What is a trustee?
Looking for an exciting and rewarding role in the charity sector with a ton of responsibility?A trusteeship might be just the thing you need.
A trustee is a volunteer who serves on the governing body of a charity, as part of a board of trustees.
The board has overall control of a charity and is responsible for making sure the charity is doing what it was set up to do.
Most boards meet monthly or quarterly, and trustees carry out their responsibilities alongside their full-time jobs.
Who can become a trustee?
As a general rule, anyone aged 18 or over can become a trustee. However, applicants will be disqualified if they’ve:
• been declared bankrupt, or had an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA)
• got any unspent convictions
• on the sex offenders’ register
Responsibilities of trustees
Trustees aren’t involved in the day-to-day running of the charity, but they are responsible for making sure it runs sustainably, effectively, and fairly.
The Charity Commission outlines six main key responsibilities:
Making sure the charity benefits the public.
Ensuring the charity follows the law and its own governing documents.
Holding the charity to account.
Making and supporting decisions in the charity’s best interests.
Managing the charity’s resources responsibly. This includes making sure the charity’s money, reputation, and people are managed properly and ensuring the charity has the resources needed to achieve its mission.
Acting with “reasonable care and skill”. This means using their knowledge and experience to make the right decisions.
Why do charities have a board of trustees?
They provide a crucial failsafe to keep the senior leadership on track and accountable.
Also, charities can’t be registsered with the Charity Commission without a board of trustees.
You can spend hours scouring the job sites for the perfect trustee role, or let us do the hard work for you. Its your choice.
Want to take the stress out of the search? Call us on 0203 750 3111 or email info@bamboofundraising.co.uk to get started.