It’s Trustees’ Week on 12-17 November 2018, and what better way to celebrate it than becoming a trustee yourself?
Or if you’re already a charity trustee, you could mark the week by learning how to carry out your role even more effectively.
Over 180,000 people in Scotland are trustees of charities, ranging from local sports clubs to household names. Trustees’ work is often unsung – to the extent the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) calls them ‘our secret superheroes’.
Being a trustee is a great way to give back to society, help others and support a cause, but it does come with responsibilities – which go beyond reliably turning up for meetings. Trustees have legal obligations including:
• general duties to act in the interests of the charity
• specific duties around reporting to OSCR, financial record keeping and reporting, fundraising, and providing information to the public.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) has produced helpful guidance called seven steps to help new trustees be the most effective trustees they can and is definitely worth a read – SCVO Information for new charity trustees.
Understanding good governance
As well as meeting their legal duties, effective trustees should understand wider issues relating to ‘governance’. After all, many of the financial or reputational problems that beset charities large and small stem from inadequate management, not legal breaches.
Charities and their trustees often ask us what exactly ‘good governance’ entails. The answer will vary according to the nature of the charity, but key aspects include:
• managing relationships with trustees
• embedding good collective decision-making processes
• having effective procedures for reporting problems or concerns
• fundraising strategies and practices
• board composition, ensuring a good balance of skills and experience.
Trustee training
Some of this involves management common sense, but trustees also need the right information and training. Fortunately, this is easily arranged.
Firstly, OSCR has some excellent general materials for trustees on its website.
Secondly, complementing this, it’s useful to have governance training tailored to your charity. This can highlight gaps or vulnerabilities, and help you be the very best trustee (or superhero) you can be – whether you’re coming new to the role or have been doing it for years. Details of our Trustee Training Packages can be found [here] and please feel free to contact us to discuss tailored options to suit your organisation.
