We’re looking for individuals to join the Habitat Ireland Board of Trustees, read about current Trustee Angus Beck's experience below.
My Habitat origins go way back into the mid 90s when Northern Ireland was going through difficult times. I was looking for a means to get involved in some community relations related volunteering. At that time Habitat had started building houses in some of the most economically challenged parts of Northern Ireland, also impacted by the widespread sectarian violence of the time. Habitat provided wonderful opportunities for volunteers to join together from both sides of our sectarian divide to build houses with, and for, each other.
Simple – I joined the Board of Trustees because I got infected by the vison, passion, values and enthusiasm of the staff and volunteers I encountered, both locally and internationally.
My wife and I leading a cross-community team from North Belfast to Guatemala and, one tear drenched lunchtime , listening to a couple with two young children talk about how their new, simple, clean, sturdy house would provide a solid foundation for their children to step into their potential. Nobody in their family history had had that opportunity before.
For me, this mission is an invitation to leadership that is both practical and relational: mobilising people, resources and influence to address housing poverty locally and internationally, while also building bridges across communities. Habitat’s emphasis on working with people - rather than for them - embodies a “hand up” that restores agency and self-reliance, not dependency.
Joining the board of Habitat for Humanity Ireland offers the opportunity to make a tangible difference in a housing related context while strengthening communities locally and globally. It will enable you to use your professional skills for meaningful impact within a purpose-driven, values-led organisation, and to contribute to leadership that prioritises dignity, partnership, and long-term change.
At the same time, you will benefit from personal and professional growth, gaining governance experience and broader perspective, while helping steward a trusted organisation committed to integrity and lasting impact.
In this context I am drawn to a quote by Millard Fuller, the late founder of Habitat for Humanity : “We are not just building houses; we are building people and communities.”
We’re looking for individuals to join the Habitat Ireland Board of Trustees, to support our vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to call home.
