It’s Trustees Week, a chance to celebrate the achievements of trustees and thank them for the time, commitment and effort they bring to their charities to help them thrive. 

The role of a trustee is to govern a charity and direct how it is managed and run. The opportunity comes with amazing benefits not only to communities but to the trustee themselves; helping them to develop valuable skills in a rewarding role.

Many of our colleagues at The National Lottery Community Fund are also trustees outside of work. Here’s what a few of them had to say about their experiences. 

Some advice if you want to become a trustee – Áine

“I joined a young people’s mental health charity as a Trustee about 18 months ago and am now Co-Chair. I wanted to use my work experience in funding and my own experiences with poor mental health to make a difference to a charity.

“I’d say if you were interested in being a trustee, look for the right charity that fits with your own passions and interests as you could be offering up a fair bit of your time and energy so it’ll be a hundred times more rewarding if it’s for an issue you really believe in.

“Also, don’t be put off if you haven’t done it before or think others will have more experience than you. A good Board of Trustees is made up of lots of personality types and should welcome different perspectives and life experiences. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share your opinion. Challenge is part of the role and helps charities to grow.”

Being a trustee led me to changing my career – Marie

“I was originally a volunteer for the charity that I am now a Trustee for. Being a trustee led to me changing careers. I used to be miserable working in Property Management and through my volunteering I decided that I wanted a job that made me feel like I was helping people.

“I have had a few different roles on the board and sat on different sub-groups which is great as I continue to learn new skills. It feels really rewarding when you speak to staff or meet families at events and hear how the charity has helped them. 

“My favourite moment was when some of the board went along to our new premises. “I am part of the working group for the project, so I felt really emotional being in the building and seeing plans for how it will look when the charity moves in. Standing with my hard hat on I felt really proud to be part of the project and it will be amazing to see the building used as a community space again.”   

The benefits of being a trustee – Katie

“I knew from working in the third sector that it is important for boards to be representative of the communities they serve. I felt that  as a young person, I had ideas and opinions that could be useful to the running of a community organisation.

“Being a trustee is fulfilling – as a trustee I consider myself a proud ambassador of the great work our staff and volunteers do in building relationships and supporting people through gardening and outdoor play.  

“It also brings professional benefits – you get involved with a wide range of things like accounts, HR work like interviewing, and funding. You also get to help set the strategy for the organisation, which is really exciting.”