What a way to kick off our 2022-23 season!

Thank you to everyone who joined our Becoming a Trustee event on Wednesday 21 September and contributed to such a lively discussion.

A huge thank you to our wonderful panel, Amy Bullard, Coordinator at Action for Trustee Racial Diversity UK , Mita Desai, CEO of the Young Trustees Movement and Sarah Gee, Chief Executive of Spitalfields Music,  for sharing such valuable insights on how to demystify ‘being a Trustee’, the value of diverse perspectives and why you should feel empowered to join a Board.

If you missed the event, here is some key advice from the discussion:

• Joining a Board may sounds daunting, but it is an incredible platform for learning and professional development. First of all, understand what a Trustee does and think of the value you can bring.
• Know your worth: you may not have years of experiences or a black book of high-level donors, but you can bring in a whole set of skills (especially as fundraisers), unique perspectives, lived experience of the charity’s activity, or more. All this is invaluable to inform a charity’s vision and keep an open dialogue in governance – so don’t give into imposter syndrome!
• Being a Trustee is one of the greatest things you can do for your career, but it does involve time and legal responsibilities – get your employer on board, ask for time off if needed, and make sure you are committed to the role. If you don’t have a lot of time, consider being a shadow trustee or get involved in a trustee training programme.
• At the same time, establish your boundaries – it is unpaid labour after all! Identify what you’re happy to do, know you have the right to ask and choose what is right for you within that system.
• Don’t wait to become a Trustee to learn about trusteeship: look at sector news, read available guidance – over 75% of trustee recruitment is done by word of mouth, so if you’re thinking of becoming a Trustee, start asking your network for introductions – you never know what may come of it!

Resources and opportunities

If you want to find out more about becoming a trustee, check out some key resources below

If you’re ready to apply, below are some exciting organisations currently recruiting for Board members and/or Young Trustees:

• La Folia – music company based in Salisbury, looking for Board members
• The Watermill Theatre – exciting regional theatre recruiting for Trustees
• Artichoke – currently looking for Young Trustees aged 18-25
• Upstart Projects – recruiting Trustees with interest in promoting opportunities for young people
• Theatre Deli – looking for a Trainee Trustee to join from October 2022
• Paines Plough – recruiting for Trustees and a Chair

And finally…

Make sure you’re signed up to the YAF Newsletter to be the first to hear about our upcoming events, or check out what’s coming up on our Events page.