Could you be a trustee?
Trustees have overall control of a charity and are responsible for making sure it’s doing what it was set up to do. They make sure the charity meets its goals and responsibilities; and is fit for purpose. They may be known by other titles, such as directors, board members, governors or committee members. Whatever they are called, trustees are the people who lead the charity and decide how it is run.
Trustees don’t usually do the day-to-day running of the charity. They delegate this to the staff, led by the Chief Executive. However, in smaller charities and community groups with few or no staff, trustees may take hands-on roles too.
Most trustee boards meet four to eight times a year. Many boards have sub-committees that focus on particular areas of work or projects giving trustees the chance to get involved in specific areas of interest.
You can find out more about what’s involved in The Essential Trustee - a guide from the Charity Commission.
Being a trustee can be very rewarding. You have the chance to support and shape the work and strategic direction of an organisation, and you can make a significant difference to a cause that matters to you. Depending on what the charity does, you will be making a difference to your local community or to society as a whole.
You may choose to get involved with a charity focused on a cause or an issue you are passionate about or because your life has been touched by the work of that voluntary organisation. It is also a great way to get involved in a community or find out more about the not-for-profit sector.
Being a trustee offers the opportunity for professional and personal development. It will give you experience of being a non-executive director, such as setting a strategic vision, influencing and negotiation, and managing risk. If you already have significant experience in these areas, it can be stimulating to use it in a different and potentially challenging context.
Trustees don’t get paid for their role but you can claim reasonable expenses, such as the fare for travelling to meetings.
Anyone over 16 can be a trustee (with a few exceptions - see Eligibility for trusteeship). Diversity is really important to the effectiveness of boards. So, all kinds of people, of all ages and characteristics are encouraged to become charity trustees. You don’t need to have sat on a board before. You don’t need to have a specialist professional skill (although such skills are always welcomed) – your value might be your life experience and a connection with the charity’s cause. And you don’t need to have years of experience behind you. Young trustees (18-35 year olds) are especially encouraged.
The time commitment varies depending on the charity. The only way to find out is to ask.
It is important to be realistic about how much time you can commit, and when you’re available. The charity’s needs are likely to be made up of a range of activities that may occur at different times of the day and vary across the year. Questions you should ask include:
- How many trustee meetings are there each year?
- How long are the meetings, where and at what time of day?
- Are trustees expected to serve on committees?
- What opportunities are there to spend time with the organisation observing its work?
- What contact is there in between trustee meetings and how does this usually take place?
- Are there any one-off events or annual occasions that trustees are expected to attend?
- What induction and training will the organisation provide, and how much time will that take?
A selection of current vacancies in our area is listed on the right. To find out more, click on a role. If you’d like to apply for any of these roles, press the ‘register your interest’ button at the top of the page for that role. If you don’t see anything here that interests you, please get in touch as we may be able to point you towards vacancies advertised elsewhere.
If you have any questions about becoming a trustee or help with finding a suitable role please email volunteercentre@bhcommunityworks.org.uk or call us on 01273 234826
Cardiac Charity looking for Trustees
The Sussex Heart Charity
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Brighton YMCA
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Treasurer
Sussex Against Bullying
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Trustee
Sussex Against Bullying
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Trustee - income generation
Safe in Sussex
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A2, Yeoman Gate , Yeoman Way , Worthing , BN13 3QZ
Trustee and Company Secretary
Safe in Sussex
We are a women led charity supporting women and children who are experiencing domestic abuse t...
A2, Yeoman Gate , Yeoman Way , Worthing, BN13 3QZ
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Worthing Mencap
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121 South Farm Road , Worthing , BN14 7AX
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Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group
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Sussex Prisoners' Families
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Classroom Learning On Wheels, Doing Education Right (CLOWDER)
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Brighton & Hove
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The Trust for Developing Communities (TDC)
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Trustee - fundraising
MenWalkTalk
MenWalkTalk is a charity which aims to improve mental health in men by engaging them in a walking gr...
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Volunteer Treasurer
Pregnancy Options Centre, Chichester
Options are looking for a volunteer Treasurer to support the work of the charity. The role will invo...
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Trustee (Treasurer)
SEAS - Socially Engaged Art Salon
SEAS (Socially Engaged Art Salon) is a BIPOC & LGBTQ led organisation which promotes socially engage...
BMECP, 10 Fleet Street, Brighton, BN1 4GQ
Trustee - finance
SEDS (Sussex Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes)
Do you have finance skills and experience? Would you like to make a difference to people living with...
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Trustee - strategy and development
SEDS (Sussex Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes)
Do you have strategy development skills and experience? Would you like to make a difference to peopl...
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Treasurer
Apron
Are you an accountant with solid finance experience? Would you like to use your skills to help a gro...
Shoreham-by-Sea
Trustee Treasurer
Together in Sussex
Together in Sussex is looking for a Trustee Treasurer who can help manage the financial administrati...
City wide
Creative Social Media and Marketing Director
Smarter Uniforms
Are you an advocate for zero waste and reducing textile waste? Are you passionate about protecting o...
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Secretary: Laughton Greenwood
Laughton Greenwood Limited CBS
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Chair Person: Laughton Greenwood
Laughton Greenwood Limited CBS
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Old Boat Corner Community Association
Do you live in Hollingbury, Patcham or Coldean?Are you thinking about becoming a Trustee? Would yo...
Hollingbury
Volunteer Trustee
BMECP (Black and Minority Ethnic Community Partnership)
BMECP is a multipurpose organisation providing infrastructure support to diverse BAME community grou...
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Finance Trustee
Safe in Sussex
We are a women led charity supporting women and children who are experiencing domestic abuse, throug...
A2, Yeoman Gate , Yeoman Way , Worthing , BN13 3QZ
Partnership member
Sompting Big Local
Sompting Big Local is a long-term innovative programme that aims to achieve lasting change in Sompti...
Sompting
TRUSTEES at The Somerset Centre, Brighton
Somerset Centre, Brighton
We welcome enquiries from people who have an interest in the welfare of older people, and who, in pa...
Treasurer
Freedom Powerchairs
Are you interested in supporting disabled people? Do you have a background in finance? Do you have 3...
Worthing
Treasurer
The Treasure Basket Association
Are you confident with numbers and producing financial information? Would you like the chance to us...
7 Mulberry Lane , Goring-by-Sea , BN12 4NR
Trustee at Guild Care charity
Guild Care
The Board of Trustees of any charity plays a vital role in making important decisions on its work....
Methold House, North Street, Worthing, BN11 1DU
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Independent Lives
Independent Lives is looking to grow our Board and are now recruiting people with experience and pas...
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Board Trustees
Circus Project
The Circus Project is seeking to attract a number of new Board Members to work with our current memb...
Hangelton Community Centre, Harmsworth Crescent, Hove, BN3 8BW
Board of Trustees Role
Possability People
Possability People is a user led organisation that promotes independent living for all. We work towa...
Montague House, Montague Place, Brighton, BN2 1JE