Trustees’ Week 2015 (2-8 November)

People often become trustees to 'give something back', but there is a two-way benefit; charities benefit from the range of skills and experience that their trustees bring, but trustees can learn and develop new skills that may open up new opportunities for them, as well as meeting people who share their passion. In a recent DSD commissioned report on Volunteering in Northern Ireland, 26% of respondents said they volunteered as group leader, member of committee or trustee.

If you’re thinking of becoming a trustee but unsure of all it entails read our guidance on what a trustee is and what they are responsible for. We work to support board members build their capacity through regular training such as our upcoming Governance for New Trustees training session which examines in detail the role of the board, legal duties, charity regulation and principles of good governance. 

In recent years we’ve seen the sector move to working more collaboratively in order to deliver contracts and enhanced services. To ensure good governance when working together CollaborationNI have developed a great resource Advice to Boards on Collaboration to support board involvement in any collaborative process. If your board of Trustees need dedicated support, our social enterprise Sector Matters can offer a range of support services.

Trustees' Week 2015 offers the opportunity to celebrate the fantastic work that trustees do on a voluntary basis for charities around the country and to encourage more people to think about whether trusteeship is right for them. If you are interested in becoming a trustee you can view current board vacancies on either the CommunityNI or Volunteer Now websites.