Stepping into a trustee role as a young person is a great opportunity, but it doesn’t always feel that way at first. Instead of thinking about the skills you’ll gain, you might find yourself thinking: “Do I actually have enough to contribute?”

That feeling is often imposter syndrome. And ironically, it can stop you from recognising and fully developing the very skills trusteeship is designed to build.

Let’s flip the narrative.

Imposter syndrome is that internal voice that questions your legitimacy, even when you’ve earned your place.

It sits in the gap between:

• What you’re capable of
• And what you believe you’re capable of

As a young trustee, this can show up as:

• Doubting your qualifications
• Holding yourself to unrealistic standards
• Feeling like you don’t belong in the room
• Comparing yourself to more experienced trustees
• Hesitating to speak up or share ideas

These feelings are common but if left unchecked, they can limit how much you gain from the experience.

1. Strategic Thinking

As a trustee, you’re not involved in day-to-day activity; you’re shaping long-term direction.

You learn how to:

• Think beyond immediate challenges
• Evaluate risk and opportunity
• Contribute to big-picture decisions

At first, it can feel intimidating or strange to think at this level, but over time, you develop the ability to zoom out and see how decisions connect.

2. Leadership and Decision-Making

Trusteeship puts you in a position of responsibility.

You build confidence in:

• Making informed decisions
• Weighing different perspectives
• Taking accountability for outcomes

For me, even observing how other trustees make decisions is a learning experience in itself.

3. Communication and Influence

One of the most underrated skills you develop is learning how to communicate effectively in a board setting.

This includes:

• Clearly expressing ideas
• Asking the right questions
• Influencing discussions and outcomes

If you’ve ever felt reluctant to speak up, don’t overthink it, this is exactly where growth happens.

4. Governance and Legal Understanding

You gain first-hand insight into how charities operate behind the scenes.

This includes:

• Legal responsibilities of trustees
• Ethical decision-making
• Accountability and oversight

These are highly transferable skills that apply across many industries.

5. Networking and Relationship-Building

Being a trustee exposes you to a wide range of people across sectors, backgrounds, and generations.

You build:

• Professional relationships
• Mentorship opportunities
• Connections that can shape your future career

It’s a unique space for intergenerational learning.

6. Confidence

This is the skill that underpins all the others.

At the start, you might question whether your perspective is valuable. But over time, you realise:

Your lived experience, your ideas, and your viewpoint are exactly why you’re there.

Don’t worry, your confidence will develop over time as you contribute.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that you need to already have all these skills before becoming a trustee. You don’t. You develop them through the role.

For example, when I first considered applying for a trustee position, I wasn’t sure I had enough board-level strategic experience. But by stepping into my first role, I’ve contributed to strategic initiatives, governance discussions, and organisational change, experiences that have significantly shaped my skillset. Now, I’m close to ending my second term as a trustee for Girlguiding, and I’ve recently taken up a NED position with the social enterprise, Do It Now Now.

To fully benefit from trusteeship, you need to actively engage with the role, even when self-doubt shows up.

A few practical shifts:

• Focus on your starting point, not perfection - Growth is the goal.
• Speak before you feel 100% ready - Confidence follows action.
• Recognise your unique contribution - Your perspective is an asset, not a gap.
• Reflect regularly - Take stock of what you’re learning, it’s often more than you think.

In summary, being a young trustee isn’t just a line on your CV.

It’s a space where you:

• develop high-impact skills
• build meaningful relationships
• and contribute to real change

Imposter syndrome might try to convince you otherwise but the truth is: You don’t need to feel fully confident to start building these skills. You just need to take your seat at the table and use it.

Good luck!