By Vicki Owen
Women should consider board level volunteering – as charity trustees, school governors, or on the boards of public bodies – to gain experience, according to the charity Getting on Board.
The charity argues that the appointment of Jasmine Whitbread, chief executive of Save the Children International, as a non-executive director of BT, is a great example of how high-level skills acquired in the voluntary sector can make a significant contribution to the private sector.
Increasingly, those who have had senior roles in charities are recognised as being able to bring particular benefits to private companies.
Lady Verma, Conservative spokesperson on Women in the House of Lords, says: ‘Board level bolunteering is an excellent way for women to develop their skills and prepare themsevles for future responsible roles, both in the community and in their professional lives.’
A spokesperson for Getting on Board says: ‘The role of a trustee or governor is comparable to that of a director of a company – the trustees of a charity are responsible for the strategy of the organisation, ensuring that it maintains its stated vision. It is a responsible role, and, at the same time, brings enormous personal satisfaction.’
The charity says there is a great demand for young people on boards, as well as for women, representatives of BME groups and people with disabilities.
Around half of all the 169,000 charities in the UK have at least one vacancy on their board, at any one time, and there are 300,000 governor places in England, with 40,000 vacancies.
Beth Murray, with Getting on Board’s help, became a trustee of Bag Books. She says: ‘Volunteering allows me to not only feel that I’m making a social difference, but allows me to build skills that will stand me in good stead professionally. Getting on Board helped me to find Bag Books, an incredible charity that produces story books for people with profound learning disabilities.
‘It’s been so interesting applying my professional skills in an entirely new sector. I thought that my age might factor against me getting on a board, but I soon found that charities are crying out for young, motivated professionals.’
>> For more about board level volunteering, and how you can improve your CV and develop your skills, whilst ‘putting something back’ into society, contact Sarah Hodgkinson, at Getting on Board: sarah@gettingonboard.org.
No Comments on this post