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Unpaid role, expenses paid
Voluntary
Job description
Join Us as a Charity Trustee: Help Shape the Future of Befriending
Are you passionate about building a more connected society, where no one feels forgotten or alone?
Befriending Networks, the world’s largest network of befriending projects, is recruiting two trustees to help us champion the vital role of befriending in reducing loneliness and social isolation.
Around 1 in 6 people worldwide experience loneliness. Befriending services respond to this need by matching people in their communities for planned social activities that build meaningful connections.
Befriending Networks supports over 300 member organisations to deliver quality befriending services, through sector-specific training, events, resources, awards and 1:1 support.
As a Befriending Networks trustee, you will be part of a welcoming and active board that enables befriending services across the UK and beyond to thrive. You will join us at an exciting time, as we begin to deliver our next strategic steps as an organisation.
Following a recent board skills review, we are seeking two individuals who can offer skills in the following areas:
- Income generation – This trustee will have an enterprising mindset, with experience of strategic fundraising, working with grantmakers, trusts and foundations or devising corporate sponsorships. Their guidance will help our charity to move into new ways of generating income, allowing us to become more resilient and advance our vision for a society where the importance of meaningful connections is valued.
- Sector influence and advocacy – This trustee will be a great communicator, with a skill for forming and sustaining effective relationships. They will have a broad professional network which might include national or international connections. They may have connections which include the private sector, academia, thinktanks or investors interested in making social impact. Their experience might include research, policy making or campaigning. Their guidance will help us advocate for the befriending sector with greater impact and effectiveness.
By joining the Befriending Networks board, you will play an integral role in moving our charity forward and helping us champion the impact of befriending on loneliness and isolation. If you have the skills we’re looking for and are energised by working collaboratively to help organisations (and others) succeed, we’d love to hear from you.
We are keen to hear from applicants with diverse lived experiences, especially those currently underrepresented in trustee boards. No previous board experience is required and you do not need to meet all requirements listed in the role descriptions to apply.
Location: Remote/UK-wide (with one in-person meeting in Edinburgh per year)
Time commitment: Approximately 4-6 hours per month. We have 6 board meetings per year (5 online and 1 in-person)
Applications close: Monday 18th August 2025
Our Board Executive will review all expressions of interest and will want to set up an online call with applicants to discuss their suitability for the role.
Posted by
Befriending Networks
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Registered Charity
6 - 10
Registered Charity
6 - 10
A society where quality befriending support is available to everyone who needs it, and the importance of meaningful connection is recognised.
Posted on: 21 July 2025
Closing date: 18 August 2025 at 17:00
Tags: Campaigns, Fundraising, Policy, Marketing, Business Development, Partnerships, Politics, Public Affairs, Public Health, Research, Strategy, Trusts / Foundations, Grants, Governance / Management
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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Remote
Unpaid role, expenses not paid
Voluntary
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job description
As a member of the GACD Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic leadership and oversight for GACD as it seeks to fulfil its charitable objects. You will ensure GACD operates in accordance with its governing document and meets its legal and regulatory requirements. The role is voluntary, and trustees do not receive any renumeration for their contribution to the governance of GACD.
The appointment will commence in December 2025/January 2026 for a three-year term, in the first instance.
Why the role is important to us
Our trustees are jointly and severally responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of GACD, its financial health, integrity of its activities, and for setting and overseeing the delivery of the organisation’s aims and objectives. The Charity Commission’s Guidance ‘The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do’ identifies the main duties of a trustee as to:
- Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
- Comply with the charity’s governing document and meets its legal and regulatory requirements
- Act in the charity’s best interests
- Manage the charity’s resources responsibly
- Act with reasonable care and skill
- Ensure the charity is accountable
- Reduce the risk of liability.
What you will bring to the Board
The current Board members would particularly wish to seek a new trustee that offers experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Prior governance experience, ideally in a charity context (essential)
- Leadership or senior management experience within the charity sector and familiarity with UK charity regulation, legislation and operations (essential)
- Applied health/medical research, or health research funding.
- Communication strategies to enhance profile and impact.
- Links to relevant networks and potential stakeholder organisations in chronic diseases.
What you will do
As a GACD trustee, you will:
- Ensure that GACD has a clear strategy and that the goals are in line with GACD’s charitable objects.
- Ensure GACD functions within all applicable legal and regulatory requirements and in line with its governing document, continually striving for best practice in governance.
- Promote and develop GACD in order for it to grow and maintain its global public benefit (or to recognise the situation when it may be more appropriate to wind the charity up where there is no longer a need to provide the services it does or because the charitable objects are no longer relevant to contemporary social situations).
- Ensure the effective and efficient administration of GACD and its resources in pursuit of its objects, striving for best practice in governance.
- Ensure that key risks are identified, monitored, and mitigated effectively.
- Take appropriate professional advice in all matters where there may be a material risk to GACD, or where the trustees may be in breach of their duties.
- Provide strategic oversight, support and challenge to the Chief Executive.
- Ensure the GACD has the proper arrangements in place for the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of the Chief Executive.
- Safeguard the good name and values of GACD.
About you
You possess:
- A willingness to commit to GACD and to devote the necessary time and effort (approximately four days annually, including scrutinising papers and meeting preparation time). Trustees are expected to attend all Board meetings.
- Leadership and senior management experience with an ability to carry the confidence of colleagues.
- An ability to be strategic and forward-looking in relation to the charity’s objects and aims.
- Sound, independent judgment and a willingness to speak your mind, contributing to discussions.
- An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship and adhering to recognised principles of public life that include selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness and honesty and leadership.
- Good communication, interpersonal, team working and decision-making skills and the ability to respect confidentiality to work effectively as a member of the Board.
- A commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
Disqualification
Trustees must not be disqualified from acting as a trustee. You must not:
- Have an unspent conviction for an offence involving deception or dishonesty (such as fraud).
- Be bankrupt or have entered into a formal arrangement (e.g. an Individual Voluntary Arrangement).
- Have been removed as a charity trustee because of wrongdoing.
- Have an unspent conviction for:
- Specified terrorism offences
- A specified money laundering offence
- The offence of contravening a Charity Commission Order or Direction
- Offences of misconduct in public office, perjury, or perverting the course of justice
- For aiding, attempting or abetting the above offences.
- Be on the sex offenders register.
- Have an unspent sanction for contempt of Court.
- Have disobeyed a Commission Order.
- Be a designated person (under specific anti-terrorist legislation).
This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.
Key dates
Closing date
26 September 2025
Interview (virtual)
w/c 13 October 2025
Invited to observe Board meeting
2 December 2025
Position starts
Approx. 1 January 2026 (or earlier)
Board meeting dates 2026
TBC
Posted by
Posted on: 14 August 2025
Closing date: 26 September 2025 at 12:00
Job ref: LF3121
Tags: Trusts / Foundations
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