Trustee
Citizens Advice in East Dorset & Purbeck is a local, independent charity who help people move forward with their lives. We offer free, confidential advice on a number of issues, including Benefits, Debt, Employment, Energy and Housing.
We are looking for volunteer Trustees to join our friendly team and help shape the future of our organisation. If you’d like to give back to your community we would love to hear from you. We welcome people with a variety of experience and knowledge.
Person Specification
- Understand and accept the responsibilities and liabilities as Trustees
- Be non-judgmental and respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own
- Have good listening, verbal and written communication skills
- Be able to exercise good independent judgment
- Have good numeracy skills to understand accounts with the support of the treasurer
- Be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection
- Be willing to undertake training in your role
- An ability to think creatively
- A willingness to speak their mind
- An ability to work effectively as a member of a team
What do you need to have?
The Board of Trustees is looking for Trustees with a variety of experience and knowledge that can help guide and support our organisation.
What’s in it for you?
- Make a positive impact for people in your local area by ensuring Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck is sustainable and meeting the needs of the community
- Meet people and build relationships with trustees, staff and other volunteers
- Build on your governance, leadership and strategy skills
How much time do you need to give?
The Trustee board usually meet once a quarter, typically on a Tuesday morning for two hours at Allendale House, Wimborne. You may need to attend other meetings if you’re involved in specific projects, or meet with volunteers and staff occasionally within Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck.
Valuing inclusion
Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we particularly welcome applications from disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBT+ and non-binary people, and people from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee and would like to discuss ‘what you will do’ and how we can support you please contact us.
What will you do?
- Complete an introduction for your role
- Maintain an awareness of how Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck is operating
- Read papers for board meetings and attend four meetings per year
- Work on specific projects with other Trustees or staff within Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck to further the strategic objectives
- Take an active discussion during board meetings and work with the CEO and other Trustees to:
- Set policy and strategy direction, set targets and evaluate the performance of Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck
- Monitor the financial position of Citizens Advice in East Dorset and Purbeck ensuring that it operates within its means and objectives, ensuring that they are clear
- Seek the views of all sections of the community and monitor how well the service meets the needs of the local community
- Ensure that the service plans for the recruitment and turnover of staff and volunteers
- Review its own work and how effectively it operates including action for improvement
Recruitment Process
- Please send your CV and supporting statement to [email protected]
- An invitation for an initial conversation with the CEO and Chair of Trustees
- An invitation to attend a Board Meeting as an observer
- References taken
- A formal invitation to join the Board at the next meeting tbc
- Induction
For an informal chat about the Trustee roles email: [email protected] or call Kathy Saltmarsh on 01929 408948
