Liz Lowther is CEO of the Association of Chairs
At the Association of Chairs, we are on a mission. We want more people to be chairs and trustees. We want all kinds of people from all walks of life, all demographics, and all parts of the UK to think that being a trustee is something for them. Charities and other non-profit organisations need the best possible people to govern and guide their organisations. This is the case whether we are talking about charities, or schools, or housing associations, or NHS trusts, or community groups.
In this context, the new research from nfpResearch is both disappointing and encouraging! The disappointment is that so few people know anyone who is a trustee (just 8% say they definitely know a trustee) and so few would consider being a trustee (just 6% say they would definitely consider being a trustee). These low figures are disappointing. And the breakdown of ‘who says what’ shows that it is the usual suspects who score more highly – the AB social grades know more trustees, and men are more likely to say they would consider becoming one.
The encouraging news is that when nfpResearch asked about the motivations and barriers to consider being a trustee some clear preferences emerged. 32% of people said ‘not having time’ was a barrier to being a trustee, 31% said ‘not having the necessary skills and experience’ was a barrier, and 28% said being legally responsible worried them. These are all factors that a board can respond to: holding meetings online, emphasising the value of both lived and learnt experience and potential, and providing reassurance that the legal responsibility is not as burdensome as it sounds.
Similarly, the areas that would encourage people to be trustees were clear. 32% said training and support would encourage them and 24% said a clear job description would help. Interestingly, the 25-34 age group were much more likely to consider becoming trustees with training and support – 42% vs 32% for the sample overall. This is particularly encouraging because young people are one of the groups least likely to be a trustee, and training and support is within the power of any board.
nfpResearch has really helped illuminate how the general public sees trustees, and given food for thought about how trustee boards and the Association of Chairs can promote becoming a chair or trustee. The research findings further highlight the importance of charities investing in support and training for their boards – to develop current trustees and encourage potential ones to apply knowing that they will have the support to understand and carry out their roles effectively.
Fortunately, such support for boards already exists! The Association of Chairs offers a place for confidence, collaboration, and community for chairs and trustees, with training, networking, resources, and a peer network that understands the challenges of trusteeship. There are other organisations offering complementary support and services too, with some focusing particularly on increasing diversity and representation on boards, such as our friends at Board Racial Diversity UK and the Young Trustees Movement.
It is crucial that we keep on working together to support boards to turn the disappointing results around and into genuine progress for our sector, to the benefit of boards, organisations and communities.
Get the full picture:
Read nfp co-MD Tim's write-up of the Trustee research: The public’s understanding and perception of trustees
Read the Trustee research response from Felicia Willow (Interims for Impact)
Read the Trustee research response from Penny Wilson (Governance Consultant)