Registered children specialist volunteer roles in Belfast

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is looking for three exceptional Trustees to help realise our vision: a world where children live free from the threat of sexual abuse.

For over 30 years, we’ve led the way in child protection — preventing abuse before it happens, supporting families, influencing policy, and running the world‑leading Stop It Now helpline. Our work is challenging, essential, and life‑changing.

Our charity has recently grown with remarkable pace and purpose. We are proud of the progress we have made and the strong financial footing we now stand on. As several of our long‑serving trustees prepare to retire, we are seeking three exceptional individuals to join our Board and help guide the next stage of our development.

We are now recruiting:

• Research Trustee who brings enhanced research expertise to strengthen the Board’s oversight of research strategy, quality, ethics and impact.
• Finance Trustee who brings enhanced financial expertise to strengthen the Board’s oversight of financial governance.
• Scotland Representative Trustee who is based in Scotland who can strengthen our strategic presence, partnerships and governance within the Scottish context.

If you bring strategic insight, strong leadership, and a commitment to safeguarding children, we want to hear from you.

What You’ll Do

• Shape the charity’s strategy and culture
• Support and challenge the CEO and Senior Leadership Team
• Oversee finances, risk, safeguarding, and compliance
• Champion our mission and raise our profile
• Attend four Board meetings a year (mix of in‑person and online), plus the AGM and relevant committees

This is a voluntary role; reasonable travel expenses are reimbursed.

What You’ll Bring

• Passion for protecting children
• Strategic thinking and sound judgement
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and the Nolan Principles
• Ability to collaborate, challenge constructively, and lead with integrity

Why Join Us?

You’ll help steer a pioneering UK charity with national impact, working alongside experts dedicated to keeping children safe. Your contribution will shape prevention efforts today — and protect children for generations.

Ready to Make a Difference?

If you share our values and want to play a vital role in child protection, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and help us build a safer future for every child.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
We are seeking a volunteer with a strong professional track record in finance or accountancy, who can provide senior level oversight on our Finance and Compliance Committee. You will have an understanding of best practice in financial reporting, controls and governance. A background in charity finance is not essential but would be advantageous. We are seeking a Trustee with sound judgement, the highest professional standards and integrity and strong communication skills who would enjoy contributing to the overall governance of the charity. This role would suit someone with a finance background looking for their first trustee position or who has been a Treasurer for a smaller charity and is not looking for a larger Treasurer role at this time.

THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Please see the How to Apply section further below to apply for this role.
We will have an informal selection panel to consider volunteer applications and if you are selected you will be one of the people who will lead the CCFA and decide how it is run.
Working with our other trustees, your skills and experience will be key to the success and development of the CCFA. The successful candidate will benefit from being part of a dynamic and successful trustee body of a charity which demonstrates great social value to young people and to society, and to those adult volunteers who train and develop the cadets, inspiring them to achieve their full potential.
As you will become a charity trustee and company director, and as we work with young people, there are a number of eligibility criteria which we will cover with you. Please ask us if you have any questions around your eligibility for this role.
You can find out more about what we look for in a Trustee in Annex B.

TENURE
Once elected as a trustee, you will be asked to serve for a three-year term, following which by mutual agreement you could be elected for a further three-year term.
On election you will have a probationary period of 3 to 4 months depending on your joining date and dates of board meetings and committee group meetings. In the probationary period you should attend one board meeting and at least two committee meetings as a trustee. This will give you an insight into the work done by trustees and the commitment required to be a trustee and will allow both the board and you to assess whether this role is suitable for you. You will have full trustee voting rights during the probationary period.

Help us support families to get the right education for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)

We are seeking new people to join our Board of Trustees to support the good governance of our charity. It is an exciting time to join us as we work to launch our new strategy; an important timeframe as we review the Government’s White Paper on SEND and consider how best to adapt our services to ensure we reach those who need us most.

Who we are

Founded in 1983, IPSEA is a leading national charity focussed on supporting families to ensure that children and young people with SEND receive the education they are legally entitled to. Since our formation, we have actively helped to improve the education experience of thousands of children and young people with SEND. We do this by providing free and independent legal advice and casework support, undertaking policy work and delivering training on the SEND legal framework.

Who are we looking for?

We wish to recruit a number of new trustees who are committed to our vision and values and who bring complementary skills to those of our current Board members.

Trustees are expected to gain an understanding of the organisation’s purpose, and to contribute their own expertise, ensuring IPSEA fulfils its objectives, and in accordance with our charitable objects and Articles of Association

Whether you’re an experienced trustee or wanting to take your first step at Board level, we are particularly interested in hearing from people with expertise and skills in one or more of the following areas:

• IT / Digital transformation / cyber security
• Governance
• Marketing and social media
• Equality, diversity and inclusion

Please note: a lack of expertise in these areas does not mean that an application will not be considered.

Our Board should also reflect the communities we support. We would particularly like to hear from candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ people, under-served communities and disabled people, as well as those with lived experience of the SEND system, either as a child or as a parent/carer.

What we can offer you

• an in-depth induction programme, training and reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
• the opportunity to be involved in making strategic decisions and developing new skills
• the opportunity to apply your knowledge and experience to an important cause
• a buddying system for new trustees as you settle into the role

The expected time commitment is six trustee meetings per year (meetings are held on weekdays in central London or at IPSEA’s office in Takeley, Essex with the option to join some meetings virtually), usually one strategic planning/training day and some other ad hoc time for occasional meetings and events.

To apply 

​Please visit our website to download a recruitment pack and application form. 

Closing date for applications: 5pm on 29 May 2026

First-round interviews: week commencing 29 June 2026

We’re looking for a new Brand, Communications and Creative Trustee who can use their skills to support our growing charity. In early 2026, CLAPA relaunched with a new brand identity. This role will ensure that our team are supported in brand and content strategy and making the most of the new brand for growth and engagement.

The Brand, Communications and Creative Trustee will participate in all areas of the charity’s governance with a special interest in brand strategy, content, communications and creative to support with the Board’s understanding and interpretation.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity, developing CLAPA’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document, legal and regulatory guidelines. You would be joining our board at an exciting time, as we continue to implement our 5-year strategy for 2025-2030.

About CLAPA

The Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) is the national charity for people affected by cleft lip and palate in the United Kingdom.

CLAPA supports people affected by cleft to take control of their journey, connect with others, and use their voices to impact the future of care. Our vision is that no one affected by cleft lip and palate in the United Kingdom will go through their journey alone.