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?