Is anybody here a charity trustee?

bogstandard2 · 23 March 2018 at 7:51PM

A local charity I'm already vaguely involved with is seeking trustees.

I'm in a bit of a career rut - not had a change for a few years - and think it would be interesting as well as motivational for me. I'm genuinely passionate about the charity. They've made it quite clear what the time commitment would be and I can manage it.

However I'm only in my early 30's. I'm a middle manager at a well-known company.

Am I the kind of person they'd want or would I get laughed out of the room (or email inbox)? It's only a local charity, not a multi-million pound operation.

All of their other trustees look quite a bit older but perhaps that means that a younger voice would be welcome?

Additionally, what are your experiences? Does it end up being more hassle than it's worth? I mean, I expect it's always rewarding, but is there a lot of politics/cliques forming etc? Is it difficult to actually make your voice heard/effect change?

Thanks in advance for any experiences.

BorisThomson · 23 March 2018 at 8:00PM

I'm trustee for two charities, and late thirties.

One I'm the only female and the rest of trustees are all 60+, but I know my voice is respected and I'm valued for my technical skills. However I'm not sure if they'd have offered me the position if they weren't already aware of my skills.

The other charity is a younger group, all female and around our 40's. We're much less structured and don't require any particular skills just a commitment to the cause.

The first charity has a multimillion pound turnover, and the second around £5K. I'd expect a larger organisation to want more skills and experience than a smaller group.

Masomnia · 23 March 2018 at 8:08PM

I used to live with a girl who was the trustee of a charity at 23. Go for it if you're up for it!

Ames · 23 March 2018 at 8:23PM

I'm mid 30s and a trustee of a mid sized charity (income in the few hundred thousand range).

'Only' being in your 30s isn't a problem, I've been one since my mid 20s. A different perspective is often very useful.

I don't find there are politics and cliques between the trustees if that's what you mean. As for 'hassle'... it's stressful. Working on budgets, safeguarding issues, HR stuff. Depending on the charity it can be a huge responsibility - working with vulnerable people, for instance, or knowing that a lot of people rely on your decisions for their income.

One thing I will say is be absolutely sure you can meet the time commitment. It's not just attending the odd board meeting but reading paperwork in between. If something goes wrong there could be a lot of extra meetings.

Also, be sure about why you want to be a trustee. Is it a cause that you believe in, because you want to make a difference? Or do you want it for your CV, or to gain experience, or to socialise? Any of those are valid, but perhaps different charities would suit different reasons. For instance, a small community group where meetings are more about having a cuppa and a natter need different people to a larger charity which has a lot of legal obligations to meet.

And remember that there are legal obligations. I'm a member of a different charity and was shocked when I went to the AGM and found they were completely breaking the law. Another charity I'm a service user of seems to have been drastically mismanaged at a strategic level.

There are resources available to help you learn how to be a trustee - from online courses to real life courses and seminars.

bogstandard2 · 23 March 2018 at 8:38PM

Thanks everyone, this is really useful info. I'll have a think!

Detroit · 24 March 2018 at 10:51AM

I was a chair of trustees at 32 and the youngest person on the board.

Older people are overrepresented usually due to the practicalities of having more time in retirement rather than because it's desirable.

Ideally a trustee board should as far as possible represent the demographic of the community the charity serves.

If the charity knows what it's doing, you should be interviewed for the role and also offered the opportunity to find out more about the board, perhaps sitting in on a meeting before a final decision is made.

If they think you're suitable and the role appeals, I'd say go for it. Chances are you'll have the opportunity to get involved with work your day job may not offer, such as finances, strategic planning, governance and HR, which can be a real boost to your CV.

Not to mention its a really worthwhile thing to do.

bouicca21 · 25 March 2018 at 3:47PM

I'm twice the OP's age and my fellow trustees are of a similar age. We'd kill for someone younger to join us.

Mojisola · 25 March 2018 at 4:00PM

Ames wrote: »

And remember that there are legal obligations. I'm a member of a different charity and was shocked when I went to the AGM and found they were completely breaking the law. Another charity I'm a service user of seems to have been drastically mismanaged at a strategic level.

There are resources available to help you learn how to be a trustee - from online courses to real life courses and seminars.

I second this.

It's not just a token post - it's a serious thing to take on.

As others have said, our little charity would love to have some younger trustees - read up on the commitments and then go for it!

jobbingmusician · 25 March 2018 at 9:29PM

Absolutely. I've been a CEO for over 20 years, progressing through quite a few charities, and we'd always love to have some younger people. Only once did I regret having a younger person - when the Chair was an absolute !!!!! and developed an inner clique, and thought of some trustees as being 'more junior'. Fortunately it's fairly rare to have a Chair as stupid as that....

Is anybody here a charity trustee?

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