Take Part Trustees – We need you!

02 Jun 2023

We are recruiting new Trustees!

Take Part Trustees

What do they do?

The Take Part Trustees are in charge of our charity movements.  Charity trustees play a very important role in making sure that the charity is run in the interests of the people it is there to support. They strategically oversee the management and administration of the organisation. 

Our Trustees ensure Take Part’s charity arm (registered charity number: 1180537) has a clear strategy, and that its work and goals are in line with its vision. A Trustee’s role within the charity is to be the ‘guardians of purpose’, making sure that all decisions put the needs of the beneficiaries first. They make sure the charity’s assets are used well and that the charity is run sustainably. 

The Trustees delegate the day-to-day running of the charity to the staff, led by the Chief Executive Officer, Louise Coker.  They play the role of a ‘critical friend’ to Louise by giving her support and by challenging her in a supportive way to help her manage effectively. 

Louise Coker, Take Part’s CEO has had over 20 years experience of working within charitable organisations. Following on from the death of her Mum in 1998, Louise founded The Christie Theatre Company, raising over £100,000 for The Christie against Cancer appeal.  Louise has helped raise money and awareness for Third Sector services, community interest groups and non-profit-making organisations, improving peoples wellbeing and supporting social enterprises and voluntary groups at a local level.   Louise has also been Clerk to Governors for several schools providing an invaluable contribution to the efficiency, effectiveness, productivity and compliance of school governance. 

Louise is a Young Trustees Champion and is part of the Young Trustees Movement. Louise’s role within the movement is to inspire and articulate to young people that boardroom diversity and ideas from young people are central to the work we do at Take Part as intergenerational perspectives enable better decision making. 

Diversity of perspectives are a requirement, not a ‘nice to have’ for a high-performing board. The Governance Code states that “diversity, in the widest sense, is essential for boards to stay informed and responsive and to navigate the fast-paced and complex changes facing the voluntary sector. Boards whose trustees have different backgrounds and experience are more likely to encourage debate and to make better decisions”.

The Take Part board of Trustees need young people’s perspectives. However, while our focus is on age, young people are not just part of one demographic, therefore our campaign is part of a wider call for board diversity.

Benefits for the Take Part Board of Trustees:

Boards benefit from having diverse perspectives, skills and experience in the room.

  • navigate uncertainty
  • future proof decision making
  • bring new and innovative ideas
  • invest in the future of charity leaders
  • reflect interests of communities they serve

Benefits for Trustees:

Trusteeship is an incredible experience that will boost your career and give the opportunity to develop a range of skills.

  • develop skills
  • grow your network
  • learn about governance and understand how the charity sector works
  • make a difference

So whatever your age, we’re looking for diversity within our board of Trustees and would like to hear from you if you are interested. 

So what’s involved?

It is estimated that almost half of all charities are looking for Trustees at any time, so you will be filling a vital role in the voluntary sector.

Being a Trustee can be very rewarding. As a Trustee you have the chance to support and shape the work and strategic direction of Take Part, and you can make a significant difference to a cause that matters to you.  It is also a great way to get involved in a community or find out more about the not-for-profit sector.

Being a Trustee offers the opportunity for professional development. It can let you gain experience of strategy and leadership, and boost your CV. It will give you experience of being a non-executive director, such as setting a strategic vision, influencing and negotiation, and managing risk. If you already have significant experience in these areas, it can be stimulating to use it in a different and potentially challenging context. Trustees often say that being a board member has been one the richest sources of learning in their professional lives.

As a Trustee, you are part of a team and will have the opportunity to apply your unique skills and experience while learning from others. Working closely with a passionate team of people who have different perspectives is often one of the most enjoyable aspects of the role.

  • How many trustee meetings are there each year?

3, 1 per term. 

  • How long are the meetings, where and at what time of day? 

Take Part Trustee meetings are during Take Part sessions on Saturdays. 

  • Are trustees expected to serve on committees? 

We don’t have committees, we work as 1 team. 

  • What opportunities are there to spend time with the organisation observing its work, both when joining and on an ongoing basis?

Lots of opportunities as and when grant funding for outreach projects is successful. 

  • What contact is there in between trustee meetings and how does this usually take place?

Trustee contact in-between meetings usually takes place via email. 

So, are you good at administration and getting things in order?  Are you an advocate of campaigning and telling people about issues to bring about change? Are you keep to promote diversity and inclusion, promoting equality of opportunity?  Are you available to look for opportunities to raise money?  Can you think about the bigger picture and how Creative Arts can help with life skills? Are you willing to challenge Take Part ensuring the organisation is run effectively with robust systems and processes?  

If you are interested in becoming a Trustee for Take Part please contact us at info@wearetakepart.com