Being a Trustee at Corra – Insights from Claire Gibson
By Claire Gibson
It’s Trustees Week 2025, when the voluntary and community sectors in the UK come together to celebrate the achievements of nearly one million trustees.
This Trustees Week we took time to chat with Claire Gibson finding out what it’s like to be a Corra Trustee. Claire has been a trustee for almost 9 years providing valuable oversight for our ten-year strategy and so much more! Thank you Claire for all your contributions, insights, and care throughout the years.
My name is Claire Gibson and I’m a Trustee at the Corra Foundation. In around a month, I’ll not be able to say that as after nine years as a trustee, its time for me to retire from the Board.
Alongside being a trustee, I’m first and foremost a Social Worker by trade. My career has been gloriously squiggly and I’ve been privileged to work in many excellent and impactful organisations. The last decade has been focused on improvement, innovation, change management, strategic and systems thinking – getting change done and always anchoring it to people and communities.
What’s it like being a trustee at the Corra Foundation?
Being a Trustee with Corra is a privilege. A good portion of my career has been spent in the charity sector where much of my work was dominated by funding cycles, application criteria and what those decisions meant for front line services. Joining the board at Corra nine years ago gave me a different perspective into the challenge and responsibility of being a funder in Scotland.
Is being a Corra Trustee what you expected it to be?
I don’t mind saying that nine years ago when I joined, it was a steep learning curve!
Governance as applied to finance, investment portfolios and strategic planning in the funding space are all areas where my skills have developed, benefiting from many mentors on the board and in the excellent leadership and staff at Corra. The role of trustee is equally challenging and rewarding. Balancing the volunteer commitment with a career and young family has been difficult at times over the years, with many pressure points, but I’m proud of my contribution.
What part of Corra’s work or approach are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of the work where we have amplified the voice of others, been innovative and thoughtful, inspiring leaders in the system. I’m proud of Corra’s grasp on systemic change and how we as a funder in Scotland are part of the unique system of getting funding and services to people and communities where they are needed most.
Most recently, I’m proud of my involvement and chairing role in the Way Forward for Families Fund. Built on the impactful foundations of the Partnership Drug Initiative Fund, this fund integrates the importance of a whole family approach and in the past eighteen months has funded collaborative, integrated services across Scotland.
My favourite time at Corra though hasn’t been with fellow trustee’s but time spent with the You’re Only Young Once (YOYO) steering group. Young people with lived experience driving the creation of the YOYO fund and contributing their insight and expertise to the Way Forward for Families funding decisions. Their voice has been vital.
What do we need to get better at?
No person or organisation is ever the finished article. I’ve experienced the staff and board at Corra to always have high ambitions on behalf of the charities we fund and the people and communities that benefit.
For many people, communities and charities in Scotland, things are more difficult than ever. My wish for Corra is to be even bolder and braver on behalf of people and communities. To continue to take risks and be innovative, sharing the rich learning of when it works and when it flops.
Finally, to turn up the mic to ensure the voices of people and communities is at the heart of what we do. This is especially important as the board start to consider where we are in our ten year strategy and where we go next.
Closing thoughts
It’s been a privilege to be a trustee in such an ambitious organisation that holds voice and positive change at its heart. Corra has taught me what good, values-based governance can look like, supported by an excellent leadership and staff team that hold the vision in all that they do.
I can’t wait to see what Corra does next and the difference it makes.