Join our Board of Trustees

3 July 2019

Do you have lived experience of crime? Are you passionate about supporting victims and witnesses to get the help they deserve?

Then you could help us deliver exceptional support to victims of crime.

We are currently recruiting for two Trustees, one of whom will also already be, or when appointed be expected to take on, an active volunteer role for the organisation.

As a Trustee, you will provide strategic oversight of our work supporting victims and witnesses of crime and major incidents across England and Wales.

You will work closely with other Trustees and our Senior Management Team and develop a good understanding of how our services are delivered and the impact they have.

With your help we can ensure that we continue to deliver the very best service to victims of crime, to get the support they need and the justice they deserve.

About Victim Support

Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. Our purpose is to provide specialist practical and emotional support, to help people cope and recover to the point where they feel they are back on track with their lives and to ensure their voices are heard.

Board of Trustees

Our Trustees have a duty of care towards Victim Support and are responsible for overseeing the work of the organisation.

We need a Board that reflects and represents the people we support, the communities we work in and the voices we champion. We would therefore particularly welcome applicants with lived experience, or working knowledge, of victims’ services or any aspect of the criminal justice system.  We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, experience and industries that can help us ensure we deliver the best service to all our diverse service users.

We are continually working to improve diversity on our Board and welcome all applicants but particularly welcome applications from candidates from minority communities. You don’t need to have been a trustee before, or have held a senior position, and we welcome applicants of all ages. We provide a comprehensive induction on appointment as well as ongoing training to all our trustees.

We are happy to arrange informal conversations with present trustees for anyone who wants to find out more about the role.

This is a rewarding role in which the successful applicant will make a positive difference to people who have been affected by crime and traumatic events.

As a Trustee you will…

  • Be an ambassador for Victim Support and for our work
  • Help shape to the strategic direction of Victim Support
  • Make sure that the needs of victims, witnesses and families affected by tragic incidents and crime are always at the centre of decisions taken by Victim Support
  • Make sure Victim Support has policies in place that comply with current legislation and promote good practice
  • Make sure that staff, money and other resources are used appropriately, and that this is always monitored properly
  • Support the income generation and outward facing activities of the charity
  • Spend time with different elements of our service, getting to understand their work and ensuring they know what the role of a Trustee is
  • Participate in the cycle of meetings and make sure that decisions taken at meetings are implemented.
  • Attend training sessions, which are embedded into each Board meeting, to promote your knowledge and professional development in the role of Trustee.

For more information, please read our Trustee recruitment pack.

How to apply

We want to give you the opportunity to find out more about the role of trustee, and whether you feel it is right for you, without going through a lengthy or complicated application process. If you are interested in applying, or would like to find out more:

1) Call Charlotte Newell (Governance Lead) on Charlotte.Newell@victimsupport.org.uk/02039480242 and have an initial chat. Charlotte can arrange for you to meet one of our current Trustees for a coffee and a chat if you’d like to get a feel for the work we do and how you might be able to contribute.

2) Alternatively (or once you have had a chat with a trustee and wish to go ahead with an application) send a copy of your CV, a completed copy of the EDI monitoring form, and a short covering letter outlining why you’d like to be a Trustee at Victim Support and what skills and experience you can bring to help us, to Charlotte.Newell@victimsupport.org.uk. The closing date for applications is Sunday 18 August.

3) We will be holding informal interviews in the second and third week of September, and will be in touch with all applicants to let you know if you are shortlisted for an interview. These interviews will be with the Chair and a couple of other Trustees and will be an opportunity for them to get to know you and for you to find out more about the role. You will also meet with a member of staff and a service user, who will be able to answer any questions you have about the services we deliver.

4) Successful candidate/s will be notified and asked to attend an induction day, where they will be able to find out more about Victim Support, as well as completing any relevant paperwork.

Downloads

Trustee Recruitment Pack (pdf) 2 MB
Volunteer Diversity Data Capture form 28 kB