We ask Savraj Kaur, trustee of the West London Welcome and #InspireList nominee, why she wanted to become a trustee.
Submissions to the list are continuing to be accepted online, and the list will be refreshed quarterly, in order to continue building a broader picture of trustee racial and ethnic diversity.
Why did you want to become a trustee?
My goal as a trustee is to give my time where it can make the biggest impact to change lives. I aim to bring great governance, energy, ideas and opportunities to further West London Welcome’s vital mission. Our members deserve the best, and I aim to give them that.
Why you think the #InspireList matters?
The Inspire List matters because we need to make a move away from all white senior leadership at the forefront of so many organisations. One of the first steps to this is sharing the faces and stories of those of us already adding value above and beyond our ethnicity at the boardroom table.
How pleased you are to have been included on the list and what does it mean to you?
I’m delighted to have been included in the Inspire List as it is a treasure chest of affirmations for motivated, minority people who are considering joining a board. Scrolling through the list, it is powerful, it represents what is possible, and it shows that we can tangibly shape the system that was always meant to represent us.
What do you think are the key barriers to becoming a trustee if you are from an under represented group?
The ones that spring to mind are;
1. Poor existing representation and so feeling like an outsider.
2. Feelings that this is not necessarily a space we can access easily and that our experience would be taken seriously.
3. Cultural misconceptions around doing unpaid work, especially if coming from a family of economic migrants.
What do you think needs to be done to encourage more people to become trustees?
Active recruitment from the top down, and wider sharing of stories of those who are minorities on Boards and the value we can add to the service to our beneficiary groups.
