Trustees: Are you reading CC News?

CC News is the Charity Commission's newsletter, published four times a year. Distributed to every charity on our register which we have an email for (approximately 130,000), it's one of the Commission's key communication tools and a really important tool for trustees, their advisers and potential trustees to read. The Spring issue contains short bulletins on investigations, Trustees' Week 2013, serious incidents and new guidance for mental health charities.

You can sign up to receive CC News on our website.

Read the Spring edition here: http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk/About_us/About_the_Commission/newslist.aspx 

Trustee story: Marc Kidson, British Youth Council

Being a trustee challenges you to take on so many different roles: you have to be a champion for the charity externally; you have to be a custodian of its reputation and a prudent guardian of its assets; and you have to be a friendly and constructive challenger to the staff. This can be a daunting prospect, especially at a relatively young age, but it is one of the most enriching and important things you can do.

I wanted to be a trustee, first and foremost, because I believed in the mission of the British Youth Council, to give young people a voice on the issues that affect them. If you don’t care about the charity, you shouldn’t be a trustee, because the role can be demanding and you need to feel that it matters. But if you have that passion then everything else follows from it - I really look forward to the meetings, which are always lively, interactive and friendly.

I’ve taken on a variety of functions on our trustee board, including as a member of the finance sub-group supporting the Treasurer and leading on governance matters, where we need to interpret, clarify or change the governing documents of the charity. I’ve also played many other roles, engaging with politicians, potential funders, and even attending conferences abroad to share the work of the BYC. There are so many great charities that need trustees - I would encourage anyone to find the one that they can make a difference for.

Check out these resources on trusteeship from ICAEW

The Charity and Voluntary Sector Group within the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), a Trustees' Week partner, offers a number of useful resources that potential or existing trustees should have a look at. The articles, guidance and helpsheets include:

- Volunteering as a charity trustee - where the role fits in to an organisation

- Duties of charity trustees - a helpsheet outlining the key duties of trustees

- The role of the honorary treasurer - a helpsheet that defines this key role

- Charity fraud guide - for the trustees and managers of small charities, produced by the Charity Finance Group (CFG).

You can find all of the above here.

Trustee Networking Event from the I Am Group - 15/05/2013

- Are you interested in a Trustee position?
- Would you like to meet other Trustees?
- Is your charity looking for Trustees?

If you answered 'yes' to any of the above, this event is for you. Bringing together those looking for trustee positions, charities looking to recruit and existing trustees looking to network, this inaugural event from the I Am Group is hosted by Simon Hebditch, Chair of the Small Charities Coaliation.

A great way to enhance your career and develop your leadership skills!

Date: Wednesday 15th May 2013
Time: 6-8pm
Venue: Westminster Hub, NZ House, 80 Haymarket, London. SW1Y 4TE (nearest stations are Charing Cross and Picadilly Circus).
Price: £10

To book, go to http://trustee-networking.eventbrite.co.uk/

Guardian article: Not-for-profits need to steal a march in the boardroom battle

An article from the Guardian Voluntary Sector today discusses how not-for-profit organisations need to be smarter about who they recruit to board and senior management roles in an increasingly squeezed financial climate. Read the piece here.

Twitter Thunderclap championing Board Diversity

Young Charity Trustees is celebrating its second birthday on Friday May 10th by doing a Thunderclap to promote board diversity. Get involved by visiting https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/2074-championing-board-diversity. See below for more info.

Young Charity Trustees (YCT) is 2 years old on May 10th. During that time we have grown our LinkedIn group to more than 1150 members, been active on social media, been interviewed, spoken at events, written articles, and recruited a fantastic team of YCT Ambassadors who promote our work.

We have helped some brilliant organisations like Street League and Trailblazers find young trustees for their Boards, and discovered more about fantastic orgs that empower young people like Dare2Lead, Uprising, Charityworks and Generation 2 Generation, to name just a few.

We have helped charities looking for Board members and young people looking for opportunities. We have been blown away by the positive response that we have received and thank everyone so much for your support.

However, we want you to help us to dream bigger. Not only is there so much to be done around getting younger people onto charity Boards, but issues of gender, sexuality, ethnicity, disability and background on Boards are just as important.

Please help us to champion Board Diversity and get the message out to charities and to all those who care about them!

NUS holds External Trustees Conference - 9th May 2013

The National Union of Students (NUS), a Trustees' Week partner, is holding an external trustees conference on 9th May, in central London.

Building on the External Trustees event held last year, this conference is for External Trustees and senior staff to discuss a whole range of key governance issues. The day will consist of specific workshops on risk management, strategic planning, legal compliance and senior staff member appraisal.  Debates and plenaries will also take place with experts from the sector discussing key issues for charities and students’ unions in particular.  We will also be joined by Dame Mary Marsh, founding Director of the Clore Social Leadership Programme, who will be welcoming delegates to the conference. 
This event will:

• Train new Trustees in the responsibilities of their role
• Deliver workshops for delegates in different roles (Senior Management, External Trustees)
• Be an opportunity for networking with other Trustees and senior management
• Attend workshops delivered by experts in the sector
• Be an opportunity to network with experts in the sector

Please join us for a drinks reception after the conference, at 5pm,  which will be held at the same venue.
Some info is below - check out the website for further details.

• When | 9 May 2013
• Fee | £29 + VAT
• Agenda
• On the day info | To follow

It's No Wonder Young Trustees are Hard to Come By - by Ian Joseph, CEO of Trustees Unlimited

Ian Joseph, CEO of Trustees Unlimited and Managing Director of Russam GMS interim management recruitment agency, responds to young trustee Leon Ward's recent article in Civil Society, which claimed that potential young trustees were being put off by financial costs, elitism and narrow-minded recruitment methods. Joseph's article (also in Civil Society) discusses how charities need to reassess their board processes in order to recruit young talent.

We want to hear from you on Twitter!

This week we're reaching out to all of you on Twitter, @trusteesweek. We want to find out what made you become a trustee, what the best thing about trusteeship is, and what you've learnt from it. We'll be tweeting a different question each day this week, so follow us and let us know your responses!

ACEVO Commission on Charity Governance

Survey and Consultation Sessions: open invitation
The ACEVO Commission on Charity Governance invites you to contribute to its work and influence its conclusions through an online survey and a series of consultation events to be held around the country.

The Commission was established to support improved governance within the charity sector. It is focusing on the practical issues that arise in charity governance, and aims to put forward pragmatic recommendations aimed at helping charities improve their governance in order to deliver their aims more effectively.

The findings of the consultation events and the survey will feed in to the work of the Commission and influence thinking on governance within the sector as a whole, including the Charity Commission.

This survey is not limited to ACEVO members or to chief executives, and submissions are welcomed from across the voluntary sector. We would love to hear from CEOs, board members, chairs and senior managers- if you have an interest in charity and non-profit governance, we would like to hear your views!

Find out more here.

The closing date for the survey is 10th May 2013

Parliamentary Inquiry into Growing Giving

This week, the first oral evidence session of a Parliamentary Inquiry into growing charitable giving took place, chaired by David Blunkett. Put together by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF), the session saw people from a range of organisations attend Parliament to explain to the inquiry’s panel of Parliamentarians how they think charities can interact better with young people. Read more here.

Alex Swallow, Chief Executive of the Small Charities Coalition (a partner of Trustees' Week) appeared, contributing on the topic of encouraging young people to become trustees. He blogs about the experience here.

Leon Ward, a case study for Trustees' Week (you can read his story in the Trustees' Stories section of this site) also appeared. A trustee of Plan UK and Interact Worldwide and a previous trustee of Leap Confronting Conflict, Leon outlined many of the barriers that face young people who are interested in trusteeship and connected these, as he does in his latest blog for Third Sector, to wider issues about getting them into the sector in paid roles.

You can read Civil Society's article on the Inquiry here.

Guest Blog - Trying before you buy: Moving to more flexible approaches of trusteeship

Richard Tyrie, Founder and CEO of Good People, describes how charities should adopt a flexible approach when recruiting trustees.

Finding a partner, whether it be in business, relationships or otherwise, is incredibly hard to get right. It's a significant commitment and not something you want to jump into headfirst. You probably shouldn't start a long-term relationship before going on a few dates first. And you most definitely shouldn't agree to move in with someone for five years after a few hours worth of interviews. However, that's exactly what happens when someone applies for trusteeship at most charities.

It's nice to believe that you can make a rational judgement within a short space of time, but the truth is that it can be tricky to find the right 'fit.' The cost of getting it wrong, for both parties, should not be underestimated. 

The charity sector needs to explore whether becoming a trustee should be more of a 'courtship' than one single decision made after an interview or two. The problem is that offering skills and expertise to a charity is very often a fixed, rigid process - you can either volunteer or you can become a trustee. It's rare that there's much middle ground between the two. But why the need for them to be mutually exclusive? You don't expect to get married without getting engaged first.

We need a much more flexible approach that reduces the risk for both the charity and the trustee. There needs to a period of time where skills-based volunteering can turn into a trusteeship if it goes well. Both parties getting to try before they buy. Better inductions for new trustees should be put in place alongside this as, right now, they're pretty much non-existent. There’s a pressing need to move towards a more structured approach to understand where the shared value lies for charities and their trustees. The question of what's the best way to ensure both parties gain from their partnership has to be addressed frequently and then continuously refined.

One of the challenges with developing this, however, is that a number of charities simply don't know what it is they need. Identifying, recruiting and developing peoples' skills are not a strong point for most of them. Not enough is invested in both getting and keeping the right people. This is not specific to charities - a lot of organisations aren't very good at it. There's a reason why we have a booming £20billion+ recruitment industry here in the UK.

Not knowing what they need drives a lack of diversity among charity trustees. Looking at trustees' age profiles, only 0.5 % of trustees are under the age of 25 with the average age of a trustee being 57. There's nothing wrong with 57 year olds being trustees, but it means that there simply isn't enough diversity. This is a major risk. Who is informing what charities will need in the next five to ten years skill-wise? Are charities even talking about getting trustees on board that 'get' digital technology and the massive potential it offers? The answer is no. Most are not even close.

Given that we have over 180,000 charities, it's clear that the internet is yet to be tapped into properly - just Google 'trustee opportunities' and see what comes up! Not promoting trustee roles online is a missed opportunity to start addressing this potentially crippling lack of diversity. Charities need to make it easier to be 'found' by the large, and still growing, number of people that want to give something back. At the moment access to trusteeships is largely predicated on being 'in the know.' Charity commission guidelines can be inaccessible and the charity world indecipherable to newcomers. Cue the self-reinforcing cycle of 57 year olds.

It boils down to two things: charities need to start harnessing technology and they need greater access to pro-bono expertise. Doing the former would go a very long way to unlocking the latter. This would open up trusteeships to a wider range of people and create a more flexible system of support for charities. And perhaps most importantly, it would give potential trustees and their charities the space to feel each other out and decide whether marriage would be a good idea for both of them.

About Good People
Good People is funded by Nesta and The Cabinet Office and runs a free peer-to-peer platform for posting ideas, jobs and voluntary opportunities. It works with leading brands and organisations to design, develop and scale game-changing social ventures. The website gives access to a talent pool of skilled people who want to support causes that matter. Follow them on Twitter @GoodPeopleUK.

Charity Commission's trusteeship podcast hits 1000 YouTube views

In October 2012, the Charity Commission launched a new series of audio podcasts. Available to listen or download on the Commission's website or on YouTube, the series includes Trusteeship and Fraud in Charities. 

The Trusteeship podcast has now had over 1000 views on YouTube -  This podcast covers a range of topics – including trustee induction and the professional rewards associated with the role – and aims to promote trusteeship among people who may not be aware of the skills and experience they could bring to a charity. The participants also discuss good trustee recruitment practice for charities. 
Participants: 
Sarah Miller (Head of Press & Public Affairs, Charity Commission)
Alex Swallow (Trustee, Centre 404 and Chief Executive of Small Charities Coalition)
Sahar Zahid (Chair of Trustees, Moroccan Youth UK)

We want to get even more people listening to these useful podcasts, so spread the word and tweet the links! 

Listen on YouTube here, or on the Charity Commission's website here. 

Why Trustees should be engaged in the fundraising process

A recent article from the Guardian Voluntary Sector Network describes how many charities and social enterprises are under-using their trustees when it comes to fundraising. 

We're pleased to welcome the Institute of Fundraising on board as a partner, so look out for further fundraising-related material!

Guardian article on Charity Governance (27/03/2013)

The Guardian article below highlights how, whilst there's greater gender diversity on charity boards than corporations, there's still some way to go.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/voluntary-sector-network/2013/mar/27/charity-governance-good-practice

Guardian article: Good Governance (with a Comment piece on Trusteeship from the Charity Commission's Neal Green)

(This article has been copied and pasted for ease)

The Guardian – Good Governance 13 March 2013

Introduction – Taking the plunge: Debbie Andalo

Get on board and make a difference: Debbie Andalo

Feel the fear – and do it anyway: Neal Green (Charity Commission)

Taking the plunge

Being a trustee or a non-executive director (NED) of a public board or charity is increasingly seen as essential for anyone seeking to climb the public sector career ladder, especially the civil service. But many people with relevant expertise and skills don’t put themselves forward for such positions, citing worries about time commitments or a lack of understanding about what these roles involve.

This supplement reveals what it takes to be a trustee or NED and features people who have already taken the plunge. It also looks at where the current opportunities are and whether you can expect to be paid for your time.

Regulatory changes mean housing association boards will have to change the way they operate – we look at the skills they are now looking for in their NEDs. Are those with business and financial acumen still the people in demand?

In the wake of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust inquiry, last month’s Francis report highlighted the need for scrupulous governance and accountability. In this supplement, the Charity Commission explains what constitutes good governance in the voluntary sector and explains how trustees can manage the triple burdens of responsibility, risk and liability.

According to latest figures, 43% of charitable trustees are women, but the figure is lower for public boards. We reveal what is being done to help realise the government’s target of 50% of new NED appointments to public boards being women by 2015. We also talk to a businesswoman who juggles six NED positions, including roles at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The national network of clinical commissioning groups has created new board opportunities for GPs and lay people to help shape the future of primary care health services in their area. One lay member, who does not work in the NHS, explains how his experience as a “punter” brings a valuable perspective to the board and ensures the patient voice is heard.

Debbie Andalo

Get on board and make a difference

Recent high-profile scandals show the vital necessity of holding public bodies and charitable trusts to account – plus, serving on a board is a great way to give back, says Debbie Andalo

Volunteering as a trustee or giving up time to be a non-executive director (NED) on the board of a public sector organisation can bring personal and professional rewards.

The roles do come with responsibility - as highlighted by the recent independent report into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust scandal, which revealed the failings of its board. But charities and organisations that recruit trustees and NEDs are unanimous in their belief that the benefits outweigh the burdens.

Teresa Clarke, governor of Swinfen Hall young offenders institution in Staffordshire, became a trustee for the first time last year, when she joined the board of Leap, a charity that provides conflict resolution training to young people. “For me, the issue was time,” she says. “I had to think about it because I have to juggle work with family life.

“I am still learning, but I feel I can give Leap a different perspective – that insight and clarity about how prisons and the Ministry of Justice work. Trusteeship appealed because I wanted to broaden my understanding of the voluntary sector.  What I have seen are people every bit as committed and dedicated to the work they do as we are.”

Clarke is one of an increasing number of civil servants who are becoming trustees or NEDs. The Whitehall & Industry Group (WIG) – which helps civil servants to find suitable trusteeships as part of its mission to build understanding between the private, public and voluntary sectors - believes the trend will continue.

Being a trustee or NED fits neatly with the civil service reform plan – which expects civil servants to get experience outside of Whitehall if they want to progress their career – and provides those who take part with a fresh perspective and new skills.

WIG’s chief executive and former civil servant, Mark Gibson, says: “We are finding it easier to get civil servants interested. They are looking for a different experience in a different sector – they want to move away from the policy environment and get experience of delivery.

“Civil servants understand about the ‘public good’ and can fit into that charity role a lot easier than others. It offers them a fantastic way of getting cross-sector experience and shows them how Whitehall looks from the outside, which can be extremely enlightening.”

Growing interest in trusteeships and public board roles is matched by demand. The Charity Commission says nearly half of the charities in England and Wales have vacancies. Its annual Trustees’ Week – which this year takes place from 4-10 November – helps to raise the profile of the role and to find new recruits. The commission also uses Twitter and Facebook to keep the campaign alive all year round and to reach a younger audience.

Figures from the commissioner for public appointments show that in the past financial year there were 1,740 appointments made to government boards or committees, most of which were new appointments. NHS reorganisation has brought new opportunities, with the creation of 211 clinical commissioning groups, while England’s 1,245 housing associations also need board members.

Skills and expertise

The Non-Executive Directors Association, the professional membership organisation for NEDs, says public sector boards are popular with those looking for their first appointment. Its chairman, Graham Durgan, says: “People will often use the public sector for their first NED role as all the posts are advertised. They are often looking to give something back to society and one of the ways they can do that is through the public sector.”

There is always a demand for trustees with financial expertise, but, increasingly, charities are looking for people with legal, communications or marketing skills. Public boards sometimes require a NED with a specific interest, but having the ability to hold the executive to account is a fundamental skill required of all board members, says commissioner for public appointments Sir David Normington . “That is a skill which needs to be developed and trained for,” he says, “they [the NEDs] need to learn how to operate so that the executive team doesn’t run rings around them.”

Charity and public sector boards want to attract more women and people with a disability or from a black or minority ethnic (BME) background. According to the commissioner for public appointments statistics for 2011/12, only 33.9% of appointments to public bodies were women – a figure that has hardly changed for the past decade.

The number of successful BME candidates was 7.2% – slightly up on the previous year – while the number of people appointed who disclosed a disability fell from 8.6% in 2010/11 to 5.1%.

Normington has described the figures as “not good enough”. “With all the focus on this [diversity] by the government and in public policy, it’s disappointing that there hasn’t been much progress,” he says. “If you consider what public boards are doing, it seems sensible that they should at least get a bit closer to reflecting what the public is like.”

While the Mid Staffs scandal might deter some people from joining public boards, Normington believes it could be used as an opportunity to reach the best. “The message you could take is, if you want to make a difference –and agree that you need to raise standards of service and stop some of the abuses – then come and join us. There is an opportunity here for serious people to make a difference.”

Feel the fear – and do it anyway

Neal Green - Comment

Running a charity can seem scary – all about responsibility, risk and liability. But by following principles of good governance, you can ensure you have the important things covered, comply with key legal requirements and avoid nasty surprises.

Charity trustees aren’t expected to get it perfect every time; they are expected to do their best. The Code of Good Governance for the voluntary sector, which the Charity Commission supports, offers principles that you can apply to your charity.

First, be clear about your role and the role of the board; understand your legal and governance responsibilities, and use tools such as Charity Commission guidance. Read your governing document and get good management information.

Remember, governance is about delivering your charity’s purpose – it isn’t an end in itself. Be clear about what the mission is and know whether you are delivering it.

Be effective and monitor board performance. Try to get the right mix of skills, experience and diversity on your board, and work as a team. Have robust debate, ask those “awkward” questions, and manage any conflicts of interests.

Exercise control by delegating and supervising effectively, and having clear communications and effective committees. Ensure campaign activities don’t “cross the line” by breaching your charitable aims or the law, or bringing the charity into disrepute.

Behave with integrity. People may not always agree with you, but don’t give them ammunition to criticise the charity or undermine its reputation.

Be open and accountable. You are there for your beneficiaries, but don’t forget other stakeholders – for example, your funders and supporters. It’s important to inform them, listen to them and act on their feedback.

Finally, have fun! Being a trustee should be enjoyable and fulfilling – and an opportunity to meet new friends, as well as to enhance your CV.

Neal Green is senior policy adviser at the Charity Commission

Half day seminar from Burton Sweet (Bristol)

Chartered accountants and business advisers Burton Sweet are running a half day practical learning event for charity trustees, officers, key volunteers, charity management, finance and administration people, as well as professional advisers working with charities. 

Burton Sweet Charity Seminar
'Green Shoots - New Opportunities for Charities'
Date: 17th April 2013
Time: 12.30-4.30pm
Location: M Shed, Princes Wharf, Bristol, BS1 4RN

Exploring signs of hope, developments, opportunities and challenges that we all face.

- Fundraising - including perspectives from a charity and a fundraiser
- Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs)
- The Small Charitable Donations Act; changes to Gift Aid, including the new online claims regime

Speakers:
Cecile Gillard and Ed Marsh from Burton Sweet
A guest speaker from Oxfam
Samantha Mant, strategic fundraising consultant from Mant Solutions

Seminar fee: £35 +VAT.
Charities: 3rd place booked is half price

Book now by contacting karen.chelton@burton-sweet.co.uk, or call 0117 914 2057

Charities: Could your trustee boards make better use of social media?

An article from the Guardian's Voluntary Sector Network describes how social media is a highly effective way for charities to engage with supporters. From a trusteeship perspective, channels like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn could hugely widen your recruitment pool, as well as enabling you to immediately engage with supporters and interested parties.

With 80% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 73% of 25 to 34-year-olds using Facebook and Twitter respectively, social media provides a key opportunity to widen your audience. Get involved!

I AM Group Trustee Networking event POSTPONED

The Trustee Networking event below has been postponed. The next event will be on 15th May, 2013 - details will be posted here nearer the time!

Trustee Networking Event

The I Am Group is holding a networking event for anybody interested in becoming a trustee...

13th March, 2013, 6-8pm.
Go to http://trustee-networking.eventbrite.co.uk/ to buy tickets

Recent reports by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) suggest that 1 in 5 young people would consider becoming a trustee - but how many of us know anything about it? This networking event brings together different groups of people to explore the ramifications of becoming a trustee, and includes plenty of existing trustees who can tell you first-hand what to expect.

We live in an increasingly virtual world, so the chance to meet new people face-to-face is an increasing rare opportunity to be jumped at! This facilitated networking event is aimed at the following groups:

• Charities looking to increase the diversity of their trustee boards, or simply recruit new trustees;
• Existing trustees who want to network with others, and share the information, expectations, benefits and responsibilities of what it means to be a trustee;
• Young people who are passionate about social change & want to make a difference to society;
• Members of the public who are interested in learning more about what becoming a trustee involves;
• Career changers / Professionals from outside the charity sector who might be considering a future career in the not-for-profit sector;
• Companies and CSR representatives who are interested in exploring other ways of employee engagement with the not-for-profit sectors.
  

So whatever your interest in the world of charity trustees, come along and join us for a glass of wine, and we'll help shed a little more light on one of the best-kept secrets of the charity sector...

The I Am Group consists of a friendly, approachable bunch of well-connected and professional recruiters, marketers, coaches and event organisers, who have run over 60 networking and training events.

We take away the fear and awkwardness of networking, and teach you the skills to walk into a crowded room – even where you don’t know a single person – and start adding to that useful, friendly network of your own.

Remember, networking is an ongoing activity which requires some effort on your behalf – and The I Am Group also offers facilitated, monthly networking events, to allow you to build on the skills and confidence you develop, and to nurture the groups of people that you meet.

For details of monthly networking events, visit: http://iamnetworkinglive.eventbrite.co.uk/