Appointment
The role of Trustee is a voluntary (unpaid) position. All Trustee appointments are subject to criminal record and eligibility checks and references.
Terms of Office
A Trustee holds office for a term of three years. You may be re-appointed for a second term of office by the Board, depending on the needs of the Board. In exceptional cases, trustees may be appointed for a third term of office.
Time Commitment
The time you spend volunteering as a Trustee will depend on your circumstances and will be discussed with the Chair. We know that everyone has different commitments and we want to make the Board work as well as possible for everyone. The sum total of time that most Trustees expect to spend is around twelve-fourteen days a year with the charity, including meetings, preparation and reading time, visiting services and engaging with staff, volunteers, service users and supporters.
Meetings
There are four Board meetings a year and they each last around five hours. They are face to face meetings, and are usually held in central London. There is an annual 2-day workshop for the Board and senior management team, which includes an overnight stay. Travel expenses for all meetings can be met in full by the charity, this includes the cost of an overnight stay if this is required. All costs are covered for attendance at the workshop. You are expected to attend each Board meeting and the workshop.
In addition there are currently four different Board sub-committees. They each meet between three and four times a year; each meeting lasts for approximately two hours. All trustees will join one or more of these sub- committees. These committee meetings are held online.
For each meeting you will need some time to read relevant papers.
Staying In Touch and Getting Involved
You will be joining a 900 strong volunteer team, passionate staff team and army of supporters that enable us to be there for children and young people. Getting involved and understanding these groups of people will aid/be part of your role as Trustee.
There may also be a further opportunities to spend time on items of specific interest to you, and for additional involvement with the charity’s work; again this will depend on your circumstances.
Induction
We will provide a comprehensive induction programme and work with you to tailor this to your skills and experience so that you get the support your need to join the Board. You will be supported by staff and other Trustees to get to know the charity and the role, and you will attend training on the duties of a Trustee. You will visit our services to see what actually happens on the ground, and you will get all the essential documents and policies.
Expenses
Being a Trustee is a voluntary role. We are passionate about making Trustee roles accessible to all so expenses will be reimbursed in line with our Trustee Expenses Policy.