This Trustees’ Week, we wanted to do something a little bit different, to celebrate and thank the trustees who help our third sector (here in Falkirk, and across Scotland) achieve our goals, through their dedicated support and leadership. Like all volunteers, trustees donate their free time and their energy so our vibrant sector can grow and improve lives.
We all know that 2020 has been hard on everyone, and we wanted to say a special thank you to the trustees who have kept Scotland’s third sector going through this period of uncertainty and change. Our team has pulled together a list of resources, highlights and training opportunities for existing trustees and those looking to get more involved, which you can come back to time and time again.
- What Is A Trustee?
According to OSCR: “‘Charity trustees’ are defined in section 106 of the [Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland)] 2005 Act as people having the general control and management of the administration of a charity. Charity trustees can also sometimes be known as committee members, directors or board members. … Charity trustees are not only responsible for their own actions, they are also responsible for the actions and decisions taken by the charity trustees when acting together.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic and our “new normal”, the CVS Falkirk team spoke with some local trustees about what prompted them to “get on board” and become volunteer trustees, their experiences with their group or organisation, and their #TrusteesIn3 – what volunteering means to them in just 3 words.
We hope you find these videos as inspiring as we did, and that they encourage you to think about all the different ways you can get involved.
Transcripts are available on request.
- From Me To You: Emma and Gemma
Find out more about From Me To You in Falkirk via their Facebook page, visiting their new shop in Callendar Square, or by joining their Facebook group.
You can also read more about their journey in the Falkirk Herald: one, two, three.
- Grangemouth Older People’s Welfare: Charlie
You can find out more about Grangemouth Older People’s Welfare and what they do via their Facebook page.
- Music and Arts for Peace, Scotland (MAPS): Iain
Follow MAPS’ journey via their Facebook page.
- Meadowbank Cars 4U: Anne
Find out more about Meadowbank Cars 4U by visiting their website and their Facebook page.
Trustees’ Week always sees an incredible range of events – this year, many of them are more accessible than ever before, taking place online in order to reach as many people as possible.
And if you’ve missed out on any of these opportunities, we have included the organisers’ contact details, as they may be able to provide recordings or information on future sessions.
Scotland’s Third Sector Governance Forum events
- WORKSHOP: LEARNING THROUGH CHANGE, Tuesday 3rd November, 2pm – 3:30pm
Sign up for a participative learning session, facilitated by the Social Enterprise Academy. This session will create a learning space for participants to pause, reflect and share what they have learnt from their experiences during this volatile and disruptive period. The workshop will aim to draw out common lessons and establish how you can harness this learning collectively to support your organisation’s future.
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
- ALLIANCES AND MERGERS, Tuesday 3rd November, 2pm – 3:30pm
A merger or joint working arrangement can often be the best way to support service users and use resources efficiently …” So said Alastair Keatinge, Head of Charities at law firm Lindsays in the Scotsman in July this year. Joining him to discuss this topic will be Kirstine Fergusson, a specialist in constitutional and governance matters, and an experienced trustee herself, she has also had personal experience of a real live merger. A Q&A will follow their discussion.
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
- THE GOVERNANCE DEBATE: “FACE FACTS, ITS THE CHIEF OFFICER WHO HAS THE LEADERSHIP POWER AND CONTROL, NOT THE TRUSTEES”, Wednesday 4th November, 2pm – 3:30pm
Anna Fowlie, Chief Executive of the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and Chris Creegan, writer, consultant and Chair of SAMH, will debate who’s really in charge. Come and listen to the arguments and have your say too!
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
- BOARDS, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, Thursday 5th November, 10am – 11:30am
Exploring the diversity and inclusion on boards are Amanda Heenan and Miles Harrison. Amanda is an equality and inclusion practitioner, focusing on creating inclusive accessible environments, where everyone can flourish. Miles works in leadership and governance development and is an independent meeting facilitator. He is Chair of Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, which is disability-led and employs disabled and non-disabled actors.
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
- GOVERNANCE TRAINING AND SUPPORT – WHAT DO YOU NEED AND WHERE CAN YOU GET IT?, Thursday 5th November, 2pm – 3pm
Scotland’s Third Sector Governance Forum, with support from The Robertson Trust, will publish a new report mapping governance training and support available across Scotland for boards of trustees. (The report features research from the TSI Network, including our team at CVS Falkirk.) Join them to discuss the how to access the governance training and support you need, and discover more about new e-learning and training opportunities available from SCVO and the TSI Network.
Speakers will be: Thea Kellock, report author and Robertson Trust Intern; Steff Bell, Development Worker, Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC); Tracey Bird, SCVO.
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
SCVO Event
- Digital Trustees – the need for strategic leadership, Friday 6th November, 2pm – 3:30pm
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become clear that charities require effective leadership to adapt and thrive. Digital services have risen to the fore, but not all charities are thinking strategically about their approach. You need digital trustees with the experience and knowledge to empower your board to make the right decisions. You need a strong board who can support your charity teams, offering direction and insights.
This special DigiShift for Trustees Week 2020 will talk you through what makes an effective digital trustee, how to recruit them, how they can work alongside the full board, and why digital strategy is vital now more than ever. With speakers Chris Yiu, Executive Director of Technology and Public Policy, Institute for Global Change and John Fitzgerald SCVO’s Digital Evolution Manager and Trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
OSCR Event
- Protecting Your Charity’s Reputation, Wednesday 4th November, 12pm – 1pm
A good reputation can take years to build and seconds to destroy. A charity’s reputation is one of its key assets which needs protected and it is the collective responsibility of charity trustees to monitor and protect it. In this session we will look at some examples where charity’s have gotten it wrong, and discuss the key learning points for charity trustees.
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
Young Trustees Movement Champion Training *
- Friday 6th November, 12pm – 1pm
- Tuesday 10th November, 12pm – 1pm
- Tuesday 17th November, 1pm – 2pm
- Wednesday 18th November, 8am – 9am
- be able to articulate and understand how young trustees can enable organisations to navigate uncertainty, future proof decisions and reflect the interest of their communities
- have a framework to understand how to approach diversity on boards
- be able to run a session with a board to plan practical and achievable next steps
There will also be an additional hour after the session where participants will have access to a non-judgemental space, where you can talk through challenges, concerns and any other barriers to meaningfully recruiting and inducting young trustees.
This event will be held on Zoom and you will receive the login details in a confirmation email. If you need any support registering for, or accessing, the event please contact the Young Trustees Movement team by email: meg@thesocialchangeagency.org
An important discussion on intersectionality took place on Twitter regarding these events.
To book your place at any session, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
Small Charities Coalition Event *
- Governance & the principles of equality, equity & diversity, Wednesday 4th November, 2pm – 3pm (tickets are £5 – £10 each)
According to research from Getting on Board:
- The average age of a trustee is 60-62 and only 0.5% of trustees are 18-24, despite making up 12% of the population. 2/3 of charity trustees are over 50. 51% of trustees are retired.
- 6% of trustees are women
- People of colour represent 8% of trustees (vs 14% of wider population). Other minority groups: disabled people and other minorities are likely to be under-represented (but no stats are available).
- 30% of trustees have a postgraduate education, 60% of trustees have professional qualification, 75% of trustees are from households above the national median for household income
In support of the many varied discussions about equality and equity in the charitable and not for profit sector, this session will look at how boards, and management committees can address equality, diversity and create an inclusive environment for the recruitment and retention of trustees.
This short online session will explore the use of language, the need for and tools for a structured approach for addressing equality on your board/ management committee, and how to avoid accusations of “tokenism” when promoting equality and diversity. The session is suitable for trustees and senior staff in organisations, and facilitated by Rita Chadha.
To book your place, or for further information, visit the Eventbrite page.
“Festival of Trusteeship” Events *
Monday 2nd November – Friday 6th November
To celebrate Trustees’ Week, Getting On Board have launched their first ever Festival of Trusteeship.
Getting On Board is a registered charity, based in London, which aims to help find the best possible volunteers to serve on charity boards. They support and train charities to improve their board recruitment, and help individuals and their employers to find the best possible opportunities.
The festival is for people who want to become trustees, trustees who want to keep learning and developing, and for charity leaders who want to understand best practice in trustee recruitment and diversity.
Events will include workshops, Ted-style talks, networking events, Q&A clinics, and more, covering: youth leadership, anti-racism in the boardroom, anti-ageism, charity finances, ableism, how to recruit amazing candidates, anti-sexism, how to manage volunteers, diversity and inclusion, safeguarding for trustees, how to be a strategic force for change, what charitable impact is and how to drive it forwards as a trustee.
For further information, visit the Getting on Board website.
Alternatively, to view some of the festival resources available, visit their Twitter account.
* While the majority of these events have been organised by Scottish organisations, please be aware than some organisers may be based in other parts of the UK, and that the information they provide will need to be adapted to Scottish law. We have tried to highlight these where possible.
Essential reading for trustees of any name in Scotland, this guidance from the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), explains what the law says charity trustees must do or must not do. The charity trustee duties are set out in The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 referred to in this Guidance as the 2005 Act.
In this guidance, OSCR explores the general duties and specific duties of charity trustees in the 2005 Act, give examples of how these might work, and share good practice from their experience as Regulator (the body responsible for regulating Scottish charities and their charity trustees) and from other organisations in the charity sector.
To view or download the guidance as a pdf, visit the OSCR website.
As we know, the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many charities to change how they usually operate. This guidance from OSCR brings together information charities need to know during this time and highlights other organisations who may be able to offer support.
OSCR is working closely with key partners and stakeholders across the sector to make sure they can provide clear information to support charities at this time.
This guidance is for charity trustees, people working in or with charities, and professionals who advise charities.
To view or download the guidance as a pdf, visit the OSCR website.
OSCR has also released a recorded webinar, “Charities and Coronavirus”, available to watch on their website.
- SCOPE online learning platform
SCOPE is a free online learning platform aimed at European community, voluntary and charitable organisations and social enterprises, aiming to provide relevant and engaging learning content, and allow people to gain recognition for your skills to support you in your work.
The SCOPE project is aimed at third sector staff and volunteers in need of capacity building, skills development and recognition of non-formal learning, particularly those who are socially excluded in such a way that it is difficult for them to access training opportunities. Geographical, financial, accessibility, and time restraints can make it difficult to engage in training and much needed capacity building. Communicating the skills gained through training often does not happen, so skill recognition, job mobility and employability are also affected. SCOPE aims to address these challenges.
For further information, visit the SCOPE website.
- OSCR’s “Trustee Recruitment and Succession Planning” video
OSCR’s Head of Engagement Jude Turbyne talks about the best practices when recruiting a new charity trustee, acknowledging possible difficulties and key facts to keep in mind.
The video is available to watch via the OSCR YouTube channel, along with many other videos, including The Role of the Charity Trustee and Ask OSCR: Virtual Meetings and AGMs.
Remember, if you ever need support as a trustee with your organisation, or in finding trustees for your organisation, our team at CVS Falkirk are here to help! Contact us by phone: 01324 692000, or email: info@cvsfalkirk.org.uk