Tutor volunteer volunteer roles

Role: Welcome volunteer

Team: Tooting Hub – CARAS ESOL (Youth/Adult)

Supervised by: Team Project Coordinator

Location: Tooting Hub site

Activity times: Monday or Wednesday

Time commitment: 2 hour shifts on a rolling basis.

We ask that volunteers commit for a minimum of 4 months

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community.

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives.

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support.

Our values are at the centre of all our work:

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests.

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society.

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes.

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do.

About the Role:

We are currently recruiting a team of volunteers to join our new Welcome team at Tooting Hub. This is a new role. Welcome volunteers will provide a friendly face to existing community members attending our regular projects. They will also be the important ‘face of CARAS and our welcome at the door’ to people attending projects for the first time, to visitors and to people dropping in unannounced to enquire about CARAS’s service. Volunteers will meet and greet, and ensure all visitors are responded to appropriately and introduced to the relevant member of staff, activity, project, or meeting. There will be an administrative element to the role (updating registers and emailing enquiries to CARAS staff, for example).

Who will you be?

We work hard to ensure our services feel welcoming and inclusive. It is important that this new team is representative of our diverse local and internal CARAS community. Whether you are new to volunteering with CARAS or are a regular volunteer looking to vary your role or a community member wanting to develop some leadership skills or volunteering experience, this might be the exact project for you.

Volunteer Tasks and Responsibilities: 

· Signing up to a shift/s on the Tooting HUB welcome team rota

· Able to be at Tooting Hub in person to complete agreed shifts

· Welcoming staff, volunteers, existing and potential new community members and visitors

· Ensuring all visitors are responded to appropriately and introduced to the relevant member of staff, activity, project, or meeting

· Ensuring everyone completes the onsite register on arrival to comply with safeguarding, health and safety and fire evacuation policies

· Taking agreed initial intake information for new / drop in visitors wanting to attend a taster activity

· Conducting induction tours of the building and introductions to facilities, key staff, and partners

Requirements (all experience can be from paid or voluntary roles): 

Essential: 

· A calm, friendly, kind, and patient approach

· Happy and confident to meet new people and put them at their ease

· Excellent communication skills, especially with people with varying levels of English

· To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds

· Confidence in using one’s own judgement to follow agreed policy

· Good IT admin skills in using Microsoft office, outlook, Google search, online forms etc

· A commitment to confidentiality and data protection

· Punctual and reliable

· To be able to volunteer on Mondays or Wednesdays for a minimum of four months

Desirable:

· Lived experience of seeking sanctuary and/ or the UK immigration system.

· Personal experience of working with people seeking asylum.

· Proficiency in one or more of the following community languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Oromo, Pashto, Russian, Spanish, Somali, Tigrinya, Urdu, or Vietnamese.

We will prioritise applicants with lived experience of the asylum process.

Benefits to Volunteering:

· Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum.

· Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team.

· Develop your skills and competencies.

· Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training.

· Obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months’ regular volunteering

· All volunteers must complete an enhanced DBS check for working with young people and attend training with us before starting. *

· You will also receive training and support relevant to your specific role.

Volunteer Befriender

Octavia works with people affected by unemployment, ill health, social isolation or low income to connect them with opportunities for positive personal change. Our vision is to build stronger, happier and healthier communities in central and west London to help create an enriched life where we live. Please help us to do this by volunteering to befriend a member of the local community, who is isolated and vulnerable, in Westminster or Kensington and Chelsea.

Reasons to volunteer

Would you like to assist an isolated person in your local area? Would you like to provide them with the emotional support, social skills and confidence that will help them to feel happier in their everyday life?

 You will know that you have helped someone to move on in their life and take part in society
 Full induction, ongoing training and support. This includes training on: communication, empathy, health and safety, confidentiality and safeguarding
 Opportunity to enhance your CV and to learn new skills
 We are able to provide references to employers and/or further education establishments
 Travel costs and out of pocket expenses reimbursed on the provision of receipts*

What would I be doing?

 Meeting once a week with the person you have been matched with, in their own home or an agreed public place, at a mutually agreed time
 Encourage communication on a shared interest or topic
 Arrange activities and listen to your Befriendee with empathy and encouragement
 On occasion you may be asked by your befriendee to accompany/escort them outside on a one to one basis or do some shopping in circumstances where they are unable to

What skills are we looking for?

 Good communication skills
 Understanding of empathy and the needs of people with isolation issues
 Understanding of confidentiality
 Able to use own initiative and work unsupervised, reliable and trustworthy
 We ask that you volunteer for 1 hour per week, for a minimum of 6 months

Sounds great! How do I sign up?

When you aplply, we ask for 2 references but these do not need to be from employers. For instance, they can be character references from college tutors or support workers who know you well. We also carry out Enhanced Disclosure checks on all volunteers, but this would only happen if we both agree that Befriending is the right fit for you.

We are committed to equality and diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Please contact us should you prefer to apply over the phone or via hard copy, for accessibility reasons. If you require any adjustments due to a disability (including: physical, psychological or neurological disease or disorders) in order to get the most out of your time volunteering with us, please do let us know so that we can ideally facilitate this.

About CARAS:

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support. 

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About the CARAS ESOL Team:

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to adults at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling people to attend college and access other services in the future.

About the Role:

CARAS is looking for volunteer ESOL Teaching Assistants to support our face-to-face adult ESOL classes in Tooting. Volunteers in this role are required to commit to at least one 2-hour session every Wednesday during these times: 

• Mondays ESOL 9:30 to 13:30

• Tuesday 9:30 to 11:30

• Tuesday One-to-one employability and language learning support 15:00 to 17:00 

Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates.

Volunteer tasks and responsibilities:

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within ESOL classes; 

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources;

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session; 

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class; 

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project; 

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential; 

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements; 

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements: 

Essential: 

• To be 18 years or older; 

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (travel expenses can be reimbursed); 

• An interest in education and English language teaching; 

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with people from diverse backgrounds; 

• To be reliable and punctual; 

• Excellent communication skills, especially with people who are new to English; 

• The ability to volunteer on Mondays or Wednesdays during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of three months; 

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum-seeker or refugee status 

• *Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check; 

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role. 

 *DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK. 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies; 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months of regular volunteering; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

The ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Service

Our ESOL provision is part of the Centre’s Employment and Learning Service, which also includes digital inclusion and employment support.

We have qualified volunteer ESOL teachers providing 1:1 support to clients who want to improve their English.  We also have a couple of volunteers running small conversation classes at the Centre, within our Family Services.

We now want to expand our ESOL offer to include learning opportunities offsite in a group setting to adults and young people in temporary accommodation, mainly asylum-seeking families.

What will you be doing?

• Conversational English with a small group
• Find out from your students what areas they want to cover and what skills they want to develop
• Encourage a positive atmosphere where students feel they can make mistakes
• The aim of the groups is to help our clients to become more independent and to pursue their social and professional goals. 
• Be aware of the variety of levels within the class, providing support for weaker students and challenge for stronger ones
• Give students encouragement and constructive feedback
• To liaise with the manager of Family Services and communicate any issues that arise with the class 

How does this role make a difference?

This support provided by volunteers to our clients really helps them progress with their English. Often clients do not have opportunities to learn English or interact with an English speaking person, so this opportunity is invaluable to them. Improving our clients English also enables individuals to access our other services such as welfare rights and Immigration advice services, digital inclusion, which will in turn, improve their employment prospects and assist in integration in their local community.

Who will you be helping?

Our clients are refugees, migrants and asylum seekers who are unable to afford or access English classes at colleges. We have many clients at the Centre who need support with their English.

What are we looking for?

• Experience in teaching English as a second language to adults in a group setting and to mixed abilities and a range of languages.
• A recognised ESOL/EFL teaching qualification such as CELTA.
• Good communication and organisational skills.
•  An awareness of some of the issues that affect refugees, asylum seekers and migrants.
• A commitment to upholding the Centre’s values of valuing each person, welcoming, encouraging potential, working together, reflecting and improving.

Time Commitment:

The class will run on Wednesdays from June 2025, from 10.30am – 12/12.30pm. We ask for a commitment to run this 90 – 120-minute class for at least two terms ideally. 

How will you be supported?

•  You will be supported by our Volunteer Coordinator, the Manager of Family Services and the wider team
•  You will receive a Centre induction.
•  You will have access to e-learning modules on a range of topics.
• You will be reimbursed for reasonable and agreed ‘out of pocket’ expenses such as travel.
• You will be invited to social and other events

INDEPENDENT READING GROUP VOLUNTEER (FACE-TO-FACE) 

CARAS Youth ESOL Programme – Monday, Wednesday mornings  

About CARAS: 

Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (CARAS) is a registered charity that has been supporting refugees and asylum-seekers since 2002 empowering them to integrate and engage in the local community. 

Arriving as an asylum seeker/refugee can be a disempowering experience. Difficulties with language, accessing services and overcoming prejudice are ever-present. As an organisation we are committed to work alongside refugees to overcome those challenges, and to help them build their lives. 

We offer group support and targeted support work. We offer a range of activities including: ESOL classes; social and recreational activities such as youth club, drama, trips, and family activities; educational support for young people; and casework and advocacy support. 

Our values are at the centre of all our work: 

• Kindness: CARAS will nurture all who are part of our community, helping everyone to develop their skills, talents, and interests. 

• Justice: CARAS will strive for social justice following a rights-based approach in all our work and challenging instances when rights are not upheld in wider society. 

• Empowerment: CARAS works alongside people, recognising and respecting their skills and strengths and striving together for better outcomes. 

• ‘With’ not ‘for’: CARAS will put the voices, opinions, experiences and needs of its beneficiaries at the heart of all that we do. 

About Youth ESOL: 

Our award-winning ESOL project offers English language classes to young people at a wide range of levels. This provides vital skills, opportunities and social contact and is crucial for enabling young people to do well at school or college.

About the Role: 

• CARAS is looking for Reading Group Volunteer to support our face-to-face study programme for young people.
• The reading group is in Tooting and is an important element of a study programme for young people aged 14 to 18 who are out of formal education.
• Students will be supported to read at length and complete challenges that are adapted to their ability level.
• The reading group aims to foster independence and a joy of reading among the young people and requires volunteers to learn about the young peoples' interests in order to help them select an appropriate text.
• The ESOL teacher will provide volunteers with tips to support reading and understanding for emerging learners of English, such as phonics and elicitation strategies.
• Volunteers will work with 1-5 students, mostly reading out loud with them or helping them to decode unfamiliar language.
• Please note that ESOL classes do not run during school holidays, and we follow Wandsworth Council term dates. 

Volunteer tasks and responsibilities: 

• Providing learners with one-to-one or small group support within the Reading Group sessions; 

• Helping to set up the classroom and provide learners with classroom resources; 

• Contributing to debriefs to inform the ESOL teacher how each student found the lesson/task and the students’ areas of greatest challenge and success;  

• Attending and contributing to volunteer debriefs after each session; 

• Making use of any community languages you may know to help students during the class; 

• Working collaboratively as a team and helping to shape the project; 

• Supporting people to develop their knowledge and skills, encouraging and inspiring participants to reach their full potential; 

• Assisting participants to recognise and celebrate their achievements; 

• Listening and supporting students to select, read and understand a text; Showing flexibility to the wide range of ability levels in the classroom; 

• Following CARAS’ confidentiality, safeguarding, health & safety, equal opportunities, data management and all other policies as relevant.  

Requirements: 

Essential

• To be 18 years or older; 

• An interest in education and English language teaching;

• Currently resident in the UK; has asylum-seeker or refugee status 

• * Able to provide five years’ worth of addresses, and willing to undergo a DBS check; *DBS and proof of residency is not necessary if you are a CARAS community member who is more recently arrived in the UK.  

• Able to attend volunteer induction training (online) prior to start of role 

• Able to travel to our community centre in Tooting (food and travel expenses can be reimbursed); 

• To be non-judgemental and able to engage with young people from diverse backgrounds; 

• To be reliable and punctual; 

• Good communication skills, especially with people who are new to English; 

• An interest in books and stories, writing and poetry 

• The ability to volunteer on Wednesday during Wandsworth term time for a minimum of four months; 

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of community languages, such as Arabic, Tigrinya, Amharic, Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Kurdish, Somali or Spanish; 

• Experience of reading with young people or learners of English, or teaching ESOL or phonics. 

Through volunteering with us you will: 

• Gain experience of English language teaching; 

• Meet new members of your local community; 

• Learn about different cultures; 

• Learn about issues relating to refugees and people seeking asylum; 

• Work as part of a friendly, welcoming team; 

• Develop your skills and competencies such as literacy and phonics strategies for emerging learners of English; 

• Be able to access relevant training, including safeguarding training. 

• Be able to obtain a reference from us relating to your placement after 3 months of regular volunteering. 

The role: Our scholars are eager to meet graduates and professionals who can support them in achieving their ambitions. Mentors are mainly responsible for providing support and career advice to pupils. Mentors must also be committed to supporting us at our events, which take place in the evenings and on Saturdays throughout the term. These events include our scholar enrichment days, our parent and pupil information sessions and our volunteer social events which are held in London. 

Availability: Mentors must be available for approximately 2-3 hours a month to meet with their mentee, and discuss via phone, email or in person. There is a minimum commitment of one year (three terms).

In addition to this, you will need to support a minimum of 2 events throughout the year. Enrichment and skill-building events for our scholars usually take place in the evenings and at weekends, with events ranging from 2-8 hours in length.

Location: Mentoring sessions and events can take place online or in person.

Responsibilities: 

• Working collaboratively with parents to give students guidance and advice on how to achieve their aspirations

• Informing pupils of opportunities to them so that they can achieve their aspirations

• Meeting with pupils for one to one mentoring sessions

• Supporting pupils with university, sixth form or job applications

• Monitoring and reporting on each pupils progress

• Giving feedback to parents and programme coordinators

• Working collaboratively with other tutors and mentors

• Supporting at events including:

  • Collaborate effectively with other volunteers within the events team

  • Assist with setting up and clearing up at events

  • Support workshop facilitators with managing groups of young people or parents

  • Assist with the coordination of lunch or refreshments for attendees

  • Assist the event coordinator with ensuring the health and safety of attendees and overall risk management at events

  • Give feedback to the event coordinators and programme managers at the end of each event.

Person specification:

• Be passionate and committed to tackling educational inequality

• Enjoy working with children and young people

• Be educated to a minimum of degree level or equivalent

• Possess strong communication skills both written and verbal

• Be punctual and organised

• Be able to remain calm under pressure

• Have excellent time management skills

About Nova:  

Based in North Kensington since 1983 and serving its poorest wards & those of surrounding London boroughs, Nova works with individuals from marginalised and disadvantaged communities who are looking to develop their potential and achieve a better future for themselves. Nova brings about real and lasting change in people’s lives by addressing every person as an individual and seeking out ways to best support that person to reach their goals. We endeavour to help every person that comes to us who is motivated and committed to improving his or her life.   

Reaching 2,500+ people each year, we believe in improving people’s lives one person at a time, helping committed and motivated individuals to achieve their potential by:  

• Developing knowledge, education and confidence 

• Connecting diverse groups

• Providing opportunities 

Our work, operates on 2 levels:

• Grassroots Community Support – including responsive actions (e.g. Grenfell, COVID-19), education, IAG, family programme and volunteering  

• Wider Reaching Dialogue Events and Influencing – focussing on challenging stigma, prejudice and inequality – working with individuals, organisations, networks and decision makers to move through conversation to action 

Role Description: 

This role will be to act as a teaching assistant to tutors delivering ESOL/ English classes for learners 19+. 

You will: 

• Enjoy working in a team 

• Provide tutorial support 

• Position yourself as a resource for learners 

• Work one-on-one or with smaller groups of learners who need additional help 

You need to be: 

• DBS Checked 

• Confident in the use of IT 

• Some experience of supporting learners with English 

• Committed

• Competent 

• Reliable

• Honest 

• Punctual 

• Patient 

• Fair 

• Open minded 

• Learners may come from various cultural backgrounds and face different learning challenges. You will need to be at ease whether supervising an entire class or working one-on-one with students.

• Comfortable following Nova staff directions and working independently 

Further information: 

• Induction and appropriate training will be provided.

• Teaching or coaching experience would be desirable but not essential. 

We believe this is an exciting opportunity for individuals with a strongly held belief in the benefits that empowering leadership skills can have in shaping the future of the next generation. 

We are looking for individuals that can promote our cause and are willing to share their personal and professional experience and insights as part of the collaborative decision-making of our Board of Trustees.

We are committed to diversity in the workplace through a workforce that reflects the population and communities we work with across the UK.

Our board of Trustees is currently under-represented by individuals with black, asian, and ethnically diverse heritage in addition to people aged under 30 years of age.

As such, we would welcome applicants with these backgrounds to support our aim of a nationally representative organisation workforce.

Knowledge, skills and experience

While we are interested in the person, we are looking for individuals with specific skills and experience in one, some, or all of the following areas:

o Working with primary and/or secondary schools, colleges, and/or youth-development organisations.

o Working in or with Awarding Organisations.

An understanding or experience of financial oversight is considered desirable but not essential.

Trustee commitment and responsibilities

All Trustee positions are voluntary with reasonable expenses remunerated.

To be an effective Trustee, you will need to commit approximately 1-2 days per quarter to attend and prepare for board meetings which are generally held virtually.

Members of our Audit, Risk and Compliance committee additionally meet two weeks before each board meeting for finance and regulation focused discussions with the Executive team.

Effective Trustees support our work by:

· Ensuring we are working towards our vision, mission and values in everything we do.

· Supporting strategic decision-making by actively contributing advice, guidance, and opinion in the pursuit of the organisation’s objectives.

· Constructively guide the Executive in the delivery of the organisation’s strategy.

· Actively represent and champion the work of the Leadership Skills Foundation.

· Maintaining proper financial and regulatory oversight promoting best practice as a Charity to ensure our sustainability and longevity.

Our values

Created in collaboration with the Leadership Skills Foundation team, our cultural values are our ways of working that we expect in all aspects of our interaction with each other and with our delivery centres, tutors, partners, and learners.

• We are better together

Together, we do great things. Collaboration, belonging and individuality aren’t just buzzwords to us; they’re deeply held commitments in the way we work. As we solve problems together, we make sure everyone feels listened to and valued.

• We are guided by goals

Every initiative we developed is guided by clear aims. From giving young people the confidence to achieve, to bringing major change to communities, all our goals are significant and focused on improvement.

• We evolve and innovate

As the world changes, so do the opportunities and challenges of the people we support. As different times call for different skills, we are brave enough to be different and to innovate to be fit for the future. 

• We have pride in our programmes

We never forget how valuable everyone’s future is. That’s why we go above and beyond to deliver high-quality trustworthy and regulated programmes.

Know someone great for this?

Are you passionate about ‘The Creative Arts’? At Bloomin’ Arts, we see and hear the difference made when ensuring disabled adults have opportunities to be artists and leaders within visual art, drama, dance, and theatre. As a Trustee you will share a responsibility to oversee how our charity is managed and run. Ensuring what we do is always in our participant’s best interest.

Do you recognising ‘art and culture’s’ place in society. Could you help us achieve our future objectives and impact our ability to empower the lives of disabled adults through the creative arts. As Chair, you will play a vital role in:

• · Supporting the development and growth of our charitable arts organisation.
• · Driving our commitment to disability provision and leadership within the arts.
• · Leading with empathy to tackle challenges and direct change where needed.
• · Leading governance and compliance in line with the charity commission.
• · Advocacy and support fundraising as an ambassador for the charity, leveraging your networks to advance the charity’s reach and influence.
• ·    Ensuring our values and disabled artists (participants) remain at the heart of everything we do.

We are seeking a candidate with:

• ·        Ideally experience of charitable sector and/or arts and culture management.
• · A strong connection to or lived experience of disability.
• · Ability to lead and inspire other trustees and our staff.
• · Dedication to the role to ensure your contribution and leadership makes a positive difference.
• · Ability to be in person at Trustee Meetings, held at our venue in RH7. 

Why it’s an exciting time to join us:

• · This is a time of growth for us as a charity.
• · The challenges we face, we approach positively and openly.
• · We are constantly working to improve awareness and build our relationships to increase our reach and impact.
• · We love finding people who share our passion and vision and will stretch our viewpoints.
• · We celebrate diversity and make inclusion part of what we do every day.

 Length of term and time requirements:

Chair to join ideally for a 3 year term and opportunity for a further two.

Approximately 4-6 hours per month inc preparation and attendance for trustee meetings.

Renumeration:

Your services are always hugely appreciated, but services are offered on a voluntary basis and receive no renumeration except expenses reasonably incurred.

The Guildford Institute is looking for an enthusiastic and dedicated individual to serve as Chair of its Board of Trustees. This important role offers the opportunity to shape the future of a charity that has been a pivotal part of the community for over 130 years.

Based in our beautiful Grade II listed building since 1892, we provide the local community with accessible cultural education and opportunities to build meaningful connections with others.

We’re seeking a distinguished leader with the following qualities: 

• Leadership & Governance

• Passion for the Arts, Education & Community

• Strategic Thinking

• Financial Acumen

• Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion 

Play a vital role in guiding The Guildford Institute to continue to grow, secure its longevity and thrive.

Additional Documents:

Please read our Candidate Brief to find out more about us and the role of the Chair.

CHAIR OF TRUSTEES

REQUIRED FROM SEPTEMBER 2025

Penair is a large progressive and innovative single academy trust secondary school wishing to develop an outstanding culture and provision. We are seeking a Chair of Trustees, with the knowledge and skills to support and help drive sustained improvement, to join Penair School from September 2025.

Penair is looking to recruit a Board Chair to succeed the current post holder who is retiring from the role after 10 years. We are interested in applicants with a range of skills and leadership experience. Experience in the education sector is not essential. The role’s focus is to oversee the following key functions of the Board:

· strategic leadership of the academy trust - the Board defines the trust vision for high quality and inclusive education in line with its charitable objects. It establishes and fosters the trust’s culture and sets and champions the trust strategy

· accountability and assurance - the Board must demonstrate robust effective oversight of the operations and performance of the school, including the provision of education, pupil welfare, overseeing and ensuring appropriate use of funding and effective financial performance and keeping its estate safe and well-maintained

· engagement - the Board has strategic oversight of relationships with stakeholders. As such, trustee governors must involve parents, schools and communities in a way that demonstrates decision-making is supported by meaningful engagement

· governance – trustees must apply the highest standards of conduct and ensure robust and effective governance arrangements are in place, critical for effective financial management

The successful candidate will need to be able to demonstrate a successful track record in delivering across these areas.

Penair is a ‘Good’ school, confirmed by Ofsted inspections in 2017 and again in March 2023 — with a steadily growing number of pupils on roll. Over the last five years it has grown from 915 to 1240 pupils. To accommodate demand for places, Cornwall Council has funded the building of a new £4 million teaching block and a dining hall expansion.

Penair is never complacent however, and the success of the school continues to grow and develop under the Headteacher’s accomplished leadership. The ongoing support and challenge provided by the Board of Trustees helps drive this continuous pursuit of quality, in a dynamic and sometimes challenging environment.

This is an exciting time to join the school and work with a strong group of trustee governor colleagues. The successful applicant will be expected to demonstrate the drive, integrity, resilience and capacity to lead the Board in its endeavours to deliver for the children and families of Truro and beyond.

Interested applicants are invited to an informal meeting with the current Chair of Trustees and Headteacher in the first instance. If you are interested in discussing this exciting opportunity further, please contact Errin Allan, Headteacher’s PA.

We’re looking for volunteers with a keen interest in dementia to join our team of Trustees, contributing their experience and skills to help support, shape and develop the charity.

Who we are

Arts for Dementia uses the power of the arts to inspire people living with dementia to get creative, connect, learn new skills and most importantly, have fun.Our free workshops aim to challenge and boost confidence and wellbeing through a variety of art forms from visual arts to drama, sculpture, dance and more.

For people living with dementia and those who support them day to day, these are opportunities to make friends in a safe and friendly setting, to be part of the local community, to stay active and to enjoy the fulfilment that comes from creative activities. Our current priority locations are the London boroughs of Southwark and Camden.Our in-person workshops are all in London, while online activities are open to people across the UK.

Our regular one-day training courses provide creative facilitators across the UK with the knowledge and skills they need to support dementia-friendly activities.

The role of a trustee

Our team of trustees plays a key role in setting the strategy – the overall direction – of the charity. There are four formal board meetings each year where, together with the Chief Executive, our trustees oversee the delivery of the strategy and financial management, consider operational plans and explore what support they can provide to enable the staff team in their work.

Often this support is connected to a trustee’s expertise in a particular field, for example marketing, fundraising, I.T. or legal, or the networks they have access to such as local community groups, potential donors or arts organisations. 

Specific areas of activity such as finance and fundraising are also supported by small sub-committees that bring appropriate staff and trustees together so that work can be progressed between the quarterly meetings. These are arranged at times to suit those involved. 

Currently quarterly meetings of all Trustees are held in person and online alternately. Online meetings are early evening, and in-person meetings are in central London during the day. They each last for two hours. If it helps new trustees to be fully involved, we are happy to explore different timings for future meetings. 

What difference could you make?

If you are reading this, it is likely you care about the lives of people living with and affected by dementia, and you may well have some personal experience. You can make a real difference to those and others affected by bringing your additional experience into the charity.  This might be from involvement in your community or your understanding of dementia within a minoritized ethnic group. It might be from your work, leisure activities or your profession.

The important thing is that your experience should broaden our knowledge, help us reach a wide range of people and ensure our charity is far-sighted and well run. 

What you could gain from being a Trustee

We know that dementia and its effects have no barriers, so our approach to recruiting new trustees aims to have no barriers and to be supportive and open to ideas.  You may have never considered yourself as a potential trustee but feel that you do have something you could offer to a charity like ours. If so, do please contact us. 

As a Trustee, you would be working with a friendly and approachable board that brings together a range of experience, which is enhanced by the skills of the staff team. The role also comes with responsibilities that incorporate legislation and good governance practice and this Charity Commission document explains these. 

All new Trustees will benefit from an induction programme that allows them to get to know the staff and other trustees, meet some of the beneficiaries, learn how the charity works and understand the formal responsibilities.  We would also enable you to develop your skills and confidence through access to training and information on Trustee responsibilities and skills.

There are many opportunities to broaden your own experience and develop your confidence in new skills within a supportive environment. 

We also ensure no Trustee is out of pocket due to their responsibilities, so all reasonable expenses (e.g. travel to board meetings) are reimbursed.