Scottish charities are being encouraged to take a longer-term approach to trustee recruitment, helping to build strong, diverse and sustainable boards for the future.

Planning ahead, looking beyond traditional recruitment routes and highlighting the personal and professional benefits of trusteeship can all help charities attract new talent to their boards. Taking a proactive approach to succession planning can help ensure they have the right mix of skills and experience for the future.

These are among the issues highlighted by Helen Kidd, Partner and Head of Charities and Third Sector at Lindsays, and Debbie Shields of executive search agency AVIIA, as they share their views during Trustees’ Week (9-13 November).

According to sector regulator OSCR, there are almost 152,000 charity trustee volunteers across the country, overseeing the work of 24,946 organisations on the Scottish Charity Register.

But many charities struggle to fill board and committee vacancies, particularly when looking for specific skills, such as experience in finance, fundraising, human resources and governance.

Planning ahead for trustee recruitment

Helen advises charitable organisations across Scotland and believes recruitment should be considered as part of a charity’s longer-term planning.

She said: “Trustees make an enormous contribution to charities and the wider sector.

“Quite simply, charities could not operate without people willing to take on these roles and the responsibilities that come with them.

“Finding people with the right mix of skills and experience can be challenging, particularly in areas such as finance, fundraising and governance. That is why trustee recruitment and succession planning should be an ongoing part of good governance, rather than something boards only think about when a vacancy arises.

“Trustee recruitment should be a constantly evolving picture. Boards should be looking ahead, thinking about the skills and experience they will need in the future and creating opportunities to bring new people into their organisation. Taking that longer-term approach can make a real difference when the time comes to recruit.”

Highlighting the benefits of trusteeship

Debbie Shields, who supports charities with trustee recruitment projects across the UK, believes many organisations do not sell the benefits of the roles strongly enough.

She said: “I’m not someone who thinks that the sector suffers from a skills shortage. There are so many talented and impactful trustees and amazing boards out there. The issue is more about underselling what being a trustee means.

“There is a lack of information about the benefits it can bring - not just personally, but in terms of professional development and the impact the charity can have for the people it serves.

“Do people really understand the role of a trustee and the legal responsibilities that come with it? It’s so important that everything is really clear and people know what they are signing up to and why boards exist in the first place.

“Succession should be built into the planning of boards and committees wherever possible. The benefits of being a trustee should be clearer because, if more people understood what they could gain personally from serving on a board, they may be more inclined to volunteer their time and expertise.”

She added: “Attracting the type of trustees you want can be tricky and you need to look in the right places.

“If you want finance people, for example, you need to go where finance people are. It’s really about being able to invest time and energy in searching for the right people once you know the skill set you want to target.

“The legal accountability that comes with running a charity is significant. People give their time and expertise because they want to be involved and support the reason the organisation is there in the first place - the values need to match.”

Supporting and developing trustees

Alongside attracting new trustees, Helen encourages charities to look at trustee recruitment as part of the bigger picture, considering what their constitution permits, how they attract new people to the board and how they support them to develop once they are there.

“Attracting, retaining and training trustees is vital,” she added.

“It is also important to think about how we support people to develop once they become trustees. A co-chair model, for example, can be a really effective way of supporting someone stepping into a chair role for the first time, allowing them to work alongside a more experienced chair and build their confidence and experience.

“Charities can also think more creatively about how they develop future board members. Developing a board-readiness programme can help people understand what trusteeship involves and give them the knowledge and confidence to take on the role when the time is right.

“And becoming a trustee is not the only way for someone to contribute. People with particular skills or experience can support a charity through committees, advisory groups or specific projects, such as micro volunteering. These opportunities can also provide a valuable pathway towards trusteeship in the future.”