Trustees’ Week 2022 (7-11 November)

Trustees’ Week is a time  to celebrate the achievements of over 1 million trustees across the UK.  The theme this year is making a difference in changing times. As our external environment continues to change, we face new challenges. The positive impact you make as a trustee is invaluable to a sector that is now as important as ever to benefit society. Thank you for the time, commitment and effort you bring to your charities to help them thrive.

At Volunteer Now, we’d like to say an extra special Thank You to our own Board of Trustees for all their hard work!

Here’s what one of our Trustees, Helen Connolly, says about becoming a Board Member:

“I have worked in the field of volunteering of over 15 years so joining the board of Volunteer Now felt like a natural fit in some ways.  It was an organisation I was familiar with and knew first hand of the impact they have on strengthening volunteering in Northern Ireland.  Seeing myself as a board member was not a natural fit however and deciding to become a Trustee was a decision which pushed me outside my comfort zone.

 Reflecting on this decision 3 years later, being a Trustee has benefited my own professional development in ways I could not have foreseen, especially with the development of leadership skills.  Being able to contribute in a strategic way to a cause I care deeply about motivates me to pay attention to the spreadsheets and conversations about finance and governance which 3 years ago I would have said were completely over my head.

One of the best things about being a Trustee is working with and building relationships with people from completely different professional spheres. There are very few opportunities where you get access to that level of networking and learning.

Boards need more people from a variety of backgrounds to get involved. I am a big believer in the importance of diversity of thought, so if you are the sort of person who doesn’t see yourself as a board member maybe you are just the type of trustee your personal cause needs”.

Find out more:

• Visit Trustees’ Week website: trusteesweek.org/
• View Good Governance publications on our website: www.volunteernow.co.uk/publication-category/volunteer-management/
• View training courses on our website: www.volunteernow.co.uk/training/

• The DIY Committee Guide is a resource for people working to improve the governance in their organisations by implementing the Code of Good Governance: www.diycommitteeguide.org/

Volunteering Opportunities:

Volunteering as a trustee is a great way to use your skills and experience to make a difference to an organisation or a cause you care about.  Here are a few organisations currently recruiting new Board Members – for a full selection of opportunities have a look at the Opportunity Search on our website.

• Young Lives Vs Cancer: Volunteer Voice Board Member (UK wide)
• Parkinson’s UK: Branch Treasurer (Lisburn)
• RNLI: Remuneration Committee Member (NI wide)
• Abbeyfield & Wesley: Board Member (Carrickfergus)
• Enniskillen Credit Union: Credit Union Director (Enniskillen)
• Community Advice Newry, Mourne & Down (CANMD): Trustee Board Volunteer (Newry, Mourne & Down area)
• NI Open Government Network: Treasurer & Director to the Board (NI wide)
• Belfast Homeless Services: Trustee (Belfast)
• Community Advice Armagh: Trustee Board Member (Armagh)
• New Horizons Partnership Ltd: Board members/Trustees (all skill-sets) (Strabane)
• Milford House Armagh: Trustee Director Volunteer (Armagh)
• First Steps Women’s Centre: Volunteer Board Member (Dungannon)
• Lagan Valley Rural Transport: Member to the Board of Directors (Lisburn)