check out this short video from Southampton Students' Union which explains the Single Transferable Vote system in 2 minutes with Homer Simpson!
2025 election timetable:
16 Jan - Nominations and voter registration opens
04 Feb - Online info session - Everything you need to know about being a student trustee
09 Feb - Nominations close
13 Feb - Online candidate briefing - All your questions answered on the election campaign
02 Mar - Voter registration closes (at 23:59)
03 Mar - Voting opens
09 Mar - Voting closes (at 12:00)
When will I find out the results?
We will email you with the results on the day voting closes, and will be announcing the winners at this year's Power Shift event! We'll also share the news on social media!
What happens if I win?
People & Planet will be in contact with you soon after to talk about your induction, which will be set of online training sessions about P&P and your responsibilities as a trustee. You will also be invited to observe a Board of Trustees meeting that takes place in March (if you're available) to see what it's like before you take up your post. Your first official Board of Trustees meeting that you are expected to attend will be in June 2025.