Could you be a Trustee?

It’s one of those things where you assume you’ve got to be a certain age, have a certain number of years experience, have 56 things on your CV.

But you might not have to jump through as many hoops as you think to become a Trustee of a homelessness charity. 

In fact, there are probably quite a few charities out there that want you just as you are. It’s less about what you’ve done and more about what you can do.

In recent years, lots of charities have struggled to get core funding to support the central functions of their organisation. Funders often award money to cover frontline delivery, but very few want to fund things like management, HR, finance, IT, marketing and comms or even fundraising.

The thing is, these specialisms are just as important to a well-run charity as the frontline work, and without them, the frontline work simply can’t happen.

So, more and more, charities are looking for people with these skills to join their boards – to give up a bit of time to help guide and advise staff in these areas. 

By coming in as a Trustee with experience in one (or more) of those areas, you can really help boost a charities capacity and help them operate and innovate. 

Being a Trustee in the homelessness sector can be incredibly rewarding. Not only will you get Director-level experience but you’ll get it in a real boardroom environment, where the decisions you make are potentially life changing for those your charity supports. You have the opportunity to make a real, lasting impact.

Lauren Rosegreen is a Trustee for Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity. As the Policy and Influence Manager for Macc, she enables Manchester’s non-profit sector to influence policy decisions that directly affect the communities they work in.

She says,

Becoming a trustee for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity is one of the best professional experiences I’ve had.  As a young mixed-race female, I bring an alternative perspective to discussions, so feel like I am making a tangible difference to the charity. 

Over the last 2 years, my confidence has grown immensely. I’ve developed a well-rounded understanding of governance and been exposed to a range of new experiences that I otherwise wouldn’t have had (I never thought I’d be promoting DJ battles or cheering on teams as they pull buses!). 

It’s been a great way to build relationships with fellow trustees and make a lasting impact on the homelessness eco-system in Greater Manchester – I can’t recommend being a trustee more.’

To search for trustee positions near you, click here.

To learn more about how you can volunteer effectively, take a look at Volunteer For Good.