Being a KPC Trustee

This month one of our Trustees, Annabelle, asked two of our newer Trustees, Veronika and Carla, about how they have found their first year on the KPC Board. They share their motivations for applying and some experiences from their first year, as well as some advice to anyone thinking about being a Trustee.

1. ‎What attracted you to joining the board at KPC?

Veronika: Joining the board felt like a natural next step after working at KPC for three years. I remained genuinely interested in what was happening at the complex and wanted to continue contributing by bringing my skills, experience, and institutional knowledge to the board. I was also interested in gaining some Board experience.

Carla: It has always been important to me to feel part of and contribute to my local community. After moving to Kinning Park, joining the KPC board felt like a good way to get to know others living around me, feel grounded in the area and be of some help.

2. What has surprised you most about the reality of being a trustee compared with what you expected before joining?

Veronika: I joined without setting strong expectations, knowing it would be a valuable experience overall. What surprised me most was the sheer volume of policies, governance processes, and risk assessments involved in the role—it really highlights the level of responsibility trustees carry behind the scenes.

Carla: Whilst we are involved in certain higher-level governance discussions, a significant proportion of our meetings and work are practically relevant for the day to day runnings of the Complex. Before joining this board, I had the impression of trustees to be detached and largely unaware of the daily realities of ongoing work, but the board here are engaged, passionate and present.

3. Which decision or moment from the past year made you feel most connected to KPC's mission?

Veronika: I’ve felt connected to KPC’s mission for a long time, particularly since my time working at the complex. That sense of connection has continued into my role as a trustee, even if it’s difficult to pinpoint a single moment—being part of ongoing conversations about KPC’s future has reinforced that commitment.

Carla: Participating in early discussions regarding the 30 year anniversary of the KPC sit-in has been super exciting. Focusing on commemorating and celebrating this moment reminds me that the history of this complex all leads to our member-led focus, something that is still fundamental: KPC should be run by the community, for the community.

4. What have you learned about the community that you didn’t know a year ago?

Veronika: I was able to see firsthand how the community has been doing following KPC’s restructuring. It was genuinely heartening to see familiar faces return and to witness how many people continued to support and engage with KPC despite the changes.

Carla: I have certainly been inspired by building users, staff and fellow board members who sacrifice so much time and effort to invest in the mission of KPC. Those involved really care - something I think makes KPC special. 

5. What’s something you wish someone had told you before you joined the board — even if it’s a tiny, practical thing?

Veronika: I wish I’d spent more time refreshing my strategic knowledge from my marketing background. Being on the KPC board brought me back to those fundamentals and made me realise how important they still are—and I’m grateful that I now get to apply and strengthen those skills in support of KPC.

Carla: There are always lots of documents to review at meetings, so bring a system for keeping track of your tabs — otherwise you’ll spend half the meeting clicking between Google Docs wondering where that one critical paragraph went!

If you want to find out more about our Trustees or are interested in becoming a Trustee at KPC, please get in touch with us at board@kinningparkcomplex.org