From Insurance Professional to Volunteer
30 Years. 30 Stories.
From insurance professional to mentor: Greg’s view from the other side of the table
How volunteering with The Brokerage is helping Greg Johnstone open up the world of insurance to the next generation
For some young people, the hardest part of starting a career isn't ambition. It's knowing what is possible in the first place.
For Greg, a Senior Insurance Oversight Manager at Liberty Mutual, that's one of the reasons volunteering with The Brokerage matters.
Having taken part in Brokerage events at Lloyd's, Liberty and previous employers - both online and in person - Greg has seen first-hand what can happen when a young person connects something they're interested in with a career they hadn't previously considered.
As part of our 30 Years. 30 Stories. campaign, we're not only celebrating the stories of our alumni. We're also celebrating the employers, volunteers and professionals who have helped make those journeys possible.
For Greg, volunteering is about helping young people understand the breadth of opportunities available to them, particularly within an industry that many may never have considered.
Making the world of insurance visible
Greg was drawn to volunteering because he wanted to help young people make the most of their talents and abilities.
He also wanted to challenge one of the biggest misconceptions about insurance: that people don't necessarily know just how many different careers the industry can offer.
"I also want to highlight what the Insurance Industry can offer as it's not always obvious the breadth and depth of roles, opportunities, and experiences that are available."
For young people without professional connections, understanding what different industries actually look like can be a crucial first step.
A conversation with someone working in the sector can turn an unfamiliar industry into something tangible — and potentially give a young person a career option they hadn't previously considered.
The moment when it clicks
For Greg, one of the most rewarding parts of volunteering is seeing that moment happen.
He describes the energy at Brokerage events, particularly when they are held in person.
There is often a point in a conversation when a young person connects something they enjoy or feel passionate about with a potential career in insurance.
And then, he says, something changes.
"There is a moment when you can see that someone has linked what they like to do and are passionate about with a potential opportunity in the Insurance industry and it clicks for them that there might be a career opportunity there."
That moment often leads to more questions, more research and a desire to find out what comes next.
For Greg, that's the value of giving young people access to people working inside the industry rather than simply telling them about it from the outside.
Supporting someone beyond a single event
Greg is currently in the early stages of supporting a young person more closely through The Brokerage as they navigate the early stages of their career.
He hopes his experience can help them understand and navigate the corporate world and the complexities of today's jobs market.
But the relationship works both ways.
Greg recognises that the experience is also giving him a better understanding of the challenges facing young people entering the workplace today - challenges that have changed significantly since he was starting his own career.
"I'm hopeful that my input is helping them navigate the corporate world and complexities of the jobs market, however it's also providing me with insights into the challenges that they face which have changed significantly since I was in their position."
It's a reminder that mentoring isn't simply about passing knowledge down. It's about listening, understanding and learning from each other.
What The Brokerage offers
Greg has been involved with several organisations that create opportunities for young people to connect with the insurance industry.
What he believes distinguishes The Brokerage is the breadth of access it provides to professionals across the sector - and the willingness of those professionals to genuinely engage with and support young people.
"The Brokerage offers the best access to industry employees across a broad range of disciplines within the Insurance Industry, and those which are particularly interested in genuinely helping and providing support and insights to younger people."
For a young person trying to understand an unfamiliar industry, that access can make a significant difference.
Why diversity of thought matters
Greg has long been supportive of social mobility, and his volunteering has strengthened that perspective.
For him, creating genuine opportunity means looking beyond standard measures of diversity and thinking about who has access to careers in the first place.
"I believe the Insurance industry needs true diversity of thought, not just the standardised diversity metrics and measures that are currently in place."
For that to happen, he believes pathways into the industry — and opportunities to progress within it — need to be open to everyone.
"This relies firmly on pathways in, and up, to be open to all."
You know more than you think
For anyone considering volunteering, Greg's advice is simple: don't underestimate what you can offer.
You don't have to be a senior leader or an expert in careers.
Simply working in a professional environment means you've picked up knowledge about how workplaces operate — often without even realising it.
"Even just by working in a corporate culture you absorb information via osmosis that can be imparted and shared and help the next generation navigate this world."
That could mean explaining how a meeting works, talking through what different roles involve, answering questions about workplace culture or simply giving a young person a clearer picture of what their future could look like.
Sometimes, that knowledge is exactly what someone needs.
More than volunteering
For Greg, the value of volunteering goes beyond the immediate impact on the young people attending an event.
He believes it also challenges professionals to step outside their everyday roles and see the workplace from a completely different perspective.
"From a personal development perspective, I think it's invaluable for individuals who have already started their careers to think outside of their day-to-day roles and challenge themselves in a different way by putting themselves in someone else's shoes."
It is a two-way exchange: young people gain access to professional knowledge and networks, while volunteers gain a deeper understanding of the experiences and challenges facing the next generation.
Three words: Supportive. Equitable. Uplifting.
If Greg had to describe The Brokerage in three words, he chose:
Supportive. Equitable. Uplifting.
His commitment to the organisation is ongoing.
"I am looking forward to continuing partnering with The Brokerage for as long as possible to support the ultimate cause behind the organisation."
Opening the door to the next generation
Greg's story shows that social mobility isn't only about the opportunities young people receive. It's also about the people willing to open doors, share knowledge and make professional worlds more accessible.
For 30 years, The Brokerage has brought young people and professionals together to create those moments of connection.
A volunteer doesn't need to have all the answers. Sometimes, they simply need to be willing to share what they know, listen to a young person's questions and help them see an opportunity they hadn't seen before.
As part of 30 Years. 30 Stories., we're proud to celebrate Greg and the many volunteers who give their time, experience and insight to help young people navigate the world of work.
Because sometimes, one conversation is enough to make a career feel possible.
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