“Representation is not just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for impact.”
That was one of the powerful messages from a recent webinar hosted by Malcolm John, Founder of Board Racial Diversity UK (BRD UK), and Bernice Rook, Deputy CEO of Eastside People, to launch the second round of the Action Not Words (ANW) mentoring programme.
The event brought together mentees and mentors to discuss the programme’s role in supporting new and aspiring Black and Asian trustees. Among the speakers were Narayan Kulkarni, a mentee on the first programme, and his mentor Mona Vadher, a consultant at Eastside People and experienced trustee. Their shared journey offered prospective applicants a rich and inspiring picture of the power of focused, intentional mentoring.
Why Action Not Words?
Charity Commission data makes the challenge clear as currently only 8% of charity trustees in the UK are from Black or Asian backgrounds, despite these groups making up 17% of the population today. Meaning there’s a 9% gap, or around 60,000 missing voices from board tables across the UK’s not-for-profit sector.
Some of the issues are related to the typically informal trustee recruitment culture, which relies heavily on existing networks and personal recommendations, networks that often don’t include people from underrepresented backgrounds.
As Malcolm explained, Board Racial Diversity UK (formerly Action for Trustee Racial Diversity) was established to directly address the underrepresentation. Their mission is to achieve the proportionate representation of individuals from Black and Asian backgrounds on not-for-profit boards by helping to recruit an additional 60,000 Black and Asian trustees.
Action Not Words (ANW) is one programme amongst many initiatives BRD UK has developed to help bridge this gap.
A partnership with purpose
The idea for ANW was born out of collaboration. Bernice Rook recalled how she connected with Malcolm while developing Eastside People’s trustee recruitment services. She recognised the diversity gap on boards and wanted to ensure that Eastside People’s trustee recruitment process were well informed to enable inclusion and break down barriers. She felt that real “solutions had to be proactive”.
This point was echoed by one of the mentors on the first ANW programme “Charities struggle to find trustees so I hadn’t realised that the sector appears very inaccessible to people who might want to become trustees but don’t know how to present themselves in a way that charities expect. That was a real learning for me. I was working with a person who had a basket full of skills and yet didn’t think that she would be employable as a trustee.”
Bernice and Malcolm believe that ANW is a really practical way to drive change, through mentorship that’s personalised, empowering, and grounded in experience.
Meet one mentoring partnership
Narayan Kulkarni, now a trustee at Uplift Alive International, has a background in health administration and global social impact. Over the years, he’s helped over 1,500 changemakers, primarily from underrepresented groups, find purpose and impact. He’s also the founder of the Founders Amplified Podcast, showcasing underrepresented entrepreneurs worldwide.
Narayan said that he has volunteered extensively for several different organisational social causes since he was young and has also been a volunteer with BRD UK. During this time, “I saw the lack of representation on charity boards and wanted to be part of the change”.
Mona Vadher, Narayan’s mentor, an Eastside People and not-for-profit consultant working to support a variety of different organisations in creating systemic change and impact. Her experience as a trustee for ReachOut and background in equity, inclusion, and leadership made her well placed to be an ANW mentor.
Mona said that the figures that Malcolm spoke to earlier really resonated with her, and she wanted to take the opportunity to help others, “mentoring is one of the most direct ways to open doors and help others shape their own journeys”.
The mentoring experience: Insight and Impact
Uncertain about the best way to pursue a board position, Narayan enrolled in the ANW programme to help prepare for trustee applications. Over a six-month period, he participated in online mentoring sessions with Mona, with flexible scheduling designed to support his individual progress. This personalised guidance significantly bolstered Narayan’s confidence and facilitated his successful appointment as a trustee at Uplift Alive International.
While Narayan’s primary goal was to attain a trustee role, both Mona and Narayan emphasised that their mentoring sessions addressed several critical areas:
- Enhancing confidence and self-awareness
- Recognising the value of transferable skills
- Role-playing interview scenarios for effective preparation
- Developing a skills matrix to identify gaps and showcase strengths
- Crafting a governance-focused, board-ready CV
For Narayan, one of the biggest shifts was learning to see, and present, his multidimensional background as an asset. He shared, “I really enjoyed the meetings with Mona. They covered many different areas which included really helping me understand what my value was as a multi-dimensional person with a lot of different experience and many interests”.
Mona highlighted that she “learnt as much from Narayan as he did from me, and it challenged my own thinking and reminded me of the value of a fresh perspective”.
She added, “Confidence is contagious, and watching his growth inspired me to revisit my own goals with fresh energy”.
Lessons for future mentees and mentors
Narayan and Mona shared their thoughts on the lessons they would share with future mentees and mentors joining the second ANW programme.
From Narayan:
- Preparation is key. Take time to reflect on your goals and areas of development.
- Mentorship is mutual. Be open, curious, and willing to grow.
- The tools matter. A well-structured CV and a clear understanding of board dynamics can set you apart.
- Trust the process.
From Mona:
- Come with an open mind and goals but know they might shift.
- Listen deeply. Mentoring isn’t about fixing, it’s about enabling.
- Don’t underestimate your story. Boards need diverse experiences to govern well.
- Representation must be meaningful.
Final word
As the webinar concluded, Malcolm John reminded everyone that trusteeship isn’t just about sitting on a board, it’s about contributing to the heart of an organisation’s mission and making sure it reflects the people it serves. “There’s often a disconnect between those already on boards and those looking to join,” he said. “Action Not Words helps bridge that divide”.
Bernice highlighted, “Charities are telling me they’re struggling to find diverse trustees, yet so many aspiring trustees say they don’t know how to access these roles. There is a disconnect and ANW is helping to change that”.
Apply now – join the next group of mentees
If you’re from a Black or Asian background and ready to step into a trustee role and bring your voice to the boardroom, apply today.
We are looking for 20 mentees for the second ANW programme starting in October 2025. The programme will run for six months and will include up to six one-hour sessions with your mentor.
At the start of the programme you will have the chance to meet your mentor before the mentoring starts. If you are both happy to go ahead then you will work together to discuss and agree suitable objectives and the focus of your mentoring sessions. Topics in each session are decided by you but could include guidance on the role of trustees, CV review and/or interview coaching for trustee roles, the transition into a first trustee role, and mentoring from experienced trustees around solving real-time challenges
The application form will remain available until 18 September 2025. Once we have received 20 mentee applications, a waiting list will be established. The information you provide will assist us in matching you with an appropriate mentor from the Eastside People volunteer network.
Want to explore trusteeship more? Join the Festival of Trusteeship
During Trustees Week (3 –7 November 2025), Eastside People will host the Festival of Trusteeship—the UK’s largest learning event for trustees.
The festival includes four free sessions specifically designed for people who are new to trusteeship or exploring whether it’s the right path for them. You can book your free ticket here – Aspiring Trustees Series.
