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:
As a young trustee, this can show up as:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
In summary, being a young trustee isn’t just a line on your CV.
It’s a space where you:
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!
