What is a trustee? Expand Trustees are the people with overall responsibility for a charity and they make decisions about its future, it’s strategic direction and its governance. The role of a trustee is to make sure that the charity is on the right path to achieve its aims has the resources and policies in place to be able to do its work, and is complying with all legal requirements It is also role of trustees to ensure the charity is effectively supporting equality, diversity and inclusion on all fronts.
What does a Trustee do? Expand Every charity is different, and their board of trustees will reflect that. Overall, most trustee boards operate in a strategic way rather than doing ‘everyday’ work. This means that as a trustee you will be participating in board meetings to oversee the charity’s work and help plan its next steps. Often trustees will volunteer to carry out specific pieces of work in-between board meetings, focussing on particular areas of the charity’s work, for example looking at Human Resources, governance, strategy or other aspects. The charity’s CEO, staff and volunteers will be responsible for making it happen on the ground and delivering the plans that trustees have outlined. In Haringey, we have lots of smaller charities in which trustees are often hands-on with some operational tasks, as well as carrying out their governance and strategic roles. They may offer to help delivering a specific service, guiding the charity towards its long-term goals.
Who can become a trustee? Expand Almost anyone can be a trustee, regardless of age, level of professional experience, ethnicity, or any other protected characteristic. Everyone has something that is worth offering a charity. Lived experience – having experience of the issues a charity is trying to address – is particularly valuable. However, becoming a trustee doesn’t always seem accessible or achievable to everybody. Many charities recognise this and are working to remove the barriers to becoming a trustee.
Finding something that is a good fit for you Expand When thinking about finding a trustee role that will suit you, it is worth considering: Why am I thinking about becoming a charity trustee? It might be because: You want to help a cause that is close to you, perhaps because of your personal experiences or because it’s an issue you feel passionate about You want to offer your skills You want to develop your skills and experience, for your personal or professional development You are looking for a positive way to use your free time You want to help ensure that charity leadership better reflects the communities they serve. What have I got to offer? There is no requirement for formal training or experience to become a trustee. To help you find a trustee opportunity that’s a good fit for you, you could reflect on what you would bring to the role, from all aspects of your life experience: Professional skills and knowledge Leadership qualities and experience Personal traits, interests and lived experience. What am I looking for? Time commitment: this can vary depending on the organisation. You will need to commit a regular amount of time to being a trustee – usually this will be at least one meeting every 3 months, so a minimum of 4 meetings per year. Some trustees also commit to doing other tasks that the charity needs, outside of meetings. Size & type of organisation: are you looking for a smaller charity, that might be volunteer-run, or one that has some paid staff? Is it important to you that the organisation is community-led and grassroots? Ways of working: how does the activity the charity delivers to achieve its objectives, fit with the way you like to work? For example, does it deliver direct support, campaign for change, or provide resources to other organisations? Support for trustees: what support would you be looking for in your role as a trustee, and which organisations can provide this?
Trustee opportunities in Haringey Expand Here are a some of the trustee opportunities currently available from across Haringey... EcoCounts - Trustee / Treasurer EcoCounts are a climate charity based in North London. They are looking for someone with experience in accountancy and bookkeeping to join their board. Click below to find out more… More Information Wheely Tots - Trustees Wheely Tots is keen to hear from people interested in what we do who might want to get involved with running the charity as a trustee. Click below to find out more... More Information Groundswell Arts - Chair & Trustees Groundswell Arts are seeking new Trustees and a Chair to join our North London Arts and Education Charity. Click below to find out more... More Information Hornsey Vale Community Association - Treasurer HVCA is looking for a volunteer treasurer, ideally with an accountancy or book-keeping background. Click below to find out more... More information Muswell Hill Centre - Treasurer The Muswell Hill Centre is a small, registered charity run by a friendly and informal Management committee, which has overseen the running of a purpose built youth centre since 1976. They are looking for a Haringey resident with a working knowledge of accounts, to join the committee as a trustee and Treasurer, lead on financial governance, and monitor the charity’s modest income and expenditure, and report to the rest of committee. Closing date: 15th April 2023 More information Lordship Hub is looking for new volunteer board members They are particularly interested in hearing from local people who have skills and experience of financial management, fundraising, IT, hospitality retail, running a small organisation or people management. Lordship Hub is a vibrant community centre and café in Lordship Rec, Tottenham’s largest public park. The Hub’s aim is to provide a space and services that are needed by park users and the local community. This includes 2 rooms for hire, and a cafe serving a menu that is focused on fresh, wholesome, tasty and affordable food. The activities and pricing have to be appealing to the local community and also allow to run a financially sustainable organisation. More information Wards Corner CBS Wards Corner CBS are seeking to recruit Trustees, click below to find out more... More Information Markfield Project - Trustees The Markfield Project is a charity set up by parents of disabled children to create a safe and supportive space for inclusive play. They provide a diverse range of services for disabled children, young people and adults, parents, carers and siblings. They are looking for committed and passionate people to get involved as trustees. Click below to find out more and to apply… More Information Application Form Centre 404 - Could you be one of their next Trustees? Centre 404 is a charity that provide high quality support and services to people with learning disabilities and their families. They are based in North London and work across 7 London boroughs. They are currently looking for two new board members. They particularly welcome applications from the BAME community, those with lived experience of learning disabilities and those without previous trustee experience who may not think to apply for a role like this. Click below to find out more and how to apply… More information Haringey Community Benefit Society - Board Members Haringey Community Benefit Society is an exciting new start up focussed on providing rental homes for households who find it difficult to buy or rent on the open market. They have had a successful first year of operation and have ambitious plans to grow and a pipeline of properties to add to their portfolio. They are now looking to recruit new members to join their board of management as independent non-executive directors of the company. More information Haringey Over 50s Forum - Committee Members Haringey Over 50s Forum purpose is to give older people a voice and to ensure that all their concerns are put and kept before the decision makers. We are looking for volunteers to join our Committee and help support our members and older residents in Haringey. If you would like to use your skills and experience in committee work, events organising, and dialogue with public bodies and politicians, to help us with our work with older people in Haringey, we would love to hear from you! More Information