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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.

You will welcome clients and visitors, and support the smooth running of our local office at our drop in sessions on Mondays or Thursdays (or both)

Commitment: 6 hours/week (flexible)

Receptionists are the first point of contact for clients, welcoming visitors. You’ll record client details on our computer system, explain waiting times, and help ensure the service runs smoothly. The role builds communication, IT, and teamwork skills while making a real difference in the community. Full training and expense reimbursement are provided.

What you gain: Communication skills, admin experience, confidence using IT, and full training.

You'll gain valuable transferable skills in communication, problem solving, teamwork.

Whether you are starting out, changing career, retired, or returning to work, volunteering strengthens your CV and provides practical experience.

The Willats Trust is a grant-making, cross-denominational Christian charity with a vision to see our estates and most deprived communities around the UK transformed by the love of Jesus.

Our mission is to fund relational evangelism through local expressions of church, by working with like-hearted partners to share the good news of Jesus in the areas of greatest deprivation across the UK.

Since our establishment in 1858, sharing the Gospel in these communities has always been our priority. Thanks to the generosity of Mr Willats, who gifted a significant property portfolio to the charity at its inception, we have been able to use funds generated from this property portfolio to finance grant-making to support evangelists, church planters, or other activities related to evangelism and making disciples in the top 20% areas of deprivation across the UK.

Following a strategic review in 2025, we have an ambition to more than double the amount we award in grants from £500,000 to £1m a year. Over the next ten years, we want to see more thriving Jesus-centric churches planted in our areas of greatest deprivation and led by people who look like the communities they are serving. This means part of our grant-making supports immediate tactical needs, but part of our grant-making also seeks to influence the underlying factors which will enable the long-term fulfilment of our vision.  

We believe the kingdom of God works best when we all bring what is in our hand and let God do the multiplication. Our posture is to come alongside like-hearted partners who share the same vision and work together in partnership to support and equip those God has called to these communities.

We are seeking to make two Trustee appointments. Individuals who bring expertise in one or more of the following areas:

- Mission-related: someone with lived experience of planting, leading or supporting Jesus-centric churches in communities experiencing significant deprivation. You will probably also carry a sense of calling that is bigger than a single geographic area and will be able help us think strategically about how we use our resources to contribute to increased church planting and evangelism in our areas of greatest deprivation, alongside others, over the next decade and bring deep relationships with others already serving in this space.

- Commercial property: someone with professional property expertise relating to exiting portfolios of residential and non-purpose-built HMO properties, or property development, who can advise on asset optimisation and property exits over the coming years, which will enable us to give more money away.

- Legal, financial or HR: individuals with strategic leadership skills and a passion to see resources deployed for Kingdom-purpose.

The time commitment required of a Trustee is usually likely to equate to approximately 6-8 days per year.

It’s a crucial and exciting time in the history and further development of The Willats Trust. By being a Trustee you will be able to make a difference across the UK and get to have a ringside seat to see what God is doing, as we know his heart is always for the most overlooked and forgotten. We are full of expectancy for what God is going to do in this current season and want to play our small part in this, alongside others.

We appreciate the rich diversity of our Trustees and Staff and seek to create a culture where everyone develops and fulfils their potential. We recognise the immense value of different perspectives brought by those with varied backgrounds, characteristics and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented sections of the community (specifically in our context, women, individuals of Global Majority Heritage and those from non-Anglican church worshipping backgrounds).

Please note that this role has an Occupational Requirement to be a committed Christian as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1, of the Equality Act 2010.

Closing date: 12 noon BST on Friday 8th May 2026.

Could your leadership skills help shape the future of a Hopian?  Hopian is a registered charity that provides advice and support for adults and children who have experienced Domestic Violence and Abuse through the provision of refuge accommodation and community support services.  We also provide support and access to counselling for people affected by Child Sexual Exploitation.

The Role of Trustee and executive Trustee roles are voluntary positions. A Trustee for the Board is expected to meet the requirements of the board in line with the charities governing documents, governing good practice and legal requirements.  We also have a vacancy for a Treasurer should you be interested please visit our Hopian website - recruiter link below for further details.

Trustee Responsibilities :

The Board as a whole is collectively responsible for the success of the charity. A Trustee is a Board Member and has a number of responsibilities in order to ensure robust management of the charity including:

• Make decisions objectively in the interests of the charity.
• Implement Hopian’s Vision, Mission, and Values.
• Lead on the aims and objectives of Hopian by raising awareness of domestic and sexual abuse, and child sexual exploitation and abuse and its impact on individuals and their families.

Trustee Duties :

• Ensuring that the organisation pursues its stated objects (purposes), as defined in its governing document, by developing and agreeing a long-term strategy.
• Ensuring that the organisation complies with its governing document (i.e. constitution or memorandum and articles of association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Ensuring that the organisation applies its resources in pursuance of its charitable objects (i.e., the charity must not spend money on activities that are not included in its own objects) .
• Ensuring that the organisation defines its goals and evaluates performance against agreed targets.
• Safeguarding the good name and values of the organisation.
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place.
• Ensuring the financial stability of the organisation.
• Protecting and managing the property of the charity and ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds.
• To work in the interests of the charity and not for personal gain.
• To ensure that the Board Members takes proper professional advice on matters in which it does not have competence.
• Following proper and formal arrangements for the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of the chief executive.

In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.

Tasks:

• To work with other Board Members to form an effective governing body for the charity.
• To attend meetings and to read papers in advance of meetings.
• Ensure that the charity’s focus places services users centrally.
• To understand and be committed to the mission of the charity.
• To maintain a long-term overview of the charity and its work.
• To make strategic and major decisions about the charity objectives, policies and procedures.
• To attend sub-group meetings as appropriate.
• To participate in other tasks that may arise from time to time such as interviewing for new staff, helping with appeals and fundraising.
• To keep informed about the activities of the charity and wider issues which affect its work.
• To monitor and evaluate the work of the charity on a regular basis. This includes receiving reports from staff, staff supervision, receiving feedback from service users and other agencies .
• To ensure that the charity is a good employer of its paid and voluntary staff .
• Provide opportunity for staff to meet with the board.

Person Specification

We are looking for a  Trustee who has an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of trusteeship. It is expected that a Trustee takes ownership to develop and maintain this understanding and application of duties. In addition to having:

• A commitment to the organisation.
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort.
• Good, independent judgement.
• An ability to think creatively.
• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
• A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership

Experience & Knowledge

• Understanding and evidence of commitment to equal opportunities and diversity statement 
• Be objective and unbiased 
• Be supportive and approachable 

Time Requirements

To be able to attend scheduled committee meetings each year and read papers for each board meeting. To be available to for consultation, support and guidance on an ad hoc basis. Much of this contact will be via online, telephone or email.

Independent Chair and Non-Executive Director Recruitment

Somerset Skills & Learning CIC (SS&L)
Voluntary roles | Somerset / Hybrid

Changing lives through learning

Somerset Skills & Learning (SS&L) is a thriving Community Interest Company delivering education and skills to around 4,000 learners each year. Working with over 145 employers, we improve confidence, wellbeing, employability and life chances across Somerset and beyond.

We are now seeking two Independent Non-Executive Directors to join our Board at an exciting and pivotal time.

Following seven successful years on the Board, our Chair will step down in November 2026. As part of this recruitment, we will identify our next Non-Executive Chair, offering a unique opportunity to shape the future direction of a values-driven organisation making a tangible difference.

The Opportunities

Non-Executive Director – Finance & Sustainability

You will bring senior financial leadership experience to help guide SS&L’s long-term sustainability.

You will contribute to:

• Financial strategy, oversight and resilience
• Risk management, audit and governance
• Supporting sustainable, values-led growth

Non-Executive Director – Further Education Quality & Impact

You will bring expertise from the further education or skills sector to help ensure high-quality outcomes.

You will contribute to:

• Quality assurance and continuous improvement
• Learner outcomes and progression
• Strategic curriculum development aligned to community need

About the Roles

As a Board member, you will:

• Provide strategic oversight, challenge and support
• Help shape organisational direction and impact
• Work collaboratively with fellow Directors and the Executive team

From these appointments, we are particularly interested in individuals with the capability and interest to step into the Chair role.

Commitment

• Approximately 4–5 hours per month
• Four Board meetings per year (hybrid)
• Participation in sub-committees
• Voluntary roles (reasonable expenses reimbursed)

About You

We are looking for individuals who:

• Bring senior leadership or Board-level experience
• Can offer constructive challenge and strategic insight
• Share our commitment to inclusion, learning and community impact

We particularly welcome applications from individuals who reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
 

How to Apply

Full details about this opportunity in the attached brief. For a confidential discussion, please contact Anna Jay, Managing Director, Public Leaders Appointments

Closing date for applications: Midday, 21st May 2026. Interviews 10th or 11th June 2026.

If you are inspired by the opportunity to help shape an organisation that is transforming lives through learning, we would love to hear from you.