Home » Volunteering » I want to become a trustee

I want to become a trustee

Wherever you have been searching for voluntary opportunities, it’s likely you have seen adverts from organisations looking to recruit trustees. But what is a trustee and why would you want to be one?

The guide below helps explain what a trustee does. who can be one and the benefits of the role. If after reading you think you would like to take on a trustee position, have a look at the links to current opportunities in Oxfordshire.

What is a trustee?

Trustees are a group of people who have the overall legal responsibility for a charity. The trustees make important decisions regarding the running of the charity. Individual trustees usually have specific areas of responsibility e.g. managing the finances, marketing etc.

The first thing is to ask yourself some questions.   What are my interests?  What do I care about?  What does it feel really important to support?   Find out as much as you can about charities working in these fields. 

You can approach organisations themselves expressing your interests and asking to talk to someone.  Try to be clear about skills and experience you might offer to a charity.  However, remember as well that good people who are reliable, of sound judgement and prepared to contribute where they can are always in short supply!

Who can be a trustee?

Trustees usually need to be over the age of 18. Most adults can be trustees, as long as you have not been declared bankrupt or had certain criminal convictions. The most important skills as a trustee is a commitment to the charity and an honest approach.

What does being a trustee involve?

Fundamentally, the role of trustees is to work as a group to take decisions about the charity they represent to ensure it fulfils its aims. These decisions are taken as a group at formal meetings and once a decision has been made, all trustees are bound to support that decision.

Many charities also delegate day to day or operational matters to individual trustees e.g. an individual trustee may have the responsibility for the charities finances or for volunteer recruitment and training.

You may well want to contact an individual charity or organisation you are thinking of applying to and ask questions about what the role would involve and many organisations may make this quite clear in an advert for a trustee. A good general place to start is this article from the NCVO (National Council for Voluntary Organisations).

What will I get out of being a trustee?

  • The chance to make a positive difference using your skills and experience
  • The opportunity to learn about managing charities through taking on leadership responsibility and helping to develop strategic plans
  • Experience working with a diverse group of people as a committee

How do I find out about organisations looking for trustees?

If there is a particular organisation you would like to volunteer for, you can always approach them directly and express your interest. If you are not sure where to start, the suggestions below will give you some ideas:

  1. Oxfordshire VolunteersThe countywide volunteering website is a great place to begin you search for all volunteering roles, including positions as a trustee.
  2. Oxfordshire Trustee Leadership List: 

    The Oxfordshire Trustee Leadership List is a confidential list of people with senior leadership experience.  Charities and groups/organisations who are looking for Trustees or Board Members describe their service and specify the experience and skills they seek.  This brief information is then distributed to all on the list, in confidential format.  Those who are interested contact the organisation direct for further information and to take matters further if they wish.  There is no commitment to engage unless interested in doing so and contact details of those on the list are never given to organisations without permission.

    You can register your interest in being a Trustee or Board Member and receive adverts by email for potential positions. Email: lieutenancy-office@theridgegroup.com

  3. Your local Volunteer Centre: They’ll be happy to help advise you and can always approach organisations on your behalf.

4. National Websites:  Websites including The Guardian, Charity Jobs, REACH, Trustee Finder and Young Charity Trustees all list trustee roles, often for larger charities;

The Guardian 

Charity Jobs  

REACH  
Trustee Finder and Young Charity Trustees all list trustee roles, often for larger charities.

If you would like more information on the process of applying for a role, or if you have recently taken on a trustee position, email training@ocva.org.uk for more information. If you would like to be on our OCVA mailing list for trustees please sign up here Trustee Mailing List .  We will send you any information relevant to Trustees with regard to training, events, governance and will also circulate information or requests for help from other trustees.

Other support for trustees

Association of Chairs

We support Chairs of charities and non-profit organisations to lead your boards effectively and ensure delivery of your organisation’s mission. Our resources are designed specifically to support you in your skilled and demanding role. We provide practical guidance and governance support tailored to the needs of Chairs.   https://www.associationofchairs.org.uk/

If you would like more information on the process of applying for a role, or if you have recently taken on a trustee position, email training@ocva.org.uk for more information. If you would like to be on our OCVA mailing list for trustees please sign up here Trustee Mailing List .  We will send you any information relevant to Trustees with regard to training, events, governance and will also circulate information or requests for help from other trustees.
Share with a friend
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Email
Christmas Volunteering and Community Help Advent Calendar 2023
This is default text for notification bar
Skip to content