We speak to outgoing Minus18 Treasurer Tim about his achievements over the past five years, the important role of Treasurer, and our upcoming recruitment of this vital role on our Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors serves a crucial role in the operation of a charity like Minus18, both strategically and functionally, with the Treasurer being imperative to the financial success of the organisation. 

In Minus18’s case, the Treasurer has had a significant impact on the LGBTQIA+ community, especially over the past five years. By overseeing Minus18’s financial performance, the Treasurer has ensured that Minus18 can deliver on its charitable purpose in empowering LGBTQIA+ youth through events, activities and education. 

After five years as a key member of the Minus18 Board, Treasurer Tim is retiring – which means there’s now an opening on the Minus18 Board of Directors, in an important role facilitating our growth and future. 

As we head towards the recruitment of this role, we spoke with Tim about his time with the board to give some insight in to this important role.

Can you tell us a bit about your involvement with Minus18 and how you first got involved?

I've been a Board Member, holding the position of Treasurer, for Minus18 for the past five years. When I arrived back from London in 2015 I was keen to get involved with an LGBTQIA+ community organisation. I was lucky enough to have contacts who introduced me to the Chair of the Board and it all went from there.

What specific initiatives or projects have you worked on with Minus18, and what impact have they had?

Over the past five years, I have been able to mature the financial literacy of the CEO and management team, and support a massive growth of the organisation – from $100k revenue in 2017, through to a $2.4m revenue in 2022, with headcount now over 27 people. Specifically, we reengineered the financial reporting at Minus18, introduced organisational policies, and ensured all employees were able to maximise their FBT benefits.

Can you share any stories or experiences from your time working with Minus18 that have been particularly meaningful or impactful for you?

My most impactful memory of working with Minus18 is probably at the start of the pandemic. Being a business that delivers in-person events, we were all of a sudden unable to deliver 90% of our planned activities, workshops or events. The board was faced with a tough decision: do we wind down our staff or do we invest in a transition to online while eating into our reserves to fund the transition? 

I was a key supporter of investing our reserves to support the team, especially as our LGBTQIA+ community was looking to Minus18 for support during such an uncertain time. There were some intense discussions, and lots of geeky financial modeling from myself as Treasurer, to provide support to the Board that we could do it. 

We did, and the success of our online transition has led us to expand our impact to over 74,000 people attending our events since 2011.

 How can others get involved with Minus18 or support their work?

Being a charity, individuals and organisations can make tax-deductible donations via the Minus18 website, or organise fundraising events to support and champion LGBTQIA+ young people in Australia. 

Check out Minus18’s website for free resources and articles to help support and educate LGBTQIA+ young people and their families, or have a young person attend one of their events!

You can have Minus18 come to your school, or your workplace to provide LGBTQIA+ inclusion and allyship training, or get involved in any of the key campaigns throughout the year – including IDAHOBIT in May, Pride Month in June, Wear It Purple in August and Trans Awareness Week in November.

What advice do you have for individuals or organisations looking to become more inclusive and supportive of the LGBTQA+ community?

This is a good question. It's been a long road, but there is so much positive change occurring within companies and communities with regard to LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and supporting  LGBTQIA+ people. 

I think the simplest thing is to get to know your LGBTQIA+ staff and treat them (like everyone) with respect and dignity. A more formal way might be to do inclusion professional training  – Minus18 offers some great online/in-person training – which teaches people to be good allies to LGBTQIA+ colleagues, clients, and community.

Looking forward, what are your hopes and goals for Minus 18, and how do you see your continued involvement contributing to those goals?

 We just completed and published our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, which I was involved in – and it’s massive! The plan includes tangible ways in which Minus18 will deepen engagement with LGBTQIA+ youth, expand their reach across the country, and help create systemic change as a leader in the sector.

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Minus18 is currently looking for a new Treasurer to take on the mantle of this important position on our Board of Directors. If you're interested in joining the Minus18 board and playing a pivotal role in our growth in the coming years, apply here!