Case studies: how we help our members
ILM offers a comprehensive range of member services, and here’s what some of our members have to say about how ILM has helped them.
Ruth Wales, The Mayhew Animal Home
Coming from a fundraising background with no knowledge of legacies, ILM was one of the first places I turned to, and everything I do in my job has been influenced and shaped by being a member of ILM. I did the beginners’ course as soon as possible, and it helped me understand the technical aspects of the job in a short space of time. This, and the intermediate course and CiCLA qualification which I am now completing, have given me the skills and confidence to deal with the wide variety of situations you’re faced with in legacy administration, and have been instrumental in helping me progress in my career.
I also find the member area, factsheets and forums really useful. As the only person dealing with legacies at The Mayhew, it’s really important and helpful for me to have the opportunity to hear from fellow legacy professionals, and develop strong connections with colleagues across the sector. I’ve been assigned a mentor as part of my CiCLA qualification, and it’s fantastic to be able to go to them queries about the course, as well as general legacy questions.
I think ILM membership offers great value for money – the discount you receive on the courses alone makes up for the cost of membership.
Adam Buckles, Global Legacy Specialist, Amnesty International
I joined ILM in 2005 as I was starting my career in legacy management. I completed the CiCLA qualification, which helped me learn on the job, and found the member site and factsheets really helpful. ILM has a wonderful way of making incredibly complex technical topics understandable and accessible, and their resources take you through things step-by-step, building a foundation of knowledge that stays with you.
As well as the resources, technical information, courses and qualifications, the networking element is fantastic. Being able to put a face to a name, for co-beneficiaries from an estate, for example, makes the administration process less disjointed and much more collaborative.
ILM always champions the donors’ wishes and the importance of communicating sensitively. It’s great for the sector to be able to look to ILM for examples of best practice and professionalism.
Nicole Hamid, Solicitor and Legacy Professional, British Heart Foundation
ILM has been extremely useful to me from the very start of my career. I joined the Institute in my first legacy role in 2013 and completed the beginners’ course, which is ideal for people who are new to the profession. I then found both of my following roles through ILM’s job alerts and, having now worked in small, medium and large organisations, I would recommend membership to people at all stages of their career and working in organisations of all sizes.
Having trained as a solicitor in private practice, I’ve found the ILM resources incredibly helpful in building an understanding of the ways that charities approach legacies. I’ve also found some of the specialist training very helpful – in particular, the advanced tax training helped me identify opportunities to add significant value to the legacies so kindly bequeathed by our supporters, utilising our tax exempt status and optimising this important stream of income.
The rapidity and clarity of the ILM’s response to the Ilott v Mitson case last year allowed members to respond in a similar fashion. Their guidance note helped us explain the situation to our fundraising colleagues and the charity’s trustees, allowing them to answer questions from supporters and informing plans on how to adapt our own practices in light of the likely rise in challenges to estates.