Become a Young Tongues Trustee

Help shape the future of support, research and care for young people facing tongue cancer worldwide.

Young Tongues is seeking new trustees to join our board and help guide the future of a growing global charity dedicated to supporting young people affected by tongue cancer.

Young Tongues provides essential peer support and practical resources for patients diagnosed aged 18–64 worldwide. Through our digital community, virtual meet-ups, advocacy work and collaborations with clinicians and researchers, we ensure that young people facing tongue cancer are supported, heard and represented.

As the only organisation globally dedicated to supporting young people affected by tongue cancer, we are entering an exciting phase of growth. Our next chapter includes strengthening the sustainability of the charity, launching a new Patient Hub to improve access to trusted information, developing a global Patient Insight Platform, influencing research and clinical practice, and increasing awareness to support earlier diagnosis.

We are now seeking committed and engaged individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help shape this work.

What We Are Looking For

The board agreed that the most important qualities for new trustees are:

• Engagement with the mission of Young Tongue

• Reliability and availability to contribute to board activities

• Commitment to supporting the charity’s growth and impact

Previous trustee or governance experience would be highly beneficial, though not essential for the right candidate.

We are particularly interested in candidates who bring experience in one or more of the following areas:

Legal expertise

• charity law

• contracts

• data governance

This would support the charity as it grows and develops new initiatives such as the Young Tongues Patient Insight Platform, and strengthens its role as a Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) partner working with industry and academic researchers.

Healthcare or research sector insight

• clinical research or academic research

• healthcare systems or policy

• experience working in head and neck oncology or related fields

• clinicians who work directly with tongue cancer patients

This expertise would help ensure our work is clinically informed and safe, while strengthening relationships with healthcare professionals and researchers worldwide to help influence best practice,research priorities and policy.

Fundraising and network-building

• major donor fundraising and philanthropy

• trust and foundation grant funding

• corporate partnerships and sponsorships

• developing strategic fundraising plans

• building networks that open doors to funders, partners and supporters

This expertise will help Young Tongues strengthen its sustainability and expand its impact.

International or global organisations

• international charities

• global health networks

• cross-border organisations

This expertise would support the global nature of the Young Tongues community, helping us build relationships across countries and healthcare systems and develop a strategy that ensures our work reflects and represents the diverse experiences of the global Young Tongues community.

Young Tongues was founded by a patient and remains strongly guided by the voices of those who have experienced tongue cancer. We deeply value lived experience in shaping our strategic decisions and welcome applications from individuals who have personally experienced the impact of tongue cancer as a patient or carer, alongside candidates who bring independent professional expertise.

Our aim is to maintain a balanced board that combines lived experience, clinical insight and professional expertise to strengthen the charity’s impact.

The Role of a Trustee

Trustees are responsible for the strategic oversight and governance of the charity.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensuring the charity operates in line with its mission and charitable objectives

• Supporting strategic development and organisational sustainability

• Providing oversight of governance, risk and financialmanagement

• Acting as ambassadors for the charity and helping build networks and partnerships

Time Commitment

Board meetings are held quarterly via a virtual platform.

Meetings take place:

• On a Thursday at 17:30 (UK time)

• During the third week of the relevant quarter (April, July, October, January)

• Meetings typically last 1–2 hours, with approximately one hour of preparation time

There may also be opportunities to contribute to project-specificwork outside board meetings. Subject to funding, the board hopes to hold oneannual in-person strategy day in London.

Why Join Young Tongues?

Joining the Young Tongues board offers the opportunity to:

• Help shape the future of the only global support charity for young tongue cancer patients

• Ensure the patient voice drives research, policy and care improvements

• Contribute to innovative initiatives such as the Patient Hub or the Patient Insight Platform

• Work alongside a passionate group of trustees committed to improving outcomes for young patients worldwide

How to Apply

Interested candidates are invited to complete the trustee application form available here.

Application deadline: 31 March 2026

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview during April 2026.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact our CEO & Founder, Barbara Fountain, at: [email protected]

Young Tongues welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive board.