Trustee Elections
Why Become A Trustee ?
Current student Trustee Devarshi tells us why students should stand as a Discovery Trustee.
“I think all students should have the opportunity to become a Trustee because it provides an excellent opportunity to get involved in something they care about. I loved having a say in how the charity is run and working with new people, who are now my lifelong friends. For me, as well as the personal growth and the confidence, I’ve also gained invaluable experience in the third sector which will help me with my professional career.
Being a trustee, means that you have the ultimate legal responsibility for the financial matters and procedures of Discovery. The Board of Trustees has a responsibility not to implement any policies which has damaging implications or breaches the law. This does sound quite daunting, but you get full support, working alongside dedicated staff and students. Coming from a background in corporate law and finance, I have really enjoyed this level of leadership and gained such effective managerial professional skills. Less than 3% of charity trustees are under the age of 30; Discovery has given me hands on experience in a huge role, that many people my age wouldn’t get to experience, which makes me a more desirable candidates in the roles I wish to apply in the near future.
The amount of hands on work can vary, for example in my case, I am a non-portfolio student trustee, and I chair my own subcommittee, Finance and Fundraising, which feeds back to the main trustee group. I also attend the AGM and BOT meetings, which occurs once or twice a year. It can be really fulfilling to see everything in action and the real-world impact of your own work, especially since I share the same set of values or ethos of the charity and assisting Discovery to fulfil its purpose and continue to grow and develop.
Being a trustee during the pandemic, has been quite difficult at times, and has provided many challenges. This has shown me that I am able to adapt quite easily, as the situation needed, and helped me acquire a new range of transferrable skills, which I have been able to use outside my work with Discovery, such as my position as the Asian Society President. Ensuring a diverse trustee board has benefits for the board, the charity, and those who benefit from what the charity does. In 2021, charity boards remain less diverse than the FTSE 100, just 36% of trustees being women and 8% are people of colour. Personally, being an Asian female student, diversity and inclusion is very important to me and supporting a charity like Discovery, that champions diversity at all levels, is very important, and ensures that the charity is reflective of the community it serves. I recommend everyone being a Trustee at Discovery as it’s a very friendly and inclusive place to develop new skills, while also having fun with your friends. If you’re interested in applying, you can find more information and the form on the Discovery page, and the deadline is 12th November at 10am.”