Forge bonds and broaden your horizons with charity work

In a time defined by virtual interactions and digital connections, people crave genuine human contact. Engaging in volunteer work enables individuals to forge bonds with like-minded individuals who share their passion for a particular cause.

“At Boardmatch Ireland, we are seeing a growing interest from the public for volunteering and a continued increase in demand for our services,” said Boardmatch Ireland communications manager, Hannah Coleman.

Boardmatch Ireland is a registered charity. It has been around for 18 years and connects charities with prospective volunteers for their boards.

“We have seen a trend in the last number of years where more and more people are working remotely and have a little bit more time to give. They also want to have an impact outside of their day job and to be able to give back to society in a structured way,” said Coleman.

“Charities need volunteers, and it is great that the interest is there. Boardmatch Ireland has had 600 candidates register with us since January alone. We placed over 400 candidates on to charity and not-for-profit boards in 2022.”

Volunteering on a charity board is not just about the feelgood factor. Through their service, volunteers encounter diverse perspectives, realities and challenges that broaden their horizons and deepen their understanding of the world. They develop invaluable skills such as empathy, problem-solving and teamwork, which are not only beneficial in their altruistic pursuits but also in their personal and professional lives.

“People can also benefit from getting involved with a charity by learning new skills,” said Coleman. “We get candidates from a very diverse range of sectors, including corporate, commercial and non-profit.”

Coleman said that a candidate doesn’t necessarily need to have prior board experience. “Our ideal candidate is someone who is enthusiastic and has their eyes open about the responsibilities of the role. It is important that you are aware of the expectations that are on you as a board member and that you are realistic about your time commitments.”

There is a growing awareness of the need to diversify charity boards. “This was one of the key results of a research study Boardmatch Ireland carried out with Goodbody late last year,” she said.

“That research gave us key insights from existing charity trustees and aspiring trustees, and we are working on implementing services and supports in response to these results, including board diversity, board training needs and improving onboarding for trustees.

“In response to this research, we have collaborated with the Leadership Academy (part of The Wheel), to introduce a pilot board placement programme: Future Board Leaders Programme.

“This programme will promote the engagement of under-represented voices on charity boards and aims to improve charity trustee diversity. This is an opportunity to introduce new voices to charity boards. This is an assisted board placement programme for people who don’t have any prior experience but who can be supported in finding their charity board role. It also helps charities to recruit beyond their existing networks.

“Providing board-ready trustees is a key objective of Boardmatch and we are continuously improving and growing our training services to support existing and prospective charity trustees.”

Boardmatch Ireland is running its annual in-person matching event in Dublin on October 4. “Our Charity Trustee Speed-Dating is a unique event in the sector that provides an opportunity for prospective trustees to meet with charities who have board vacancies. Over the years candidates have praised charities for their openness and transparency at this event, providing a refreshing way to meet new board members,” said Coleman.

“It is a job fair – but for volunteer board roles. Candidates can visit and see how they might be a good fit with an organisation. We have continued to grow our speed-dating event over the past four years, and we are pleased with how the sector has embraced it.”