Trustee Vacancies RECRUITMENT PACK - Suffolk Mind

Trustee Vacancies
RECRUITMENT PACK
September 2018

Dear Applicant

Thank you for your interest in becoming a trustee of Suffolk Mind. I have pleasure in
enclosing our recruitment pack, which I hope will give you a feeling for our
organisation, the opportunities ahead, and what we believe we need to help us
make Suffolk the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of mental
health.

It’s an exciting time to join Suffolk Mind. We’re diversifying and growing our income,
making the most of our award winning heritage and wellbeing centre at Quay Place
in Ipswich, and finding ways to enable as many people as possible, right across the
county, to make a life that works for themselves and those around them.

Our Board is committed to ensuring that we stay at the forefront of best practice of
strong and effective governance.

I hope that this recruitment pack will give you a sense of our ambition for the future
and that you will be as excited as we are about the potential we see ahead of us.

If you believe you can contribute to the continued growth and development of
Suffolk Mind, I hope that you will apply to become a trustee and look forward to
hearing from you

Nigel Suckling

Chair of trustees, Suffolk Mind

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SM Trustee Recruitment Pack –August 2018                      Registered charity 1003061

About Suffolk Mind

Our mission

Making Suffolk the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of
mental wellbeing

Our priorities

      Recruit, develop and empower a highly talented board and team of staff and
       volunteers to enable us to achieve our goals and remain a viable, sustainable
       charity underpinned by effective governance
      Provide safe, effective, clinically compliant services, across the mental health
       continuum, that help people make a life that works and provide excellent
       value for money for those who fund them
      Deliver an education and training programme – online, through schools,
       businesses, statutory services and elsewhere – to introduce the emotional
       needs & resources model and prevent mental ill-health
      Constantly evaluate, review and refine our services to ensure they are of the
       highest possible quality

Our values

      We strive for quality – wanting to have the best people to create and deliver
       outstanding services
      We are creative – never accepting that the way things are currently done
       needs to be the way things continue
      We are positive and realistic – the resources of the public sector are
       stretched, so we can’t rely on funding from that source. But we can be more
       efficient, delivering the greatest impact possible with the resources we can
       find
      We commit to treating our staff, and the people that use our offers, with
       respect – responding to their needs, helping them make a life that works, as
       much as we can, and valuing their contribution

Our Services

During 2017-2018 Suffolk Mind delivered services to over 1100 people in Suffolk and
Cambridgeshire. The organisation works right across the continuum, from well being
to ‘severe and enduring’ mental ill health, providing support and information for
everyone. Our provision covers housing support and a wide range of community
services. For more information please visit our website www.suffolkmind.org.uk.

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SM Trustee Recruitment Pack –August 2018

Being a Trustee

What is a Trustee?

Trustees are volunteers who give their time to ensure that Suffolk Mind meets its
charitable purpose: safely and legally. As a member of the board of trustees, you will
be involved in making important decisions about how Suffolk Mind is run and in
ensuring that the best quality support is given to all of our Clients though out all of
the services.

Reasons to become a Trustee. You will:

      put your existing skills and experience to good use as part of a team.
      meet new people.
      learn new skills that could help build your CV, or just add to your experience
       or confidence in certain areas.
      make a difference to vulnerable people across the county

What are my legal responsibilities?

The role of a trustee carries legal responsibilities that should be understood before
taking on the position. For further information on the key duties of being a trustee
we strongly advise you to consult the Charity Commission’s website and read ‘The
Essential Trustee (CC3)’ – www.charitycommission.gov.uk. You are not expected to
be an expert in every area, but are expected to:

      use reasonable care in your work and apply your skills and experience where
       needed
      act in the best interests of Suffolk Mind and not in your own or others’
       personal interests
      ask for professional advice when you need it.

In particular, trustees are responsible for:

      ensuring that the charity complies with its constitution, charity law and any
       other relevant legislation or regulations, works to fulfil its charitable objects
       and applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects.
      contributing actively to the board of trustees’ role in giving firm strategic
       direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and
       evaluating performance.
      safeguarding the good name and values of the charity.
      ensuring the effective and efficient management and administration of the
       charity.
      ensuring the financial stability of the charity.
      ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds.
      employing and being responsible for the organisation’s staff.
      using any specific knowledge or experience they have to help the board of
       trustees reach sound decisions.

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SM Trustee Recruitment Pack –August 2018

       Working in accordance with the Charity Governance Code for larger charities

Qualifications and experience

No specific qualifications are required to be a trustee but you should have relevant
expertise or experience which will enable you to make a positive contribution to the
work of the board. Applicants with knowledge or experience in the following areas
are particularly encouraged:

           Campaigning ( local government/ councillor)
           Fundraising – income generation
           Mental Health services and Safeguarding.
           Broad commercial skills

However, we welcome all applicants and the profiles of the current board can be
viewed on our website- http://www.suffolkmind.org.uk/trustees.asp

What do we expect from our Trustees?

The board meetings are held quarterly from 4.30-6.30pm on a rotational basis at
the Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Felixstowe offices. Trustees are required to
be able to attend most meetings.

In addition to attending the regular meetings, board members are also expected to
attend an annual away-day and to contribute to the charity’s work in other ways,
such as by acting as ‘lead trustee’ for a particular area of work, or by playing a lead
role on a ‘task and finish group’ or committee, and by possibly representing the
charity at events.

Declarations and Requirements

You will be asked to complete a Declaration of Conflicts of Interest form which
confirms that you are eligible to be a trustee. Please see the table below for possible
exclusions;
  I do not have an unspent conviction relating to a criminal offence

  I am not an undischarged bankrupt

  I am not subject to a disqualification order under the Company Directors
Disqualification Act 1986 or to an order made under section 429(b) of the
Insolvency Act 1986

  I have not been removed from trusteeship of a charity by the Courts or
the Charity Commissioners on the grounds of any misconduct or
mismanagement

 I am not subject to a disqualification order under the Criminal Justice and
Court Services Act 2000

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SM Trustee Recruitment Pack –August 2018

I am not disqualified under the Protection of Vulnerable Adults List

Trustees will be subject to a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service as
recommended by the Charity Commission (CC30)

What we offer our Trustees

Whilst there is no remuneration attached to being a trustee, travel and other
reasonable expenses are reimbursed.

How to apply
To apply, please submit:
       An up-to-date CV (ideally no more than two sides of A4)
       Please complete the questions below, no more than two sides of A4
        (1) Your reasons for wishing to serve as a trustee on the board.
        (2) The skills and experience which you could bring to the board, please
           include any skills, qualities or experience you have. We believe that
           everyone has something to offer, so please do include life experiences.
           Also, include work experience such as finance, health and safety, HR,
           training and knowledge of the voluntary sector.
        (3) Potential Conflict of Interest- these could include the following:
           membership of the Board of another local charity, related partners or
           current employment.

Applications should be emailed to jon.neal@suffolkmind.org.uk or can be posted
to:
Jon Neal,
Chief Executive Officer
Quay Place,
Key Street,
Ipswich,
Suffolk,
IP14 1BZ

 Timeline

 Closing date for applications: Friday 9th November 2018
 Interviews: Wednesday 28th November 2018
 Candidates will be informed whether or not they have been shortlisted by
 Thursday 22nd November.

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SM Trustee Recruitment Pack –August 2018

Interviews will be conducted by Nigel Suckling (Chair) and Ian White (Trustee) at
 the charity’s office in Ipswich, Quay Place.

 Should you be shortlisted and require reasonable adjustments to be made in
 order to attend, please let us know.

 Shortlisted candidates will have an opportunity observe a board meeting on the
 15th January 2019 (4.30-6.30 pm in Ipswich).

 Further information
 Current trustees Ciara Scallon and Tim Mutum are available to have short
 informal phone conversations with any candidates interested to find out more
 about the role. Please email Carole Cecil at carole.cecil@suffolkmind.org.uk if you
 would like to speak to either Ciara or Tim and she will arrange a mutually
 convenient time.

 Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you.

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SM Trustee Recruitment Pack –August 2018