Trustee (with potential for Chair role)

Join the Board of Trustees at CAAS
Support ADHD and autistic people across NW London to thrive.

We’re recruiting four new Trustees to join the Board of the Centre for ADHD & Autism Support (CAAS), a well-established, financially stable charity supporting ADHD and autistic people across NW London.

We’re looking for people who are passionate about inclusion, mental wellbeing, and building a more neuro-affirming community.

You don’t need to have been a trustee before, we’ll support you with a full induction and ongoing training. What matters most is your commitment to our mission and your willingness to contribute to thoughtful, inclusive decision-making.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from people with experience in:

• HR & Legal
• Digital & IT
• Marketing & Communications
• Or lived experience of ADHD or autism

We also hope that one of the new trustees will take on the role of Chair in the future, so if you have leadership experience and are interested in helping guide the Board, we’d love to hear from you.

To Apply

Please submit your CV and a Supporting Statement of no more than 2 sides of A4.  Your supporting statement should cover why you are interested in applying for the role, and how you fit the role and person specification.

About CAAS

CAAS provides an Autism and ADHD Support Service across the 8 boroughs of NW London from our base in Eastcote and offices around London. We offer information, advice, and support to ADHD/Autistic people, their families, and professionals, with the aim of improving quality of life and building neurodivergent-aware communities.

We are incredibly fortunate to be in a sound financial position, with income of around £1.7m per year, and around 40 staff.  We offer 60 different services, including personalised one2one support, social groups, psycho-education courses and specialist workshops.  We also have a thriving training and awareness raising service, providing ADHD and autism training to statutory services, schools and voluntary sector organisations across NW London.

We’ve grown steadily over the last 25 years, and last year we supported more than 9,000 people, across 18,000 attendances.  Looking ahead, our priority is making sure everyone who could benefit from CAAS knows we’re here for them. We’re investing in outreach, inclusivity, and accessibility - breaking down barriers so our support reaches every corner of our community.

In this role, you will join the established (and lovely) Board of Trustees, who provide operational governance for the charity, determine its strategic direction, and help shape a positive, sustainable future for CAAS and the communities we serve.

Most importantly, you will be contributing towards our impact intention, which is that ADHD and autistic individuals, and those who support them, have improved mental wellbeing, are better able to engage with home-life, school, or work, and need less support from NHS/statutory services.  Ultimately, we want to help people to thrive.

 

About The Role

Charities like CAAS can only exist with the help of Trustees, and we are hugely grateful to everyone that volunteers to take on this role.  We work hard to ensure Trustees are supported effectively to discharge their responsibilities and feel a sense of pride – and of enjoyment – in being a Trustee of CAAS.

Trustees are responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of CAAS, ensuring that the charity delivers its mission effectively, complies with its legal obligations, and remains financially sustainable.

Trustees bring a range of skills, experience, and perspectives to support the organisation’s leadership and development.  We are therefore looking for someone who has a passion for what CAAS is trying to achieve and a willingness to commit to attending our meetings and contributing to our discussions.  Some Trustees also bring specific skills sets which provide operational expertise, but this is not a requirement in the role.

Having a Diverse Board

CAAS recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and we are particularly seeking applications from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority communities, from disadvantage socio-economic backgrounds, and from people who identify as being autistic or having ADHD. 

We have recently completed a skills audit of the current Trustee board, and as well as looking to increase the diversity of our board, we would also particularly welcome applications from those who identify as having particular skills in the areas of HR & legal, digital & IT, statutory services provision, or marketing & communications.  We are also looking to recruit a new Chair during the next year, so please let us know if this is something that interests you (our Chair Role Description is also available on our website)

Please don’t be put off applying if you don’t have one of these skills or attributes or are worried that you don’t meet all of the points noted in this role description.  Every trustee who joins will receive a comprehensive induction and training package, and be supported by current trustees, so there will be lots of opportunity to learn ‘on the job’ for the right candidate.

 

Key Responsibilities

Governance and Oversight

·       Ensure that CAAS complies with its governing document, charity law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations.

·       Contribute to the development and approval of the charity’s strategic plans and policies.

·       Monitor the performance of the organisation against agreed objectives and outcomes.

·       Safeguard the charity’s assets and ensure proper financial oversight.

·       Declare any conflicts of interest and ensure they are managed in line with the charity’s policy.

 

Support and Challenge

·       Provide constructive support and challenge to the CEO and senior leadership team.

·       Use personal and professional expertise to inform Board discussions and decisions.

·       Work collaboratively with fellow trustees, recognising that decisions are made collectively and all trustees share equal responsibility.

·       Act as a critical friend, helping to ensure that decisions are made in the best interests of the charity and its beneficiaries.

 

Advocacy and Representation

·       Act as an ambassador for CAAS, promoting its work and values.

·       Support fundraising and awareness-raising efforts where appropriate.

·       Represent the charity at events or meetings, as agreed with the Chair or CEO.

 

Board Participation

·       Attend and actively participate in quarterly Board meetings and occasional sub-committees or working groups.

·       Prepare for meetings by reading papers and contributing to discussions.

·       Participate in Board development activities, including training and annual reviews.

·       Champion equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of the charity’s governance and culture.

 

Person Specification

Essential

·       Commitment to CAAS’s mission, values, and strategic priorities.

·      Passion for the work we do at CAAS

·      Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to the role.

·       Ability to think strategically and contribute to effective decision-making.

·       Integrity, good judgement, and a collaborative approach.

 

Desirable

·       Lived or professional experience of ADHD or autism.

·       Experience in one or more of the following areas: HR, digital & IT, communications & marketing

·       Experience of charity governance or previous trustee roles

·       Understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion principles and their application in governance.

 

Commitment

The Board meets 8 times a year, mostly by video call, and Board meetings are usually around 2hrs in length.  Once a year we meet for a longer session, in person, to consider strategic items in more depth.

Trustees will be asked to read a few papers in advance of the meeting, which could take 1-2hrs each meeting. 

Trustees are also encouraged to engage with the organisation between meetings, for example attending events, meeting staff, or supporting specific initiatives.

Some Trustees may be asked to take on additional responsibility, if they have a particular area of expertise (such as HR, fundraising etc); if so, they may be asked to commit 5-10 hours per year to support with reviewing policies or providing guidance to the management group. 

Initial 1-year term, extended by mutual agreement.  Trustee Terms are ordinarily for 4 years, and Trustees can be appointed for a 2nd 4-year term if desired.

Exclusions

Please note that Section 72(1) of the Charities Act 1993 disqualifies anyone who:

·       has been convicted of an offence involving deception or dishonesty, unless the conviction is spent

·       is an undischarged bankrupt

·       has previously been removed from trusteeship of a charity by the court or the Charity Commissioners

·       is under a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986

It is an offence to act as a charity trustee while disqualified unless the Charity Commission has given a waiver under section 72(4) of the Charities Act 1993.

CAAS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS disclosure.