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​Who are Governors for Schools?

Governors for Schools operates across England and Wales to improve educational standards and ensure all children and young people have the chance to realise their full potential.

We believe the key to improving school performance is effective governance. By finding, nurturing and supporting a committed network of governors, we drive positive systematic change that benefits each and every student, regardless of their background.

Governors for Schools recruits and matches volunteers with school governing boards and provides ongoing support.

What’s involved?

There are governor vacancies across England and Wales. Some schools are also looking for remote governors who don't need to live near the school they support.

Governors volunteer at board level to set the strategic vision for their school. This involves constructively challenging current processes, using your unique skills to support senior leaders, and overseeing school finances. You’ll be involved in areas such as monitoring, budget management, and data analysis. As well as putting your expertise to good use, you’ll have the opportunity to develop your professional skills. Ultimately, you’ll work towards facilitating the delivery of a broad and exciting curriculum and oversee wellbeing and inclusion initiatives. Governance represents a fantastic opportunity to develop yourself while making a real impact on the education of children and young people.

Governors work collaboratively with the headteacher and other members of the board, including parents and school staff. In most schools, full board meetings are held termly, as are committee meetings. Many governors will sit on a committee linked to their expertise or interests, such as teaching and learning or finance and resources. In addition to attending meetings, governors will need to read the papers in advance, complete training courses, and occasionally visit their school.

Governors usually support schools for a period of four years and with an estimated time commitment of 7 hours per month. During these hours, you will attend meetings, read papers, attend training sessions, and make occasional visits to school.

Who can be a governor?

The most important part of being a governor is the ability to ask questions, provide support and have the best interests of the school at heart. You don't have to be a parent or have experience in education to become a governor. Schools seek a  wide range of skills to support the board, including finance, HR, and data analysis.

Boards also need governors with a diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences to ensure a range of perspectives are considered during board meetings.

Schools welcome professional experience, as well as community insight and experience of working collaboratively.

You need to be aged 18 or above and there are certain criminal convictions that would exclude you from the role. A Disclosure and Barring Service check will be carried out by the school.

What’s the process?

You can find out more about the school governor role by attending one of our recruitment webinars.

You can complete your online profile on the website, including your motivation to take on the role, your skills and your school preferences. Your regional Partnership Manager will then look at vacancies that match your requirements. Once a school is identified, you will have the opportunity to discuss the role with them in more detail, visit the school, and observe a meeting. If appointed, a DBS check will take place and, in some cases, the school will seek references.

Ongoing support

Governors for Schools isn’t just a matching service. We want to help you thrive in your role through bespoke and ongoing support. We provide eLearning and monthly webinars covering a variety of topics to increase your knowledge of the education sector and governance. You’ll also have access to The Key for School Governors, an information hub designed to show new governors the ropes and offer a useful point of reference for existing governors.

If you want to have a governing role in a charity that is dedicated to having a lasting impact on the lives of marginalised young people, we’d like to hear from you!

To learn more about The Outrunners, what we are looking for from new Trustees, and what to expect from the role, please read on: 

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About The Outrunners

The Outrunners support young people to get outdoors, get moving, and build the futures they want - all through the power of running, movement and community. Our vision is a London where everyone is included and no one is left behind. 

The young people we work with have incredible talent, creativity and energy - but they don’t get the opportunities they need because of deep structural disadvantages, whether that’s racism, sexism or financial inequality.

We harness the collective energy of the running world to change that: helping young people to access fun and accessible running sessions. We help to improve their physical and mental health, their confidence, and their teamwork skills. But that’s just the beginning. The Youth Practitioners who work with our young people are not just coaches but trusted mentors and role models, helping to keep them on the right path. And our Outrunners Youth Hub is not just a room for bag drop but a specially designed space for young people to hang out before a session, play games, read comics, eat healthy snacks, or try to beat us at table tennis! We also use our brand partnerships to provide work experience opportunities, giving young people that all-important foot in the door and setting them up for bright futures.

We also run two unique marathon and half-marathon training Academies - there is a Youth Academy for young people aged 16-21 as well as a Women’s Academy for ethnically diverse women. We bring people together who have never run long-distance before, help foster a supportive community crew, and give them the skills, kit, coaching and confidence to cross that finish line and realise that they can do whatever they set their minds to - and that running belongs to them, too. 

Driven by young people themselves, we are building a community that moves together: removing barriers to participation in running and movement; building connections in London’s diverse neighbourhoods; creating pathways to help young people achieve their ambitions; and driving change to tackle disadvantage and make running truly inclusive. Last year, we supported over 1,150 young people across our programmes. 

In the 8 years that The Outrunners has existed, we have rapidly caught the attention of the running world and have grown quickly, thanks to the impactful support of major brands, races, the wider running world and the philanthropic and community sectors. We now have significant partnerships with Nike, Moju and Precision Fuel & Hydration that are taking us to the next level.

We have an experienced team, a growing basis of dedicated supporters, connections in the running and sports world, and a strong income pipeline for 2026/27.

Charity Number: 1189583

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About our Leadership Team and Board of Trustees

Leadership Team:

• Tyler Williams-Green
  Role: Founder and CEO
  Background: Tyler has 19 years of experience of working in the charity sector and is an experienced Youth Practitioner. He has worked with vulnerable young people helping to address a wide range of complex issues, from mental health through to housing. He has the lived experience of being a Black man growing up in London and currently lives in Hackney. He has been CEO of The Outrunners for 8 years. 

• Laura Murphy
  Role: Co-Founder and Strategic Advisor
  Background: Laura has 16 years of experience working in Marketing with a variety of audiences, including young people. She is currently the head of Brand, Marketing and Communication at Girlguiding.

Trustees:

• Daniel Burnand - Commercial Real Estate Partner at international law firm BCLP.

• Rachel Soloman - Head of Community Investment at Peabody, one of the largest and most established housing associations in the UK. 

• Lauren Baker - VP Financial Planning & Analysis Exec at AMC Networks with an Executive MBA and Big Four finance experience.

• Hamid Vaghefian - Communities & DEI Director and Social Community Engagement Specialist at London Marathon Events.

• Sam Browne - Co-Founder and CEO of Let’s Do This, one of the biggest running events onboarding platform.

• Simon Wharton - Retired Ex-CIO at BP and volunteer for several sports organisations.

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Why do we need new Trustees?

We are at the next stage of our development and want to bring on board the expertise and skills that can support and guide our growth. With our strong partnership, increasing influence, and growing network of supporters, we have a major opportunity to grow our impact in the coming years. We currently have a broad range of skillsets from our existing Trustees, who have a wide range of professional backgrounds - including law, the charity sector, and sports organisation founders. As part of our ongoing development, we want to deepen the expertise of this dynamic team.

We want to ensure that The Outrunners are equipped to maximise this opportunity to support more young people and drive real structural change in the running world and beyond. 
 

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What do we need from our Trustees?

Trustees must be people with independent judgement, an ability to speak their mind, and a willingness to use their knowledge, experience and networks to support The Outrunners.

Although not essential, we are particularly interested in Trustees with either of the following skills and experience: 

• Experience navigating periods of rapid growth and scaling, including providing governance over the internal infrastructure required to do this sustainably, and managing the risks this entails.

Beyond this, the things we need from our Trustees are:

• A passion for shaping a different future for young people and having a positive impact in local communities.

• An understanding of the challenges facing young people in Hackney, and an insight into how The Outrunners Charity can best add value to supporting the future generations around us. 

• The ability to support and guide our organisation’s learning and impact upon the community around us and to think strategically and creatively about the challenges and opportunities ahead.

• An understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures that will ensure the organisation is rigorous in its processes, ensuring the safety of the communities it engages with.

• Good listening skills and the ability to respect the opinions of others.

• Good understanding of the responsibilities required of a Trustee.

• Willingness to undertake any necessary training which we require of you.

We are not expecting applicants to have all of these qualities, and expect that the best candidates will come with some others. But we hope that our Trustees between them will be able to cover all of these key attributes and more.

Above all, you need to have genuine enthusiasm and a commitment to achieving the best outcomes for the young people we work with by supporting and guiding our Chief Executive and The Outrunners’ passionate and committed staff and volunteers in their mission to better the lives of marginalised young people in Hackney.

Role Description/Responsibilities:

• Desirable - someone who has previous Trustee experience.

• Work with the existing board of Trustees and comply with the 6 main duties of being a Trustee which are:

1. Ensure your charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit

2. Comply with your charity’s governing document and the law

3. Act in your charity’s best interests

4. Manage your charity’s resources responsibly 

5. Act with reasonable care and skill

6. Ensure your charity is accountable

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What will you get from us?

The Board is committed to tackling the varied challenges of The Outrunners Charity. 

In return, you will be rewarded by:

• Contributing to making a real difference to the lives of young people in Hackney and beyond;

• Being part of a team of staff and volunteers made up of interesting, skilled experts and working closely with The Outrunners Charity's visionary Chief Executive;

• Receiving an in-depth induction and opportunities to attend a wide selection of events, with a focus on networking, sharing learning, and celebrating our community and organisational successes;

• Obtaining high-quality safeguarding training as well as a bespoke training programme aimed at understanding the needs of the young people that The Outrunners support; and

• Becoming part of the founding vision of a young and ambitious charity, which has multiple and well-respected local community links, and a chance to influence the direction in which this charity will be heading to.

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Time commitment expectations

Board members are expected to attend the four quarterly meetings and AGM, whilst also being flexible and responsive to unexpected changes. Our Board members are active ambassadors for The Outrunners Charity. This means attending and supporting events and taking opportunities to promote and develop the work of The Outrunners Charity through networks and contacts. We therefore ask that Board members commit about 2 days per year to The Outrunners Charity, on top of the four evening Board Meetings a year and an AGM.

The four essential board meetings are 3 hours long. Meetings are held at a date and time which is convenient for all, which is usually a weekday evening, and are held either online or in-person.

Minimum tenure for a Trustee is 2 years.

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Valuing inclusion

We currently have a very diverse leadership team and we welcome applications from people who are LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, people with mental and physical health conditions, and people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
 

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Next steps and what to expect

If you would like to put yourself forward as a potential Trustee please submit your CV and also complete the Trustee application form below, giving us a brief outline of why you are interested in the role and what you think you would bring to The Outrunners. The application form is available here:

TRUSTEE APPLICATION FORM: https://forms.gle/1rnGXDPKmfhHqKuc9

We don’t expect you to cover all the points about The Outrunners, or to respond line by line to this job pack, but we do want to hear how you will make a difference to our organisation and to the people we work with, if you become a Trustee.

We will be accepting applications until 11.59pm on Friday 10th July 2026.

Once we have reviewed the applications, we will follow up with an informal meeting or telephone call before inviting a small number of people to meet with our Chief Executive and current Trustees.

If you would like an informal discussion about these roles then please contact us via our website. 

For background information on The Outrunners Charity, please visit our website or our Instagram page.

You can find out more about being a Trustee and what it involves on the Charity Commission website.

Young Enterprise is the UK’s leading youth charity specialising in enterprise and financial education. Our vision is that every young person, regardless of their background, is given the opportunity to develop the skills, confidence, and mindset they need to thrive in work and life.

Since our founding, we have supported 7.2 million young people through enterprise and financial education programmes, including 1.1 million who have started Young Enterprise businesses. As a founding member of Junior Achievement Worldwide, we are part of a global network spanning more than 100 countries, preparing young people for success in a global economy.

We are seeking an exceptional individual to become Chair of our Board of Trustees at a pivotal point in our journey. This is a highly influential role, offering the opportunity to lead our Board, support our CEO and senior leadership team, and champion our ambitious 2024–2030 Transforming Futures strategy.

This strategy aims to ensure that every young person has access to the financial education, enterprise capability, and work readiness they need to succeed, while deepening our impact on those facing the greatest barriers.

We are looking for a strategic and well-connected leader who can:

• Lead and inspire a high-performing, diverse Board of Trustees

• Strengthen relationships with government, policy makers, funders, and corporate partners

• Support fundraising and advocacy through strategic introductions and influence

• Ensure excellence in governance, safeguarding, compliance, and financial sustainability

• Act as a visible ambassador for Young Enterprise nationally and internationally

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates who bring:

• Significant leadership experience at Board or executive level in charity, corporate, or public sectors

• A strong personal commitment to improving life chances for young people

• Credibility and networks among senior decision makers, funders, or policy influencers

• Strategic leadership and governance expertise

• Experience in fundraising, public affairs, or policy advocacy (desirable)

• An interest in education, youth development, enterprise, or social mobility

Above all, we are seeking someone who shares our vision and values and is passionate about helping young people, particularly those facing the greatest barriers, build successful futures.

The successful candidate will chair six Board meetings per year (primarily London-based), participate in events, visits, and stakeholder engagement, and commit approximately 1–2 days per month. This is an unpaid role, but reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. The initial appointment is for three years, with the possibility of reappointment for an additional term of three years.

Young Enterprise is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we strongly encourage applications from individuals whose backgrounds reflect the diverse communities and young people we serve across the UK.

Keeping Young People Safe

We are committed to keeping young people safe. All successful candidates will undergo an enhanced DBS (England & Wales) check and receive safeguarding training.

At Young Enterprise, safeguarding is at the core of everything we do. We are committed to promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. All successful candidates will receive ongoing safeguarding training throughout and be expected to uphold excellent safeguarding practice at all times.

How to Apply:

Please refer to our information pack for full details.

If you would like to play a transformational role in shaping the futures of young people across the UK, please send:

• An up-to-date CV (PDF format)

• A supporting statement (maximum two sides of A4) outlining your suitability for the role, based on the essential criteria in the person specification

Applications should be received by 23:30 on 21 June 2026. Interviews will be held between 29 June and 3 July 2026.

For further information, applicants are encouraged to review Young Enterprise’s Annual Report & Accounts and Transforming Futures Strategy.

At YE we are passionate and committed to keeping your data safe and secure.  Full details can be found in the YE People’s Privacy Notice.

Join us at this exciting moment and help empower the next generation to succeed.

St Basils is looking for a new Non-Exec Director / Trustee to join our Board as the Designated Safeguarding Board Member.

About Us

St Basils works with young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, to enable them to find and keep a home, grow their confidence, develop their skills, increase opportunities and ultimately prevent homelessness.

We help just over 4,000 young people each year across the West Midlands, with services in Birmingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Our services range from providing supported accommodation to outreach, advice, support, employability and engagement services to help young people regain the stability they need to rebuild their lives, gain skills, confidence and employment and move on. The aim is to help them successfully break the ‘cycle of homelessness’ so that they can go on to experience a bright, fulfilling future and never return to a state where they are at risk of homelessness again.

About our Board

We are a registered provider of social housing, a charity and a company limited by guarantee, meaning our Board members are both Directors and Trustees.

To navigate our challenging regulatory landscape, we need to be tightly governed. At the heart of this is a Board with the right knowledge, values, skills and diversity, all whilst working towards our vision that homelessness should not be part of growing up.

As a member of St Basils’ Board, you will be a guardian of St Basils’ charitable purpose. You will be responsible for holding the Senior Leadership Team to account through constructive challenge and support, and for ensuring St Basils’ strategic priorities are met.

You will form part of St Basils’ governance framework, providing oversight of key business areas, such as business planning, safeguarding, risk, finance, health and safety, EDI and business development. 

Our Board is made up of 14 members, 2 of which are designated for young people who have lived experience of homelessness and / or St Basils’ services.

St Basils has adopted the RACE Equality Code and is actively seeking applications for Board members from Black communities to ensure our Board is reflective of both the young people that we serve and our dedicated workforce.

About the Role

We are looking for a voluntary Director / Trustee with a professional background in safeguarding to join our Board as the Designated Safeguarding Board Member. Our new Board member will need to have a strong understanding of safeguarding, ideally with experience in supporting vulnerable young people.

As the Designated Safeguarding Board Member, you will:

• Work with St Basils’ Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to regularly review safeguarding reports, trends and serious incidents
• Act as a safeguarding champion at Board level, supporting other Directors / Trustees to develop their understanding and confidence in safeguarding
• Provide oversight of allegations or safeguarding concerns relating to staff, volunteers or Board Members
• Attend regular meetings and engage with services, staff and young people to maintain visibility of safeguarding in practice
• Support the Chair, CEO and DSL in ensuring appropriate governance oversight of serious safeguarding incidents, including reputational considerations
• Ensure the Board receives appropriate assurance on safeguarding risks and how they are managed

Our new Director / Trustee will sit on our Service Delivery & Development Committee which oversees both the housing elements of our services as well as the support / progression we provide to our young people. This committee meets virtually, one a quarter.

Although the role is voluntary, reasonable expenses will be paid for costs incurred in undertaking the role.

About You

You will be a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or have significant experience in a senior safeguarding role.

You will demonstrate sound judgement and be able to challenge confidently and constructively, although you do not need to have Board experience.

You will work within the principles of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion and understand the needs of the diverse young people we serve.

You will put the needs of young people first, be passionate about ending youth homelessness and share our mission, vision and principles.

Time Commitment

You will need to be able to attend the majority of Board and Committee meetings, one of each is held each quarter (8 meetings total per year). Each meeting will last around 2 hours and will normally be held late afternoon/early evening (usually 4pm – 6pm). Board meetings are held in person at St Basils’ Head Office in Birmingham, and Committee meetings are held virtually via Microsoft Teams. The dates for meetings are set by calendar year, towards the end of the previous year.

Meeting papers will be shared via an online portal one week in advance of the meeting to allow for sufficient preparation time.

A Board away day is held each year, usually October, and every other year this includes an overnight stay. This will be fully paid for by St Basils.

We encourage Board members to visit our accommodation services to deepen understanding of our work and support effective governance and decision-making. We would like all Board members to make 2 visits a year if possible.

All travel expenses incurred in attending Board meetings / conducting site visits will be reimbursed by St Basils.

What’s in it for you?

We offer a series of essential online training courses (for example GDPR, Cyber Security, EDI, Safeguarding, Risk Management) and the opportunity to do additional online or in-person training, such as Psychologically Informed Environment training. As part of our commitment to race equality, we provide mandatory Anti-Racism training for all staff and Board members.

You will be part of a knowledgeable and supportive Board and have the opportunity to work alongside young people with lived experience.

You will have the guidance of a knowledgeable Chair to support your development as a Director / Trustee, and you will have access to St Basils’ Senior Leadership Team to help you fulfil your role.

St Basils is a learning organisation and therefore we are able to support and develop Board members who are new to the role. In addition, St Basils has membership with the Board Development Agency, which provides our Board Members with access to webinars and development tools specific to housing sector Boards.

Being a Director / Trustee at St Basils is more than just attending meetings – if you would like to contribute to an organisation that has young people at its core, where you can visibly see the difference you are making, then this is the role for you.

For further information please see the link to the full job pack.

We welcome early applications and will interview on a rolling basis.

Our trustees and non-executive directors play a vital role in making sure that the group achieves its core purpose. They oversee the overall management and administration of the charity. They also ensure that there is a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision.

Just as importantly, they support and challenge the CEO and executive team in the exercise of their delegated authority and affairs, to enable Thrive Social Housing and Emerging Futures CIC to grow and thrive, and through this, achieve our mission.

The Board operates under the leadership and guidance of the chair and works in partnership with the chief executive officer and the executive team.

Board members are expected to always act in the best interests of the organisation and its stakeholders, and to use their background knowledge and skills to work with the chair and other board members to ensure that the Board, supported by its committees, carries out its responsibilities effectively and lead from the top in demonstrating our culture, values and behaviours.

Board members have a collective responsibility. This means that trustees always act as a group and not as individuals.

Basis Yorkshire is seeking a committed and values-driven individual to join our Board of Trustees as Treasurer. This is an opportunity to support a long-standing, specialist organisation working alongside sex workers and people experiencing sexual exploitation across Yorkshire.

Basis has over three decades of experience delivering trauma-informed, non-judgemental support, advocacy, outreach and education. We work with people across all sectors of the sex industry, as well as young people and adults at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation. Our approach is rooted in dignity, agency, social justice and harm reduction, with the voices and experiences of the people we support at the centre of everything we do.

As Treasurer Trustee, you will play a key role in supporting the Board’s oversight of the charity’s financial health, sustainability and governance. While professional financial qualifications are not required, we are looking for someone who is confident in scrutinising financial information, asking constructive questions, and contributing to strategic decision-making.

We are particularly interested in individuals who share our commitment to challenging stigma and inequality, and who can bring thoughtful, independent judgment to Board discussions. Previous experience in the voluntary or community sector, safeguarding, or connections to strategic networks in Leeds would be welcomed.

Trustees are expected to attend quarterly Board meetings, contribute to working groups where possible, and engage with role-specific matters between meetings. An enhanced DBS check will be required and arranged by Basis.

We warmly encourage applications from people with diverse lived and professional experiences, particularly those currently underrepresented at the Board level.