Community support manager volunteer roles in palmers green, greater london

Springboard Youth Academy is seeking a qualified accountant to join our Board of Trustees as Treasurer. 

About Springboard 

Springboard Youth Academy supports refugee and asylum-seeking young people who have recently arrived in the UK to help them succeed in the classroom and beyond. By combining participatory learning, life skills and holistic support into action-packed weekend, half-term and summer programming, we work to bridge the gap in support for young people whose needs can't be met in mainstream schools. 

Refugee and asylum-seeking young people who have made the difficult journey to the UK – especially those who come alone – are saddled with many challenges common to starting a life somewhere new. Though they are required to enroll in school, more often than not, they aren’t provided with the language and psychological support necessary to succeed in their new circumstances. They are simply not set up to thrive. Coupled with budget cuts to tailored learning provision in schools, these young people often miss their chance to progress at a natural pace and to reach their fullest potential.

As educators, service providers and youth workers with years of experience working to offset the challenges these young people face, we launched a programme that helps develop young people’s English language skills whilst addressing their psychological and social needs, preparing them for mainstream education and helping them rebuild their lives in London.

We do this by providing interactive and engaging programming that combines English learning, life skills and practical and emotional strategies for young people on their journey to independence and adulthood. 

About the Opportunity

Role Title: Treasurer

Direct Report:Works closely with the Chair, Director and the Board of Trustees. 

Background: Finance, Strategy and Governance, Fundraising, Legal, Risk.

Role Summary

The Treasurer will be required to:

• Monitor the financial standing of the charity and report to the Board and Director regarding cash-flow forecasting, income streams, out-going expenses and the overarching strategic management of the organisation’s financial resources. 

• Oversee the charity’s financial risk-management process and report financial health to the Board of Trustees at regular intervals.

• Act as a counter signatory on cheques and applications to funders and ensure that annual accounts are submitted to all relevant regulators in a timely fashion.

• Liaise with external auditors as required on financial issues and ensure that the organisation's finances are responsibly managed/invested for the betterment of the organisation’s work and for the beneficiaries it serves.

See attached for the full role description and person specification. 

Time Commitment 

In line with all charities, Trustees are unpaid volunteers. Trustees must be able to commit to attending quarterly Board meetings and making time to read paperwork in advance of Board meetings. As a small charity, our resources are limited and Trustees are also asked to actively contribute their skills in relevant areas. As a guideline, Trustees must be prepared to offer a minimum of four hours per month to the charity, for example to be involved in fundraising, interviews and business plans, etc. We will also require new Trustees to spend one day on site during one of our programmes to get a feel for the work, as well as undertake Trustee and Safeguarding training, within the first three months of starting the role.

Board meetings are currently held virtually, and, where possible, are arranged at least two months ahead. On occasion, Trustees will be required to respond on email or phone in relation to issues that arise outside of Board meetings. Travel costs will be covered if they are a barrier.

Values

We’re looking for people who share our love of high quality and inclusive education, as well as our commitment to working with, for and alongside refugee communities. We are keen to meet people who can bring skills, knowledge and both professional and lived experience that will help us scale up. We’re looking for people who can think strategically and creatively, work collaboratively and want to make a significant contribution to Springboard Youth Academy’s future, as well as the wider education sector.

We are committed to nurturing a Board that is representative, diverse and inclusive. We are interested to hear from individuals with experience in governance, as well as those new to Trustee positions. We are particularly encouraging applications from those with personal experience of forced migration and Leaving Care.

Application Process

Please send your CV and a brief, half-page cover letter outlining why you would be a brilliant Treasurer for Springboard Youth Academy and what excites you about our work by midnight on 26th April. 

Please get in touch with us for alternative application formats if you have any accessibility requirements.

Trustee – Board of Trustees

We are looking for one person, who will join the other fourteen Trustees who make up the Board of Trustees for The Passage.

We would be particularly interested in someone with knowledge and experience of the creative industries to add to the wide range of skills and capabilities that the Board possesses.

Location: Westminster, London

Remuneration: This is an unpaid voluntary role, however reasonable expenses may be reimbursed

Time Commitment: Four board meetings per year (with each meeting lasting around two and a half hours). Plus, attendance of occasional events and meetings with key stakeholders

Report To: Chair of Board of Trustees

Closing Date: Rolling advert

Interview Date: TBC, held in London (SW1P).

About the role

Are you passionate about ending homelessness?

Trustees are responsible for giving direction to The Passage and ensuring it meets its objectives effectively.

They are concerned with the policy, strategy and monitoring of the organisation; day-to-day management is delegated to paid professional staff who report to the Board of Trustees.

Trustees are appointed initially for a period of 3 years and can be re-appointed for 2 further periods of 3 years, up to 9 years.

What you will be doing

Principle responsibilities:

The formal duties of the Board of Trustees collectively are to:

• Ensure that The Passage complies with its Memorandum and Articles of Association, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Ensure that The Passage pursues its charitable objects as defined in its memorandum of
  association.
• Ensure The Passage applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects.
• Give clear strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
• Safeguard the good name and the values of The Passage.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of The Passage.
• Ensure the financial stability of The Passage.
• Protect and manage the property of The Passage and to ensure the proper investment of its funds.
• Appoint the Chief Executive, monitor their performance and determine their remuneration.
• Act at all times in the best interests of The Passage, and declare any conflicts of interest.

In addition to the above statutory duties, all Trustees should use any specific knowledge or experience they have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This will involve focusing on key issues and providing advice and guidance requested by the Board on issues and initiatives relevant to the area of Passage Housing Services work in which the Trustee has special expertise.

Expectations

In order to fulfill the role of Trustees effectively, all Trustees are expected to:

• Attend Board meetings, currently held quarterly.
• Attend and participate in the Board’s annual strategic planning day held on a weekday (usually off-site).
• Visit The Passage from time to time to build an awareness of the work and develop an understanding of the needs of the different teams.
• Occasionally attend functions on behalf of The Passage, liaise with other Trustees and the Senior Executive Team in between Board meetings.
• Read Board papers in advance of meetings and come prepared to discuss key points arising from those papers.
• Complete the trustee induction process.
• As part of the Board’s ongoing Development Process participate in a one-to-one annual review with the chairman.

Essential

• An understanding of and commitment to The Passage’s vision, mission and values, including stakeholder engagement and diversity.
• Empathy with the essential principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
• The ability to think strategically and creatively, with an ability to anticipate issues and risks, and to identify opportunities.
• The ability to use good independent judgement and to challenge appropriately as a “critical friend”.
• The ability to work effectively as a member of a team in order to reach timely decisions. This includes being able to speak openly in discussion, whilst listening and respecting the views of others.
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to the role.
• The ability to act as an ambassador for the Passage, to champion its mission and promote its reputation and image, and to establish useful contacts.
• Experience in any range of skills needed to run and govern a housing association, including finance, supported housing, RSH expertise (non-exhaustive list).
• Legal expertise, especially in the areas of commercial property arrangements.
• Excellent networking with other members of relevant sectors, and influencing and communicating skills.
• Demonstrable success in a private, charitable or public sector organisation.

Desired

• Good understanding of charity and/or social housing sector.
• A good knowledge of relevant general legislation and statutory requirements, including charity law, employment law and/or health and safety law.
• Experience of successfully dealing with strategic issues and involvement in longer term planning.
• We believe that achieving long-lasting social impact starts with having our Board and Management Teams reflect the diverse community we serve. Enhancing Board diversity is essential to our core values as an organization. It not only makes us more effective and capable of making better decisions but is also crucial for the successful delivery of our mission.
  • We are therefore, actively encouraging applications from individuals who are Black or from minoritized ethnic backgrounds, disabled, LGBTQ+, and those with varying levels of educational attainment.
  • We particularly welcome applications from younger individuals aged 18 to 30 and are also keen to hear from candidates with a background or advanced knowledge in relevant fields.