November 4th – 10th is Trustee week.
Since Emmaus SLC’s conception in 2007, we have had the pleasure of working with numerous fantastic Trustees whose input has greatly benefitted our charity. Today we are talking to an Emmaus SLC staff member who has lots of experience as a trustee.
Trustees are people who volunteer to make sure a charity is working within the law and shapes the development and strategy of the charity. It is their oversight which helps Emmaus SLC to maintain our effectiveness and expand what we offer to Companions and our wider community.
Trustees can come from all sections of society. Each brings with them the unique skills that a charity needs to safely function. For this, they rely on the advice of senior managers to make their decisions.
We spoke to Danny, who prior to being the Head of Finance & Community for Emmaus SLC, was a Trustee from 2007 – 2010. He is currently a Trustee for London Catalyst and talked to us about his experience.
In your own words, can you please describe what you do as a Trustee?
I was a Trustee for Emmaus SLC (or Emmaus Lambeth, as it was called at the time) when it first opened. I worked towards setting up the new community, its governance, ensuring we could obtain the Housing Benefit to which we were entitled etc. It was a unique experience helping establish a new Emmaus community and I did not expect to be working here in the future!
My current work as a Trustee is with London Catalyst, a grant making trust. I am Chair of its Grant Scrutiny Committee. Our geographical remit is Greater London, and we set out the relevant criteria for people to apply for grants. Our main aim is to alleviate the effects of poverty and to improve the health and well-being of Londoners. We have two types of grants: Project grants for catalytic projects and Samaritan grants for organisations to be able to make small but important payments such as travel assistance, mobile phone top-ups etc.
What attracted you to be a Trustee for Emmaus SLC?
Being a Trustee for Emmaus SLC was my first major volunteering role. I wanted a position that was local and utilised my finance skills. I knew homelessness was a sector I wanted to get involved in and when I found Emmaus SLC online, I decided to apply.
Why did you decide to be a Trustee for London Catalyst?
I was approached by an existing Trustee from London Catalyst to apply, because they were aware of my knowledge and experience in the homeless sector, and they believed I would be a good addition to the Board. I also had extensive volunteering experience with various charities for the previous 10+ years, so they knew that would also be beneficial.
What makes being a Trustee worth it to you?
For me, it is contributing to a good cause. I love the work that London Catalyst does. As someone who has volunteered and worked in the homeless sector for years, it still amazes me when I see via the grant applications the range and extent of volunteering generally across London. It is great to see people give their time to volunteer across London. I go out 3-4 times a year to see first-hand the projects we are supporting.
It is also an opportunity to develop my own skills and experience by networking with other trustees from different sectors. We have an excellent and diverse Board at London Catalyst, and I have learnt a lot from them over the last five years.
Are there specific examples where you have seen your work as a Trustee make a difference?
London Catalyst provided Street Storage with one of their first grants when they started. It has been brilliant to see the way they have developed and grown since then. We recently visited Croydon Refugee Day Centre, who do excellent work supporting asylum seekers and refugees, and we are hoping to support them too in future. One of the reasons why I like being a Trustee is because it gives me the opportunity to help smaller charities.
Finally, would you recommend being a Trustee?
I would highly recommend it. It is a brilliant opportunity to develop new skills, offer your existing skills and contribute to good causes and learn from other people. Set aside the time, put in the work, and the commitment will pay off.
I really appreciate our current Board at Emmaus SLC. They do an excellent job, and the Senior Leadership Team, staff and Companions really value what they do.
Next week we will post interviews with two of Trustees, Jess and Ravi.