Job Description

Shaftesbury Young People is looking to appoint two new trustees who either have previous expertise in charitable grant-making or a background in education, health & well-being or support services for disadvantaged young people and children in need.

About Shaftesbury Young People

Shaftesbury Young People (“SYP”) is a charity with a proud 177-year history of providing services to support disadvantaged children and young people.After operating many schools and children’s homes across London, the Home Counties and the Midlands the charity is now restructuring its activities to operate entirely as a grant-making body.   

We will now achieve our aims by providing grants to charities and other appropriate entities that improve the lives of disadvantaged young people through:

• accessing learning and vocational education
• living a healthy active life
• making a positive contribution to society
• by giving a voice to their situation.

Why join us?

By becoming a trustee for SYP you will:

• Be part of leading our charity as we transition into a grant-making organisation that will be making a real difference to disadvantaged young people
• play a fundamental role in the strategic development of the charity 
• be a decision-maker in awarding grants to deserving charities
• observe the benefits these grants bring to young people. 

We strive to ensure that SYP makes a measurable impact and individuals who are change-makers will find their ideas welcomed.

About the role

At its simplest, the role of the trustee board is to receive assets, safeguard them and apply them for the charitable purposes as declared in SYP’s objects:

• You and your co-trustees must make sure that the charity is carrying out the purposes for which it is set up, and no other purpose, no matter how worthwhile it might be
• Ensure the charity’s financial stability, make sure the charity’s assets are only used to support or carry out its purposes, not take inappropriate risks with the charity’s assets or reputation
• With your co-trustees, make balanced and adequately informed decisions about the charity’s grant-awarding activities, its internal operations and governance and its future
• Comply with charity law requirements and other laws that apply to the charity, ensure SYP keeps its details on the Charity Commission’s register up to date and sends the right financial and other information to the Commission and Companies House as required

Person specification

Each trustee must have:

• a commitment to the mission of SYP
• a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
• integrity
• strategic vision
• good, independent judgement
• an ability to think creatively
• a willingness to speak their mind
• an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• an ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to take decisions for the good of SYP.

The board of trustees collectively needs skills and experience in a broad range of areas and are currently recruiting specifically for the following specific skillsets:

• experience of being a trustee within a grant-making organisation - this is our top priority
• education of disadvantaged young people
• health & well-being for disadvantaged young people
• child psychology
• occupational health
• apprenticeships & vocational training for disadvantaged young people

Time commitment 

Trustees are invited to attend an induction session for new trustees prior to their first board meeting or as soon as possible thereafter. Trustees are expected to attend all board meetings in person. Board meetings are held up to five times a year during office hours, usually lasting three hours and usually at Rathbone’s offices in London. One meeting each year, the AGM, is allotted to strategic planning, governance matters and the signing of the accounts. The other four meetings focus on matters arising and grant decisions.  You will be provided with appropriate board papers one week in advance which you will need to read and consider.  The role is unremunerated, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.