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To mark International Volunteer Day, we’re celebrating a great skilled volunteering match! We sat down with Jacari charity manager Katy Isaac, whose organisation was backed by The Fore in 2021, and their Trustee Ilan Elson, who found his role through our Pro Bono Network.

Katy, can you tell us a bit about Jacari and the work you do?
We’re a small charity providing free English language tutoring to children and young people from migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds, supporting them to achieve their potential. We work in Bristol and Oxford, in close partnership with schools that identify pupils most in need of extra support. Each pupil is paired with a trained volunteer tutor for informal, one-to-one tutoring. Jacari tutoring offers pupils a safe, supportive space to learn, where tutors respond to them as an individual, tailoring their sessions to the pupil’s own needs and preferences.

When were you backed by The Fore, and how has that support helped your organisation?
We were backed between 2021 – 2023. Funding from The Fore allowed Jacari to move to a more effective staffing structure, as part of our transition from being a student-led organisation to a more sustainable, professional and impactful charity.

Ilan, how did you first hear about the trustee opportunity with Jacari through The Fore’s Pro Bono Network?
Someone in a London startup networking group first alerted me to The Fore. I started perusing the “trustee wanted” posts and reached out to a few organisations. I loved that I could search The Fore by skill or by charity area of focus.

And, what attracted you to this particular trustee role?
I have always been passionate about helping children and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds. I’ve been doing 1:1 mentoring for years to help women and people of colour improve their professional standings. But I thought maybe I could leverage my skills in a more “systemic” way as well, and loved what I learned about Jacari working with people from migrant and disadvantaged backgrounds to improve not only their English language skills, but also their confidence.

Katy, what difference has Ilan made to your board and the charity since joining as a trustee?
Ilan is brilliant and has made a huge difference. Alongside the considerable knowledge and experience he brings to the board, he has a really thoughtful and compassionate approach to the work involved. Ilan always shows up, and always engages fully. His support to me in my role has also been invaluable; he’s there as a sounding board whenever I need it, which is something I’m incredibly grateful for, and talking things through with Ilan has always been helpful.

Ilan, can you describe your experience as a trustee so far? What have you enjoyed most
It’s been nothing short of incredible. Being able to play a part in shaping the strategy, supporting the fantastic day-to-day operators of the charity, trying to help by asking good questions (or even dumb questions at times). It’s a very rewarding feeling that my skills and passions are welcomed and are playing even a small part in supporting a truly inspirational cause.

What have you personally gained from the volunteering experience?
Most importantly, I think “MeToo” and “BlackLivesMatters” (as examples) shouldn’t be passing trendy fads. They are with us all the time, and it helps me sleep better to know I’m trying to play at least a small part in improving the community around us. But selfishly, I’m really proud to put on LinkedIn that I’m a board trustee at an old and respected charity. And I recognise that may improve my “brand” with future employers as well.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about becoming a charity trustee through the Pro Bono Network?
Just do it. It’s good for you, and it’s good to help others. Also, don’t be overly tough on yourself regarding whether you’re “good enough” for a board seat. I’m sure many charities would love to have you.

What would you say to other small charities considering using the Pro Bono Network to recruit skilled volunteers?
I can say from experience that you might find a gem of a trustee this way!

You can find our latest skilled volunteering roles here.

You can join the Pro Bono Network here.