Become a Trustee
Our trustees are our unsung heroes, who give their time for free to make sure our organisation is financially safe, well run and legal, whilst also helping us create an exciting and inspirational strategy for the future.
Have you ever thought about becoming a trustee but have questions? Here we answer a few of the common queries.
If you would like to know more, or speak with a member of our team please let us know.
Suffolk Family Carer’s trustees make sure we always put family carers at the heart of everything we do and ensure Suffolk Family Carers has a clear strategy with its goals being inline with our vision. The day-to-day running of the organisation is delegated o staff, led by our CEO Kirsten but our trustees play a ‘critical friend’ , giving support to ensure we deliver the best services we can.
Our trustees are the ‘guardians of purpose’, making sure all decisions put the needs of carers first. They safeguard our assets – both physical (.e.g. property) and intangible (e.g. reputation), making sure these are used well and that the charity is run sustainably.
Being a trustee can be very rewarding.
The Suffolk Family Carers trustees come from a range of backgrounds and experience, but with one thing in common – they are dedicated to supporting our organisation. That interest and dedication to family carers may stem from having been a family carer themselves, they know exactly how hard it can be to manage as a family carer. Other trustees have a particular skill – such as accountancy or human resource management – and are motivated by giving back to their communities through sharing their expertise to a cause that they feel committed to.
As a trustee you have the chance to support and shape the work and strategic direction of our organisation, and you can make a significant difference to a cause that matters to you. It is also a great way to get involved in a community or find out more about the not-for-profit sector.
Becoming a trustee offers the opportunity for professional development. It can help you gain experience of strategy and leadership, and boost your CV. It gives you experience of being a non-executive director, helping set our strategic vision, influencing and negotiation, and managing risk.
If you already have experience in these areas it can be stimulating to use it in a different and potentially challenging context. As a trustee, you are part of a team and have the opportunity to apply your unique skills and experience while learning from others. Working closely with a passionate team of people who have different perspectives is often one of the most enjoyable aspects of the role.
Trustees often say that being a board member has been one the richest sources of learning in their professional lives.
Here are a few questions which we are frequently asked about what is involved with becoming a trustee.
Five, these meetings are often held face to face at Claydon, but there is normally a facility available to attend remotely, via a video link.
About 2 and a half hours, normally held in the morning, from 10am.
Yes, trustees are usually linked with one committee – either Finance/Audit, HR or Governance – which meet approximately 3 times a year. Sometimes these meetings are held remotely, via video link.
There are opportunities for each trustee to link with a service or function within the organisation. We try to enable trustees to choose their link, especially if they have a particular interest or skill set. Trustees can then make individual arrangements with the service/function manager to attend team meetings or meet the team in an informal way.
Contact is usually by email in between meetings.
The Annual General Meeting, held in November each year.
An induction comprising written information and introductory meetings with key employees is arranged for each trustee and can fit in with the trustee’s own diary. This normally takes a few hours in total.
The Essential Trustee is a guide from the Charity Commission and explains more about the key duties of all trustees of charities in England and Wales, and what trustees need to do to carry out these duties.
The legal duties of trustees. Charity law gives trustees a legal responsibility for a given charity. To support this trustees also have specific duties. These are set out by the Charity Commission and show how trustees should govern their charity and conduct themselves. NVCO summarise the 6 core legal responsibilities of being a charity trustee.
We are always on the lookout for people to join our trustee board, especially if they can bring a wider understanding about family carers and the diversity of Suffolk. We always encourage family carers or ex-family carers to consider joining us in this role. We are extremely interested in people who have insights into our different Suffolk communities – our rural communities, coastal communities, minority ethnic communities and work communities to name but a few.
If you would like to know more about becoming a trustee at Suffolk Family Carers please contact us on recruitment@suffolkfamilycarers.org and one of our team will be in touch. There is no obligation, just an opportunity to have a more detailed discussion.
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An Interview with Hannah
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