William, CEO of the Venture Centre
The thing people often overlook about running charities is that, at our core, we are all running small to medium-sized businesses. That is the reality of the CEO role, and yet it is still frequently misunderstood. The incentives may differ, but the skillset does not.
Within those roles, the isolation can be significant. That, for me, is one of the first places where KCSC makes a tangible difference. I gained a great deal from their CEO network not just in terms of knowledge, but in building relationships with peers who understand the pressures of the role. When your responsibility is to keep the ground steady beneath your organisation for staff, for trustees, for the communities you serve having people around you who genuinely ‘get it’ is invaluable.
A practical example of this was developing a business continuity plan alongside the then CEO of Dalgarno. It was a joint approach that worked for both organisations in a realistic way, ensuring that, should the worst happen, there was a shared understanding and response. The importance of geography in moments of crisis cannot be overstated something the pandemic made very clear.
During that time, it was our connection with an active KCSC network that enabled us to respond quickly to community need. We were able to establish food distribution across the borough at pace, adapting spaces and mobilising support in real time. The voluntary sector’s ability to come together in moments of crisis should never be underestimated. We can do this because we are trusted.
At the Venture Centre, we are open seven days a week. We know that not every place people call home is safe, and for some, we may be one of the only safe spaces in their lives. That understanding both spoken and unspoken underpins everything we do. Trust sits at the heart of it, and as a voluntary organisation, that trust is often deeper because of our proximity to the community.
We also know that when people feel positively connected to their community, they are more likely to care for and invest in it. The return on that is clear.
KCSC plays a fundamental role in enabling organisations like ours to thrive. In many ways, they are part of the fabric of the community their presence is so consistent that it can be easy to take for granted. But their meetings, training, and their ability to problem-solve alongside us grounded in a deep understanding of the local context are invaluable. We have seen that impact directly, for example through management training attended by a senior member of our team, which went on to significantly strengthen our internal appraisal systems.
The warm lunches, the family dinners, the yoga and pilates, the open front door none of this happens by accident. It takes a whole community working together to sustain organisations like ours and the spaces that people rely on.
