Five Reasons You Should Be A Young Trustee

Ok, I can’t guarantee you’ll meet in a room like this, but still…

Are you a young person who is interested in being a Trustee?

You can join our community on LinkedIn of nearly 5000 members- some of whom are young trustees, some who want to be Trustees, some who are looking for young trustees and some who just support Board Diversity.

What are the reasons that you should be a young trustee?

I’ll give you 5 key ones:

1- You want to give something back

You might care about a cause because it fits with your beliefs or it might be that you have a personal connection- via a friend or family member. If a charity has helped you or those you care about, being a Trustee is a great way to give something back.

As with any form of volunteering (and most Trustee positions are unpaid) you will have the chance to give something back to the world and make a difference.

2- You want to make a contribution to a cause you care about

This is one of the biggest reasons why a lot of young people want to be Trustees- they care deeply about a cause and they want to help.

Of course, being a Trustee is not the only way that you can support a cause but it is one of the most powerful ones. If you want to change the world sitting on a Board isn’t a bad way to start!

3- You want to learn more about yourself

Being a Trustee is a great way to learn about yourself. You have to use all of the information at your disposal to make decisions that affect the lives of real people. That is an awesome responsibility (but it is never you taking the decision on your own- you will be taking decisions as a Board) but a great way to learn more about who you are and what you stand for.

Trustees know that they have to juggle a lot of competing demands for the resources of the charity- what will you prioritize and why?

4- You want to grow as a professional

Being a Trustee will look great on your CV and there is no shame in that being a motivating factor for you. You want to help a cause but you also want to build your own career and to have the opportunity to develop and grow.

It is likely that your Board role will expose you to new situations and challenges and will stretch you in various ways. You will have the chance to learn from other Board members- most if not all of them with more working experience than you- and if the charity you support has staff, you will get to learn from them too.

You will also learn and grow by sharing your existing skills with the organisation and putting them to good use. Maybe you are currently in a job where you don’t feel you are being used to your fullest potential. Trusteeship can put your talents to work!

5- You want to be part of a community

When you become a Trustee you instantly become part of a community- not just of the particular Board you join but also the community of all Trustees in general and young trustees in particular. You will find that even if you meet someone who is a Trustee at a very different charity to the one you serve, there will be lots of common links and lots to learn from each other. When I was starting off in the charity sector and working at a small charity with few networks, feeling that I could talk to other Trustees was a hugely empowering thing.

Remember if you want to join our community on LinkedIn you can find it here- it is free and simple to join. Whether you want to ask questions, build your connections or look out for Trustee opportunities, you will find it here.

Please spread the word!