Volunteer roles for the Disability sector
Join Chailey Heritage Foundation as a Trustee and help shape the future for children and young people living with complex disabilities.
Applications close: Monday 2nd March 2026
Location: North Chailey, Lewes, Sussex, BN8 4EF
Time commitment: c.1 day per month
About Chailey Heritage Foundation
For over a century, Chailey Heritage Foundation has been a beacon of support for children and young people living with complex disabilities.
We’re a vibrant community in Sussex bringing together an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ school, welcoming residential homes and a specialist centre with therapies including gym and art therapy, alongside a farm and café. Our expert teams work with time, patience and curiosity to nurture every child and young person’s potential.
Every day we see extraordinary outcomes — a child using assistive technology to communicate for the first time, a young adult building confidence towards greater independence, or a family finding the specialist support they need to navigate a world that can feel inaccessible. Strong governance underpins these outcomes, ensuring we stay resilient, ambitious and focused on what matters most.
About the roles
A board for the future
With the launch of our new five-year strategy and planned retirements over the coming period, we’re expanding our board. We’re looking to appoint two new Trustees, with backgrounds in finance and people/organisation design, who will help guide Chailey Heritage Foundation through this next chapter.
The role of a trustee
Trustees play a vital role in shaping our strategic direction, maintaining high standards of care and education and ensuring our long-term sustainability. This is an important time for the sector, as education, health and social care continue to evolve.
We are seeking Trustees who bring insight, leadership and constructive challenge, alongside a strong commitment to our mission.
Who we are looking for
- Trustee to join our People & Culture Committee
We’re seeking a Trustee to join our People & Culture Committee and help shape the heart of our organisation. This role is suited to someone with broad organisational leadership experience and a strong understanding of people-related challenges and the strategic approaches required to address them, rather than a purely functional background.
You will bring current expertise in organisational development and design, with a strong track record in people leadership, culture and values-led change. You’ll support the board and executive team to build and sustain a thriving workplace where colleagues are supported to do their best work. You’ll also help us attract, develop and retain the talent we need to deliver outstanding support to the children and young people.
You will work closely with the Chief Executive and our Executive Director of People & Culture, providing oversight, challenge and guidance on our people strategy, leadership and organisational culture.
- Trustee with Financial expertise (to join our Finance, Audit & Risk Committee)
Alongside this, we’re looking to appoint a Trustee with strong financial expertise: a qualified accountant with senior leadership experience, able to provide thoughtful oversight, constructive challenge and practical support to the board.
You’ll join our Finance, Audit & Risk Sub-Committee, chaired by our Treasurer and work closely with our Resources Director (who reports to the Chief Executive) and fellow Trustees to strengthen financial resilience and governance.
Join us
We understand that joining a board is a significant commitment which is why we offer a comprehensive induction programme and ongoing support.
You will be joining a highly engaged group of professionals working together to ensure Chailey Heritage Foundation continues to make a life-changing impact.
If you believe in what we do and want to use your skills to make a lasting difference, we would love to hear from you.
Whether you are an experienced Trustee or considering your first board role, we encourage applications from individuals who share our commitment to enabling children and young people with complex disabilities to thrive.
Please click 'Redirect to recruiter’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.
Applications for this role close on Monday 2nd March 2026
Recruitment Agency
21 - 50
We’re an executive search firm working across third sector, education and membership sectors to transform leadership and inspire change.
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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!
City of Chelmsford Mencap is a small independent charity providing support and structured classes for adults with a learning disability across mid-Essex. We have recently converted the charity's structure and are now embarking on an exciting period of strategic growth. We are seeking energetic and passionate new trustees who can contribute to our plans and help us deliver the next phase of our operating model.
We would welcome potential trustees from any professional background. However, the following attributes are very important:
- A proven track record of integrity and respect for confidential and proprietary information
- A keen and respectful listener who is able to empathise and respectfully challenge
- Commitment to the charity and enthusiasm for its vision, mission and aims
- Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
- Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to their duties as a trustee.
- Strategic vision
- Sound, independent judgement
- Willingness to participate in frank and open discussion
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to coach staff where required
- The ability to read and understand management reports
- Skills to analyse proposals and their consequence
- Preparedness to make unpopular recommendations to the board
- General competence with IT
- Willingness to be available to provide guidance to the senior management team on an ad hoc basis
- Capacity to represent the charity to external parties and at local events
Much more information is available in our recruitment pack which is available on the apply page..
Please note that appointment to our Board is subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and a clean enhanced DBS certificate (which we will arrange).
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.