Volunteering as a Non-executive Director

We have an exciting opportunity for volunteers to join us as Non-Executive Directors in our period of growth as a brand-new community interest company, providing specialist support specifically for children and young people with special educational needs and/or mental health needs, as well as holistic support for their families.

We are seeking to appoint a passionate individual to provide valuable insight, knowledge and experience to help support us with our growth and direction.

Location:  Home-based (although face-to-face meetings may be required from time to time within Staffs)

Time:  We are looking for volunteers who can commit to approximately 4 - 6 hours each month

Expenses:  Volunteers can claim for travel expenses, and some other out of pocket expenses where appropriate

• Attending Board of Directors meetings, and Annual General Meetings and contributing to the decision-making processes of the organisation, and helping to direct the organisation in pursuit of its aims, values and objectives. This will include scrutinising reports, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, challenging staff, and providing advice and guidance.
• Attending as many ad hoc meetings as possible, such as decision-making meetings, staff interviews, consultations with staff, disciplinary hearings, complaints responses, meetings to discuss specific subjects of concern, i.e. financial, safeguarding, health and safety etc 
• Preparing appropriately for each meeting appropriately
• Keeping up to date with matters related to the SEND, mental health, safeguarding and children and young people’s work
• To provide strategic insight and support in the development of organisational policies, defining goals, setting targets, evaluating performance, evaluating gaps in community provision and developing new and innovative services that meet community needs.
• Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with other Directors, staff, volunteers and service users  
• Supporting the organisation’s aims, values and objectives in all duties and responsibilities for the organisation

Volunteer Directors can choose to and are welcome to (but not expected to) attend any of our staff team meetings, promotional events, team training, visit or take part in any of our service user programmes, or to provide other voluntary support to any areas of our work

• Experience of working in children and young people’s services, and special educational needs, or mental health in particular OR experience in a sector at managerial/strategic level that would provide valuable insight and knowledge to our Board of Directors, such as finance, HR, legal, health & safety etc OR a parent/carer of a child/young person with SEND/mental health needs
• Ability to question intelligently, debate constructively, challenge rigorously and decide passionately
• Listen sensitively to the views of others, inside and outside of the Board
• An understanding of the principles of fairness, good governance, impartiality and confidentiality
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and presentation skills
• Ability to read and understand general business, policy and financial documentation 
• Confident to liaise with any of our funders, contractors, auditors and other business related contacts, as and when required
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion at strategic and front-line levels
• Happy to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Happy to participate in our mandatory training, and to keep up to date with matters related to SEND, mental health, safeguarding, and children and young people’s work