Charities don't have a shortage of talent. They have a shortage of people who realise trusteeship is for them.
When people hear the word trustee, they tend to picture someone else.
Perhaps a retired professional. A former chief executive. Someone comfortable discussing governance, constitutions and board papers over coffee.
Not themselves.
The voluntary sector bears some responsibility for this. We have a habit of speaking in a language that makes perfect sense to those already involved, but can feel impenetrable to everyone else. Governance. Safeguarding. Constitutions. Trustees.
For many charities, these are everyday terms. For someone thinking about getting involved for the first time, they can sound like reasons not to.
Trusteeship is often far simpler than it appears. At its heart, being a trustee is about helping an organisation succeed. It’s about caring enough about a cause to give some of your time, share your perspective and help make good decisions.
Of course, expertise matters and charities need people who understand finance, HR, legal responsibilities and leadership. But expertise isn’t the only thing boards need.
A conversation about accessibility can quickly become a discussion about signs, ramps and websites. Somebody with different experiences might ask a completely different question: “Would I feel welcome here in the first place?”. That’s not a technical question but it might well be the most important one asked all day.
The best boards understand that experience comes in many forms. Professional knowledge matters, but so too does lived experience. So does curiosity. So does being prepared to say, “I’m not sure we’ve looked at this from every angle.”
Trusteeship has long been seen as something people do towards the end of their careers. Yet some of the most interesting perspectives come from people who are earlier in theirs.
People from different generations can bring a different understanding of technology, communication and community life. Carers see the world differently. People living with long-term health conditions see things others may overlook. People arriving from entirely different sectors ask questions that long-established boards may never think to ask.
The challenge is that many people who could become excellent trustees never put themselves forward.
Sometimes opportunities simply don’t reach them. Sometimes they assume they aren’t qualified enough. Sometimes they look at a trustee advert and conclude that somebody with more experience should apply instead.
And sometimes, if we’re honest, we’ve made trusteeship sound far more complicated than it really is.
We need to explain opportunities in the language of simplicity, meeting people where they are and dropping the assumption that everyone understands how the sector works.
After all, most people don’t spend their lives thinking about governance structures. They have jobs, families, caring responsibilities, hobbies and communities and the idea of becoming a trustee only enters their world if somebody makes it visible.
Yet charities and community groups are being asked to navigate increasingly complex challenges. They need good governance, strong leadership and thoughtful decision-making. They also need people who will bring fresh thinking, challenge assumptions and occasionally ask the awkward question everyone else has missed.
The strongest boards aren’t the ones where everybody thinks alike, they’re the ones where different experiences come together around a shared purpose.
The good news is there are great people out there. The challenge is helping them see that their place at the table is empty.
You can find out more about becoming a trustee here.
Grahame Paine: Grahame is a member of the Somerset Integrated Care Board and has a career spanning health and social care, education, consulting and financial services. He has experience of influencing high level strategies to drive change and helping Boards achieve their strategic goals.
Meet the rest of our trustees and Spark team here
