Guest Blog: Catriona Patterson on Why She Volunteers with the 2050 Climate Group and Why You Should Too
At the time of writing, the 2050 Climate Group are looking for two new board members and 19 new operational team members to help us continue to develop. It’s made me think about what I’ve gained from being a volunteer for the group, and why I’d recommend it to others. I think when I tell people I volunteer for a charity, it can be mysterious as to what I mean. So here is my story.
How I got involved
I genuinely believe that climate change is biggest problem we have as a global society, and that we each need to do everything we can to try to mitigate the threat it poses to our physical surrounds, our lifestyles and our lives. Scotland seems to me to be a good place to be at the minute - ambitions can always be more ambitious, but sustainability and climate change are more and more part of our societal, corporate and political spheres. I wanted to tackle climate change head-on. My ‘day job’ combines my interests of sustainability and the arts, festivals and culture, but something was still missing. As the ‘sustainability person’ in the cultural world, you’re a bit of loner, and I missed learning and being at the forefront of new ideas, new initiatives and new people when it came to the issue of climate change, as had been the case when I had been studying and researching the topic on my own. In a chance moment, one of my workplace’s board members told me to look up this thing called the ‘2050 Climate Group’: it turned out they were looking for new volunteers. I was both impressed and terrified by the application process - I thought it unusual to have to ‘apply’ to be a volunteer, and I remember telling my boyfriend “woah! these people are intense’. But the more I read into it, the more I wanted to be involved. I’ve been with the group since August 2015, just before we successfully designed and ran our first ever Young Leaders Development Programme (and since, the second edition). I’ve met the hundreds of young leaders who have become part of our wider network. I’ve recruited our operational team volunteers, who inspire me every single day. I’ve gone through the emotional and administrative ups and downs as we constituted as a real Scottish charity, I’ve shed a tear watching the live stream as we’ve taking the stage at the United Nations COP (3 times!). And I have spent many a weeknight or weekend working on something that fulfills my ambitions to make a difference.
But what do you actually do?
When I introduce myself as a member of our board, I often get asked what it is that I actually do. This is a good question, and one I had myself until I had lived the experience. Essentially, as a board trustee, you have a legal responsibility to the duty of the charity - to uphold its values, to pursue its vision, to establish and maintain proper governance and a strategic direction and framework for the organisation. Ultimately, it means ensuring the operational, financial and legal success of the charity: making sure we have the ability, the partnerships, the money and the correct processes to continue to operate.We have to act with integrity, and put the interests of the charity first - and that means thinking beyond immediate activities and issues and our own personal interests. We have to critique and consider each choice we make as an organisation, and make sure it is right for our mission. In practice, this feels like having a very important side-hustle: a responsibility to something that you are constantly seeking to improve, grow and develop. For me, this responsibility is currently concentrated in a few areas:Partnership and Funding - No charity can exist on goodwill alone, and grants, donations and in-kind partnerships are the only way that we are able to keep going. We are fortunate to work with some incredible funders, who have supported us from the very beginning and as we’ve developed as an organisation, and we make the case for this support and keep them informed of how their contributions have helped young people take action on climate change. Equally, we know that our work could expand in reach and effectiveness with increased funding, so developing a funding strategy, meeting new people, and seeking and developing new partnerships is a constant focus. I write proposals for new funding, compile reports to showcase what we do, and work with our partners to think of creative solutions for the big problem of climate change. Organisational Development - Not until you set-up your own organisation do you realise how much takes place to make something work efficiently and to the benefit of all involved! We have over 40 volunteers across our board and operational teams who are hosting events for hundreds, running workshops, submitting policy responses, giving speeches and providing 1:1 help to our Young Leaders (often in the same week!). Recruiting, inducting, supporting, training, communicating, encouraging and celebrating our volunteers is perhaps more often undertaken behind the scenes, but it is essential to make sure all our other activities happen. I manage our documents and make sure people have access to them, I created and maintain our ‘Slack’ workspace (making sure we can all talk to each other), and I teach people how to use these tools in order to help them to achieve their own work.
What do I get out of it?
Anyone who knows me will know I don’t really believe in ‘doing nothing’ or really ‘spare time’. Life is short, and fun, and I think we should spend it doing things that make us better and happier. For me, being a volunteer is a huge part of that, and here’s what I think you’ll get out of being part of our group:
You’ll learn new skills. I was originally recruited for my skills in running events, but in this role I’ve ended up with quite a tech focus, teaching myself to a become GSuite Domain Administrator (#geek), a Slack workplace owner (#goddess) and I’ve just completed a week-long takeover of all our social media channels, where I used Facebook-live for the first time ever! It’s professional development on a scale and a freedom I’ve never otherwise heard about, and it’s all directly applied to a real cause.
You’ll become better at your ‘day job’. The networks and connections I have gained through the 2050 Climate Group have massively strengthened my professional work. I can’t remember the last time I walked into a room at a sustainability event where I didn’t know someone. The knowledge I have gained from my 2050 peers has kept me more engaged with the issues being discussed in the sector - and enabled me to be part of the conversation.
You’ll be increasing representation and participation of young people in decision-making. In the UK, only around of 2% of all charity trustees are under the age of 30. The average age of a charity trustee is 57, and young people tend not to put themselves forward as they don’t think they have anything to offer. This is so far from truth, and particularly in the area of climate change, where we are the ones who will be facing the impacts. Without volunteering yourself to be part of this change, our future will always be decided by others.
You’ll make incredible friends. I’m a huge proponent of meeting new people through volunteering, but I’ve made stronger connections as part of this team than I have elsewhere. Something about uniting around this huge, sometimes insurmountable issue, and relying on each other when trying to do something constructive about it, makes you forge relationships across different professional, personal and geographical boundaries. I knew no-one in the 2050 Climate Group when I joined, and now they are some of my closest friends.
You’ll actually be making a difference. Above all, my role allows me to put the energy and drive I have for climate change action to good use. Any time I’m feeling hopeless about the challenges which face our planet and our people, it reassures me that I am not alone, and that we all can do something good.
If this sounds at all good to you, apply to volunteer with us. If it’s not quite your thing, volunteer with another organisation about whose aims you are passionate - especially if you are a young person! It will bring you opportunities you cannot imagine, experiences you can only dream of, and friends you have yet to meet.Find out more about becoming part of our board, or find out more about joining our operational team.Catriona Patterson is a member of the 2050 Climate Group Board of Trustees.