People volunteer to be a trustee for all sorts of reasons. Often it’s a passion for a particular cause, or perhaps a personal connection with an organisation. In my case it started with a conversation in a pub with a friend who worked for a charity.

It struck me that without thousands of such organisations doing what they do, our society would be a far poorer place in so many ways. Whether a big national charity or a few people getting together to do something good for their neighbourhood, they all make a positive difference to someone. What became equally clear was that this great work cannot be done without trustees giving a little of their time to help with the running of the organisations doing it.

I decided to find out if my experience in the commercial world could be of use as a trustee. The answer of course was yes. In fact any type of experience, commercial or otherwise, can be extremely valuable to a range of organisations.  Everybody has something they can bring.

In signing up as a trustee what I didn’t anticipate was just how much I was going to get personally out of my time in the role. As well as the sense of doing something worthwhile, I’ve met some terrific people and worked with them across a real mix of activity. I’ve also learned a huge amount and the opportunity to continue learning looks endless.

The idea of becoming a trustee can understandably look daunting at first. But, as I’ve found out, all the help you need is there from the organisation you join or from support organisations like OCVA.

Matthew Mycock

Trustee (Treasurer) OCVA