Home-Start Surrey Heath Trustee (SH)

Home-Start Surrey Heath recruits and trains volunteers to help families with at least one child under 5. Our volunteers, who are all parents themselves, support other parents by visiting them in their homes for 2-3 hours each week.

Home-Start Surrey Heath is a local family support charity. Established in 1989, we are deeply rooted within our community. Through our trained parent volunteers, we support families who are struggling to cope with mental and/or physical health, disabilities, bereavement, domestic violence, social isolation, plus a whole range of other reasons. Our volunteers visit families in their own homes, giving practical and emotional support. But we need another kind of volunteer - trustees.  Being a trustee is all about governance of our charity - planning how we will achieve our goals. Being a trustee can be hard work and you will need to be able to respond to demand but it is also rewarding, giving many opportunities for personal development and the chance to give something back to your local community. Without volunteer trustees, we couldn\'t exist and families and children wouldn\'t get the support they need.

What will you be doing?

Strategic leadership

• Provide leadership to the charity and its Board, ensuring the Charity has maximum impact for its beneficiaries
• Ensure that Trustees fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the Charity
• Ensuring compliance with the Home-Start Agreement and Quality Assurance system.
• Ensure that the Board can regularly review major risks and associated opportunities, and satisfy itself that systems are in place to take advantage of opportunities, and manage and mitigate the risks
• Ensure that the Board fulfils its duties to ensure sound financial health of the charity, with systems in place to ensure financial accountability

Governance

• Ensure that the governance arrangements are working in the most effective way for the Charity
• Develop the knowledge and capability of the Board of Trustees
• Encourage positive change and where appropriate address and resolve any conflicts within the Board
• Ensure that the Board of Trustees is regularly refreshed and incorporates the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience needed to govern and lead the charity effectively, and which also reflects the wider population
• Work within any agreed policies adopted by the charity

External Relations

• Act as an ambassador for the cause and the charity
• Maintain close relationships with key stakeholders and with key influences
• Attendance at meetings as member of Home-Start Consortium
• Act as a spokesperson for the organisation when appropriate
• Represent the charity at external functions, meetings and events
• Facilitate change and address any potential conflict with external stakeholders

What skills do I need?

What we are looking for:

We need someone to share and develop leadership skills and business experience. This role is all about the governance of the charity and employment of the staff team.

The role as one of our Trustees, would suit someone with a strong background in organisational leadership and development.  Previous experience of charity work is not essential, but it is important to have a genuine interest in our work.  We would also particularly like to hear from people with backgrounds in: safeguarding, tendering and procurement; financial management; fundraising and income generating; business development; contract management; Early Years and family support; IT; community development.

Our trustees come from all walks of life, bringing their experience and skills to us and we are looking for new active and engaged members. 

You don’t need special qualifications to be one of our trustees, but common sense, flexibility, time, ability to work as part of a team, a willingness to learn, understanding the pressures facing parents today and a genuine interest in supporting parents in our community are just as important to us. This role is subject to a DBS check.

Trustees should expect to spend at least 8-10 hours a month on their duties.  It is an important role, carrying legal and financial responsibilities, which will require time and commitment.  You will have access to an intranet full of information and guidance on all aspects of running a scheme and the skills and knowledge of staff, fellow trustees and Home-Start UK.