About the organisation
We are an independent local charity that promotes and maintains independent living for older residents in and around our local community. We are not affiliated with any similar organisations, but work closely with other Wokingham Borough-based charities and support organisations.
We provide a Day Centre with activities, lunches and optional take-home meals, activities including arts, singing and dancing, plus a range of support services including assistance with form-filling, handypersons and a listening ear to support families.
About the role
We are a small and collaborative trustee team, working closely with the staff in the centre to provide a service to our local community.
Our Board includes some people with experience and skills in the services we provide to older people or other professions, and we’d expect trustees to have empathy with our cause and our beneficiaries.
Although we’d welcome your financial qualification, that’s not a requirement, as our finances aren’t complex.
An understanding of how charity finance works would be beneficial of course, with the ability to communicate financial information clearly, especially to other trustees, being important. Support from our employees is always available, as they will be dealing with the day-to-day finances.
You don’t necessarily need prior experience of charity trusteeship, as full induction will be provided, and follow-up advice from local charity-support organisations is always available.
This appointment is being assisted for us by inVOLve Community Services, a charity-support organisation, who can supply you with a detailed Role Description and Skills Specification, and offer advice about trusteeship, even assist your application.
Our ideal candidate
Here is some of what we would expect from our trustees; we appreciate you may want to develop more in some of these areas. We know that you may also need training and support from employees, from other trustees and from external organisations, and that that will be forthcoming, as necessary, to build on any area.
- Clear commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, valuing differences to make better decisions and deliver better outcomes
- Understanding of the needs of our beneficiaries is desirable; an empathy with them is essential
- Experience and knowledge of managing finances, bookkeeping or similar
- Experience and knowledge of current practice relevant to voluntary and community groups, charities or SME finance would be useful; an outline understanding of the Charities SORP would be welcome
- A recognised financial and/or accounting qualification would be highly beneficial but is not a prerequisite
- Ability to communicate financial information clearly, especially to other trustees whose in-depth financial knowledge may be less than yours
- Strategic vision; good, independent judgement; ability to think creatively, tempered by pragmatism and reality
- Skills to analyse proposals, examine their strategic financial consequences and make concise recommendations as part of the trustees’ team
- Ability to cooperatively work with the team of trustees, bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision-making
What’s in it for you
What do you get as a volunteer trustee with our organisation?
- An opportunity to influence and collectively-lead an organisation supporting our community
- A chance to expand and implement your understanding of our work
- A chance to augment your experience of charities
- A boost to your career and CV, if needed
- Satisfaction of helping an organisation that supports older people, thus giving something back to your community
- Induction training from us; training, support and assistance from local charity-support & advice agencies; reimbursement of reasonable expenses, if needed
Apply for the role
Please provide a short cover note setting out your motivations for volunteering for the organisation, any relevant skills/experience and why you think you might be a suitable candidate.
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