Kyle Usher sits on our Board of Charity Trustees and has a background in leading technology projects and innovation partnerships. As part of Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Trustees' Week - an annual opportunity for charities across Scotland to showcase the great work of trustees and celebrate their boards - he kindly answered some questions on his journey to becoming part of #TeamKSBScot.
Hi Kyle! Tell us a little about your career path prior to volunteering to join Keep Scotland Beautiful as a Charity Trustee?
I am originally from a creative and digital background. After graduating in digital photography and film, I worked for a while for a digital marketing agency. I first got into the third sector when I joined Young Scot as Digital Manager, followed by roles at Myeloma UK and in the digital directorate at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO).
By this point I had thoroughly caught the third sector bug, committed to delivering social impact through innovation and technology. I now work at Nesta, an innovation foundation, leading their work to decarbonise homes in Scotland and innovative our way to a sustainable and prosperous future Scotland.
What led you to becoming a Charity Trustee for Keep Scotland Beautiful, when and why?
While at SCVO, I was involved in events that brought digital professionals and charities together in an attempt to strengthen boards with more digital professionals. I found this really useful to see how my skills and experience could be of benefit to a board, but I didn't initially find one that really resonated with me.
I knew that I wanted to find a board that was focused on the environment and sustainability. When I saw Keep Scotland Beautiful was looking for new Charity Trustees, I swooped on the opportunity and have been a member of the Board of Charity Trustees for the past year.
What parts of our work resonates with you personally and professionally?
The Keep Scotland Beautiful team does amazing work to enable people across Scotland to see their own lives and actions as opportunities to live more sustainably.
Through our work on Climate Action (Sustainable Development Goal 13) and by delivering the Carbon Literacy and Climate Ready Classrooms programmes, we are helping people in workplaces and schools to better understand the actions they can take.
My work at Nesta aligns very much with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and Keep Scotland Beautiful is active here too through protecting and promoting access to green public spaces that are not just important to connect us with nature, but for our health and wellbeing.
What are your hopes for Scotland’s environment and communities?
It is my hope, and my professional aim, that Scotland can become a truly sustainable place; where nature is not just protected but nurtured. Where people can be responsibly prosperous and re-engage with and value our natural environment. This will take a societal shift and Keep Scotland Beautiful has an important role to play in leading and shaping this future through our expanding work, supporting people to take small steps that pave the way to keep Scotland beautiful.
You can learn more about other volunteer members of our Charitable Board of Trustees and our Honorary Fellows. Their passion and commitment is much appreciated and we would very much like to thank them for giving up their time to offer guidance and support to ensure we are always working as effectively as possible.
