Nicky Mailey, Chair of the Board of Trustees, Open Awards
I joined Open Awards as a Trustee six years ago and was immensely proud to be appointed as Chair last year.
Learning and education changes lives but I know from first hand experience that the route to higher education doesn't always follow a conventional route (having gained 2 HNCs and an MBA whilst working full time).
It's extremely rewarding to see how Open Awards has grown over the years and to see the variety of qualifications and services we are now able to offer all the way from Entry Level Functional Skills through to Access to Higher Education and vocational qualifications. When I hear about some of our amazing success stories and see the number of learners we are supporting it's nice to think that I've played a role in making that happen.
Whilst 70% of employees in the charity sector are women, they are not as well represented at Board level. It's acknowledged that that diversity of skills and lived experience, gender and ethnicity is an important factor in good board decision making.
The role of a trustee is a constantly evolving one. I've learned a lot about education and quality systems as well as the responsibilities of being a trustee. It has also helped me to develop my own leadership skills.
I hope that my appointment and my experiences inspire other woman to consider taking up trustee roles. Together we can all make a difference.