Project: To volunteer as chair of a charity

Michael Higgins, founder and project controls consultant at Xacom, lends his skills as a volunteer on the board of Preston Vocational Centre.

Based in Lancashire, Preston Vocational Centre (PVC) aims to advance the education of children, young people and adults in the Preston area. Its cause is close to my heart, and since becoming involved with the charity, I’ve consistently applied my project management skills to help the organisation achieve its mission and improve its performance.

This award‑winning charity has a far‑reaching impact and is leading the way in educational establishments that provide vocational training in construction and support services for those children and young people for whom mainstream education may not necessarily be the best fit.

PVC was established in 2009 and has had over 6,000 learners come through its doors. In 2013, the charity joined Preston’s largest social housing provider, Community Gateway Association (CGA), as its subsidiary, so becoming an integral part of the employment and skills agenda across CGA communities. In 2021, the centre was named Educational Establishment of the Year at the Be Inspired Business Awards, which is a real testament to the dedication and hard work from all the staff.

Transferring my project skills

I joined the board of PVC in 2018, and in 2020 was honoured to take up the position of chair. When I was first made aware of the opportunity, I wasn’t so sure how transferable my skill set would be. In fact, my skills were instantly transferable and put to good use. As set out in the charity’s governing documents – and like many organisations – the board of trustees is responsible for its governance, ensuring that it is effectively and properly run and meeting its overall purpose. Despite the considerable differences in structure and size of charities and boards, all trustees and all boards, whatever the sector, share some fundamental responsibilities that play into the capabilities of project professionals.

In summary, chairs are trustees with a specific role on the board. As specified in the charity’s governing documents, the chair can either be elected or appointed, and is responsible for chairing meetings of the trustee board. Other responsibilities of the chair include supporting and supervising the head of staff or operational manager; acting as a channel of communication between board and staff; acting as a figurehead for the charity; leading board development and ensuring its decisions are implemented; and taking urgent action (but not making decisions unless authorised) between board meetings when it isn’t possible or practical to hold a meeting.

It’s surprising just how transferable project management skills are.

Teamwork makes the dream work

Just like a project manager, the chair is supported by numerous team members with a unique skill set. The trustees’ roles and responsibilities include: furthering the charity’s overall purpose as set out in its governing documents; setting its direction and strategy; ensuring the work of the charity is effective, responsible and legal; being accountable to those with an interest or stake in, or who regulate, the charity; being clear about the people who carry out work on behalf of the charity (trustees, staff, volunteers); and ensuring the board operates effectively.

Parallels between the project profession and the areas a trustee is involved with are clear to see. At each board meeting, the trustees review the document pack, which includes information on operational, financial, governance and HR elements. Each area is collated by the respective specialist in that area and really brings together a broader picture of how the centre operates as a whole. The specialists also attend the board meeting so that the trustees can challenge and better understand the content of the information in the pack.

Monitoring and managing the charity’s performance

From the information provided in the board packs and the board meeting, the trustees make sure that operational plans and budgets are in line with the charity’s purposes, strategic aims and resources; performance is strong against the charity’s strategic aims, operational plans and budgets; and there is a collective decision on what information is needed to assess delivery against agreed plans, outcomes and timescales. Trustees share timely, relevant and accurate information in an easy‑to‑understand format, and they consider information from other similar organisations to compare or benchmark the organisation’s performance.

Actively managing risks

The board also retains overall responsibility for risk management and decides on the level of risk it is prepared to accept for specific and combined situations. There is a dedicated risk management process for identifying, prioritising, escalating and managing risks that the board regularly checks. The risks and mitigation plans are reviewed at each board meeting. One of the areas of risk that we, at PVC, pay attention to is safeguarding, as we work with children and in some cases vulnerable adults.

Stakeholder management

Just like a typical project management situation, there are so many stakeholders involved in the moving parts of the charity. As with a project, it’s important to understand who needs to be engaged and influenced, how to navigate socio‑political complexity, how to work with people to build support to achieve intended outcomes, and how to collaborate, solve problems and facilitate win‑win solutions where possible.

I’m incredibly proud of the centre and all the team members, who make it possible to support and provide educational opportunities to Preston and the surrounding areas. Having completed an apprenticeship myself, I completely get the advantages of blended learning, where the practical and the theoretical collide. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to have a supportive family and development opportunities – not everyone has that privilege. This is what attracted me to the centre – it offers practical learning to those who may not otherwise have had the opportunity, as education is not ‘one size fits all’.

 

THIS ARTICLE IS BROUGHT TO YOU FROM THE SPRING 2021 ISSUE OF PROJECT JOURNAL, WHICH IS FREE FOR APM MEMBERS.