Trustees' Week: Michael Collins
To celebrate Trustees' Week, we spoke to five of our Trustees about why they choose to spend their time supporting Respect.
It’s Trustees’ Week, and this year’s theme is “Making a difference in changing times”, a sentiment particularly relevant for us at Respect, as the charity has been going through a period of growth and change.
With more attention on - and funding for - perpetrator work, we’ve grown quickly to develop, deliver and support in this area. With this growth, comes new challenges, and we’ve relied on our trustees to support and steer us during this exciting period.
To celebrate Trustees' Week, we spoke to five of our Trustees about why they choose to spend their time supporting Respect.
Respect is Michael’s first Trustee position, and he brings with him extensive experience from the public and private sectors. Having worked in central government departments and in government affairs for large financial services firms he is particularly interested in helping Respect to enhance its advocacy and public affairs activities. He also has experience as CEO of a not-for-profit membership organisation, which gives him insight into the ways in which a Board can bring value to the leadership team and the membership.
"Volunteering with Respect as a trustee is a privilege. The organisation does vital work in this sector and I am proud to be able to play a small part in its continuous development as a provider of services, both directly to vulnerable people and to others operating in the sector."
"I have neither direct professional nor personal experience of the issues with which Respect’s expert and motivated team contend each day, but I try to see that as an asset. Successful organisations - whatever their mission - need critical friends, perspectives from outside that will help the senior team to test some of their thinking and look at issues from a different viewpoint. I hope that my experience in senior roles in Whitehall and in the private sector contributes some of that."
"Respect has earned its place as one of the most highly regarded charities working in this sector, reflecting Jo Todd’s - and the entire team’s - professionalism, commitment, and deep knowledge of the issues. I look forward to continuing to provide whatever support I can during this next chapter of the charity’s life."
