Trustees Volunteer Roles

The Chester Bluecoat Charity, the longest standing charity in Chester, is currently searching for inspirational individuals to join our board as a volunteer trustee to help steer the charity as it strives to raise the bar on the positive impact it has in the city and surrounding areas.

Under new leadership, 2024 is set to be a particularly exciting year as we develop and implement a new strategy to support more people than ever before and help the charity reach its full potential. In order to achieve this, we are recruiting new trustees who can help drive this transformation by bringing additional expertise to our dedicated team, specifically in the charity, community, social housing and legal sectors.

About the Charity

The Chester Bluecoat Charity helps to tackle the causes of poverty, disadvantage, and inequality across the city. As the city’s longest standing charity, we are proud to have been helping the people of Chester and surrounding areas for more than 800 years.

Based in the historic Bluecoat Building, in the heart of the City of Chester, we work to change the lives of people in need in three distinct ways:

• Grant Giving – We award grants to organisations that use education and community development to improve peoples’ lives.
• Rentable office and meeting room space at our Bluecoat Building – We offer third sector office space to local charities and voluntary organisations, as well as meeting rooms for hire to businesses throughout the city.
• Almshouses – We provide Almshouse accommodation for people in need in the 16 Almshouses that we own and maintain which are situated at rear of the Bluecoat Building.

At its core, the charity owns several properties in Chester which enables us to generate a rental income, and subsequently provide Almshouse accommodation and office space to Third Sector organisations. These funds also allow the charity to provide grants and support to organisations such as Blacon Beacon, Koala, KidsBank and Platform for Life, to name but a few…

Why should you become a trustee?

Are you passionate about Chester? Do you want to make a real difference in the lives of those in our community who need our help? Do you want to be part of a team trying to do some good by making lasting change?

By becoming a trustee of The Chester Bluecoat Charity, you can do just that! In this role, you can shape and steer the city’s oldest charity and help it reach its full potential. This is an opportunity for you to give back to the city of Chester in a meaningful, rewarding role, whilst making new connections during an exciting time of transformational change in the charity.

What skills should I have?

The Chester Bluecoat Charity are looking for trustees with the following skills in particular:

• Charity and community experience.
• Social housing/housing association experience (Almshouses)
• Legal

In addition, trustees should be able to offer:

• Great communication skills
• Be able to contribute to strategic planning
• Independent, sound judgement
• Willingness to provide opinion and reasons for the conclusions drawn
• Ability to think creatively and problem solve
• Capable of working effectively as a member of a team

As we are focused on Chester and its’ surrounds, we expect our trustees to either be resident in Chester or have strong links with the city.

How will I make a difference?

As part of our trustee board, you will shape the work of The Chester Bluecoat Charity and provide support to the team to achieve our charitable aims. You will be part a charity that tackles the causes of poverty, inequality, and disadvantage in and around Chester by using our resources effectively to provide grants to other organisations and charities, amongst other work.

Our trustees dedicate around 5-10 hours a month to The Chester Bluecoat Charity by attending internal meetings and assisting the team in delivering our strategy.

When would I participate in trustee meetings?

The main board meet 6 times a year. Trustees are appointed for an initial term of three years, with the possibility of two further terms.

Trustee meetings are usually held at The Bluecoat on Upper Northgate Street, Chester, however these may also be joined virtually.

About us

Established in December 2013, Betknowmore UK’s mission is to address gambling related harm in UK communities. We are the leading provider of gambling support and training services. We work tirelessly to raise awareness, deliver support services and, through education, create more understanding about gambling related harm. ‘We want people to be empowered, to live the life they want to lead.’ Read more about our values, strategy and impact.

We exist to provide support and training services that prevent and address personal and societal harms caused by gambling. Together we aim to raise awareness, deliver support services and, through education, create more understanding about gambling harm.

Today the charity is governed by a Board of Trustees and run by Betknowmore UK senior management. This is where you come in – we are currently recruiting new members for our Board of Trustees.

About you

We are seeking committed individuals who share our vision, mission and values to join our board. You do not need to have prior knowledge of gambling harms as training will be provided throughout the induction period. Previous experience as a trustee, although desirable, is not essential.

We are specifically looking for the skills in the following areas.

·Community Engagement/networking/influencing

·Legal

·Commissioning

·Research

·Finance

For more information about the duties of a trustee and the person specification please see the Role Description Pack below. We would love to hear from you if you have time, skills and experience to share.

How to apply

To apply, please email your CV and a cover letter outlining why you would like to become a trustee and how your skills and knowledge would be an asset to the charity. (details in jobpack)

Social Anxiety Alliance UK aim to provide information and resources for individuals suffering from social anxiety and social phobia.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape and develop the UK’s first dedicated Social Anxiety charity. 

We are ideally looking for trustees with previous charity trustee experience or with experience working in the mental health or charity sector. Howerver if you beleive you have the passion, time and skills to help us take the charity forward please feel free to apply.

Trustees will typically lead on a particular project depending on their skill set e.g. editorial content, web site development, social media, networking with other charities, policies and procedures, funding/grants, human resources, writing articles for the website, review of online social anxiety courses and resources.

Other opportunities are available depending on your experience and skill set.so please see the charity website and use the feedback form if you have other skills the charity might need.

We are a friendly board, getting involved will mean that you can work with us on particular projects that suit your skills. We hold trustee board meetings for approximately 60 minutes each month and work on additonal projects as time allows.

As part of our board you will support and shape our work and strategic direction, as well as help us achieve our aim of helping people who experience social anxiety. 

DASH is currently seeking to recruit a number of passionate individuals into the role of charity trustee!

DASH is a small local registered charity, launched in 2006, in response to a shared concern for the unmet needs of autistic adults living in Swindon. The purpose and determination was to help improve the quality of life of people affected by autism.

Our experienced staff offer information and advice concerning a variety of topics, including benefits, employment, health and wellbeing and finance. We are able to signpost to other appropriate services if necessary.

A post diagnosis ‘journey’ offers 1:1 and small group sessions, where through discussion, individuals are enabled to better understand their ‘own version’ of autism and how it affects them in their everyday life.

Our mission is to be an accessible charity at the heart of our community, supporting, encouraging and inspiring autistic adults.

As a trustee, you will take part in shaping and directing the charity. You will help to ensure that the work we do strategically and operationally meets the needs of those we support.

The role is voluntary, although we will pay all reasonable expenses.

We welcome applications from all individuals as we seek to broaden the diversity and skills of our trustees. Appointments will be made on merit alone.

We are particularly keen to recruit members of the community who have one or more of the following:

· Knowledge and/or experience of autism

· Expertise in Marketing or PR

· Expertise in Finance

· Experience in Health or Social Care

You will need to be able to commit to attending Board Meetings; currently these are held every two months, usually on a weekday evening between 6.00pm and 8.00pm, via Zoom. Typically, this requires a commitment of five to six hours per month.

If you are passionate about supporting individuals and organisations to provide vital services, then being a trustee can be extremely rewarding.

To find out more about joining the Board and to help you decide whether you feel you are able to commit to this role, please contact Co Chair of Trustees David Ahern.

The inspirational peer to peer mental health charity is looking for an experienced Chair of Trustees to help us increase our fundraising and service reach.

We are developing an ambitious ten year startegy to grow our reach, embed service excellence in mental health and have a strong financial base for operations.

If you are passionate about mental health and have experience in governance, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Interviews with the interim Chair and Chief Executive will be on a rolling basis, so please dont delay putting in an application. Please send us your CV and a short covering letter to apply

This role is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although reasonable expenses for travel may be claimed.

Kintsugi Hope are committed to developing trustees and will invest in appropriate CPD, such as ‘How to be a good trustee’ training, charity governance and finance.

Who we are & What we do

Kintsugi Hope is a charity based in the UK striving to make a difference to peoples mental wellbeing.

"Kintsugi' (金継ぎ) is a Japanese technique for repairing pottery with seams of gold. The word means 'golden joinery' in Japanese. This repairs the brokenness in a way that makes the object more beautiful, and even more unique than it was prior to being broken. Instead of hiding the scars it makes a feature of them.

We want to see a world where mental and emotional health is understood and accepted, with safe and supportive communities for everyone to grow and flourish.

A Kintsugi Hope Wellbeing Group is a safe and supportive space for people who feel or have felt overwhelmed, providing tools for self-management in a facilitated peer mentoring style setting.

It consists of a structured yet flexible series of 12 weeks of content, which includes group and individual activities designed to help participants to accept themselves, to understand their value and worth, and grow towards a more resilient and hopeful future.

The role of the Group Leader is to facilitate the sessions using the material available, signposting people if necessary to further help and support. It can feel vulnerable and scary starting a group, but the benefit of a Kintsugi Hope Group is that Group Leaders are not on their own.

Issues covered include; disappointment, loss, anxiety, anger perfectionism, shame and resilience. Feedback so far has been amazing.

What we are looking for

We are looking for people with the specific skills described in the Person Specification (below). To ensure that our board is as diverse as possible we are particularly keen to receive applications from groups that are under-represented on the board. Particularly young people, people with disabilities, or who experience physical or mental concerns.

Person Specification

The application must have:

• Significant experience and expertise in either scaling an organisation, legal, adult safeguarding, mental health services at a community level or other skills that will enhance the board.
• Experience of a charity or corporate board, or be able to demonstrate strategic thinking in a non-operational capacity.
• The time and energy to be an effective trustee and support the strategic development of Kintsugi Hope – estimated to be around 4 hours a month on average.
• A willingness to attend relevant training to support their role and increase the knowledge of the board.
• Commitment to the mission, vision and values of Kintsugi Hope.
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties and responsibilities of trusteeship.
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a diverse team.
• Good independent judgement
• Integrity

It is desirable for the applicant to have:

• High level of commercial awareness
• Effective communication skills
• Good analytical skills.

Experience of being a Company Secretary

What’s involved in being a trustee

• The Board of Trustees meet four to five times a year. Once or twice a year on a Saturday for vision and impact days and three times a year online between 7pm and 9.30pm on different evenings.
• Trustees are asked to take on specific roles, for examples on committees or working parties, and asked to attend additional meetings if necessary.
• All trustees are expected to participate in discussions, provide opinions and make decisions as required. 
• Trustees may be contacted by the operational team for support in their specific areas of expertise.

A summary of the primary duties of all charity trustees can be seen below by looking at Gov website, The essential trustee: what you need to know, what you need to do. 

TRUSTEES REQUIRED!

At TOP UK we know how distressing and overwhelming OCD and phobias can be. Nearly 40 years of experience tells us that both conditions have a hugely negative impact on people’s lives. Fear and anxiety are incredibly unpleasant emotions and to frequently experience these emotions on a large scale is traumatic and debilitating. No one deserves that.

At TOP UK we also know that OCD and phobias are poorly understood, under-funded and stigmatised despite affecting millions of people. OCD and phobia sufferers often tell us how misunderstanding of their conditions leaves them feeling isolated, alone and afraid to seek help. At TOP UK, we believe no one should feel alone in facing their fears 

It is an exciting but testing time at TOP UK and we have just launched an ambitious three-year strategy. While we are eager to embark on this new stage of development for our organisation it comes with an acknowledgment that we are working in particularly uncertain and stressful times and there is a greater need to grow our service than ever before. Demand for our service is at an all-time high and continues to grow, currently dramatically outstripping our capacity. Mental health services are at breaking point leaving those with OCD and Phobias often finding it impossible to find help and dealing with debilitating conditions alone.

Meeting this demand will be a challenge, but it is a challenge we are ready and willing to push for but in order to grow and build our organisation we are keen to evolve, enhance and diversify our Board of Trustees

The role is open to those from the public, private and voluntary sectors. You should be someone with a genuine interest in mental health and we are ideally looking for individuals with any of the following experience: Charity Governance; IT & Digital;Marketing, Communications and Brand; Fundraising: Diversity and Inclusion. 

TOP UK also particularly welcomes applications from black and minority ethnic candidates and candidates from the LGBTQ+ community as they are currently under represented in our organisation.

 All board meetings are virtual and take place every other month.

For further details please click on the attached Trustee Application pack below. Application is by letter and CV, please click on the apply button to submit these.

Sutton Mental Health Foundation was established as a charity in 1998 and the aim of the Foundation is to support people with mental health needs in the London Borough of Sutton, helping to keep them well and active and helping them to have a voice in mental health care in the Borough.  Our vision is to provide a community in Sutton which values mental wellbeing and understands how to respond positively to anxiety and distress.  The Foundation works together to promote mental wellbeing resilience and recovery from mental distress.We provide nonclinical support, and we are part of the Voluntary Sector. 

The Foundation is seeking to add to the expertise of our experienced, professional Board of Trustees, who are all volunteers.  All our Trustees need excellent communication skills, the ability to work effectively as part of a team, strategic vision and good, independent judgement.  Although not limited to, we would particularly value the experience and skills in the following areas : 

• Company Secretary/Legal Experience 
• Fundraising in the following areas – Grant, Corporate and Public 
• Marketing 

Lived or shared experience of mental health – desirable. 

Inclusion is one of our values and we are looking for diversity in the makeup of our Board and that we particularly welcome applications from underrepresented communities.

The Board of Trustees meets every six weeks, in the evening at 7 p.m. for approximately 1 ½ hours in Sutton.  Sometimes our Board meetings are on-line.

Share Psychotherapy is a long-standing psychotherapy charity providing long term, low cost therapy. We specifically aim to help people who cannot afford or cannot access therapy elsewhere. If you would like to joinn our board and help to guide and grow the charity as we move into our next phase we would like to hear from you!

We are especially interested in hearing from people with clinical, therapeutic or safeguarding experience but are looking for people with experience & skills in any of the following:

• Fundraising 
• Service user involvement 
• Web design and digital marketing
• Management and business systems
• Clinical management - especially in mental health
• High-level psychotherapeutic skills and experience
• Accounting, Budget Management & Financial Risk management  

Share Psychotherapy is one of Sheffield’s leading mental health charities. Established for over 40 years we offer medium to long term therapy at nominal fees, primarily to people on low incomes. This therapy is delivered through a range of psychodynamic & creative modalities. We therefore work at the vital intersection of psychological distress & poverty in the city, providing high quality, long term therapy to people who could not otherwise obtain such help, especially those on low incomes. 

Our clients are often experiencing serious mental and emotional distress, through anxiety, depression, difficulty with relationships or traumatic life events.

We are part way through a change process at Share - developing and strengthening our clinical services, improving our administrative and business systems and strengthening our financial position. We want to build upon our position as a centre of excellence in psychotherapy and make an even bigger contribution to improving mental health in Sheffield.

Would you like to help us in this venture? We are looking for people with specialist skills who are willing to help in a voluntary capacity; either as a trustee on our board, or as a specialist volunteer contributing on a project basis. We are willing to consider a wide range of contributions.