![\"julie](\"http:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/miles-weaver\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/06\/julie-1.png\")
<\/p>\nFor those of you who have been following #trusteehour on twitter, you\u2019ll know that Miles Weaver and I are pretty motivated by supporting others to take on a charity trustee role with confidence.\u00a0 We\u2019re both involved in a range of projects connected with this end in mind.<\/p>\n
There is, however, a reality check sometimes.\u00a0\u00a0 When I was speaking about charity trustee roles with an audience from a Young Person\u2019s Network, I was left with a sense of a roomful of 20-somethings keen to have come along to find out more, but some of whom were daunted by the prospect of what might be involved.\u00a0 Some young people do indeed take on charity trustee roles, and talk positively about that experience.\u00a0 These contributions to #trusteehour prove the point:<\/p>\n
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For others, it may feel like too much too soon.<\/p>\n
If only there could be a way to gain experience, without being exposed to the full legal duties and responsibilities involved\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n
At the \u2018Unconference\u2019 session during the Trustees\u2019 Week 2017 event in Edinburgh, I facilitated a workshop group exploring ideas around how to encourage a pipeline of new (and younger) trustees.\u00a0 The concept of an apprenticeship was discussed. A charity would however need to have time and resources to support the creation of this kind of temporary role.\u00a0 For busy and stretched charities, this might not always be easy.<\/p>\n
Since the Unconference session, we\u2019ve been thinking about how to help fill this gap.\u00a0 After some discussions with umbrella groups to test the concept, we\u2019re now ready to rollout Committee Pathways.<\/p>\n
Committee Pathways is intended to be an enabling online platform where committee role vacancies can be shared.\u00a0 It lives on twitter @Pathways_C<\/p>\n
For those following the competency pathway for trustees in use at Edinburgh Napier University, a committee role would be one way to gain some governance-related experience.\u00a0 At the same time, a committee role might be exactly the right \u2018fit\u2019 for someone of any age happy to share their expertise with a charity in a non-trustee role, finding that the time commitment better reflects what they\u2019re able to take on.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the first selection of committee roles shared:<\/p>\n
![\"julie](\"http:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/miles-weaver\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/06\/julie-2.png\")
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![\"julie](\"http:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/miles-weaver\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/06\/julie-3.png\")
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Now, to turn to the supply side.\u00a0 Does your charity\u2019s governing document allow non-trustees to be co-opted onto committees?\u00a0 Could your charity do with a few extra pairs of hands on one or more of your committees?\u00a0 If the answers are \u2018yes\u2019, then we can help to publicise your vacancies.<\/p>\n
If your charity is on twitter, tweet about your vacancy, with a role profile and closing date.\u00a0 Use the handle @Pathways_C and we\u2019ll spot and share your vacancy online.\u00a0 If you\u2019re not on twitter, could someone else help to post your vacancy online?<\/p>\n
The second half of 2018 will be a pilot to gauge how this approach might help to support attracting new entrants into future trustee roles.\u00a0 It\u2019s entirely possible that a committee role could later lead to a board role opportunity.\u00a0\u00a0 Taking on a committee role enables someone to get to know a charity, find out more about how it operates \u2018on the inside\u2019 and get to know others involved in running the charity.\u00a0 It could be a positive volunteering experience in itself and a great confidence-builder and pathway towards a future trustee role.<\/p>\n
The supply and demand side both need to emerge for Committee Pathways to have impact.\u00a0 Time will tell.\u00a0 We\u2019re offering this as a pilot for the second half of the year, and we\u2019ll see how it goes.\u00a0 It\u2019s the theme for July\u2019s #trusteehour on Thursday 19th<\/sup> July 8-9pm \u2013 join the conversation online @trusteehour to explore more.<\/p>\n Julie Hutchison, 13 June 2018<\/p>\n Founder @InformedTrustee<\/p>\n Co-Founder @trusteehour and @Pathways_C<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For those of you who have been following #trusteehour on twitter, you\u2019ll know that Miles Weaver and I are pretty motivated by supporting others to take on a charity trustee role with confidence.\u00a0 We\u2019re both involved in a range of projects connected with this end in mind. There is, however, a reality check sometimes.\u00a0\u00a0 When … Continue reading Launching Committee Pathways, June 2018<\/span>