Trustee - Information Pack
Index:
1. Message from David Lowbridge, Chair of the Board
2. Introduction
3. Time Commitment
4. Christian Ethos
5. How to Apply
6. Trustee Role Description
7. Trustee Person Profile
8. Current Trustees’ Biographies
Trustee Opportunity
Message from David Lowbridge – Chair of Trustees
I am delighted that you are interested in exploring more about Toybox and Trustee opportunities. The Role Description and Person Profile will tell you a lot about the Trustee role and our website will fill you in on the work that we currently do, but I wanted to give you an insight into being part of Toybox.
Toybox operates from a modern office in Bletchley, Milton Keynes where you can sense the commitment, professionalism and dedication amongst all of the staff and volunteers as soon as you walk in. The whole team undertake amazing work with great energy and enthusiasm to support the partners and projects we have chosen to work with and so improve the lives of many disadvantaged street living and working children in Latin America, India and Kenya. We give these children choices and opportunities in life, which would be impossible without the help of Toybox. In the 20 plus years since Toybox was conceived it has become an important player in this area of International Development.
With a strong infrastructure and solid foundations now in place, we have begun the process to expand and develop our work into other countries and continents, so now is a tremendously exciting and challenging time to join us. Our CEO, Lynne Morris brings energy and experience to our Leadership Team. We have an innovative strategic plan which we are currently embedding within the organisation.
I am privileged to be joined on the Board by a committed, experienced and skilled team of Trustees (see their biographies at the end of this information pack). We have worked hard to ensure we operate within a clear understanding of the different roles executive staff and Trustees hold. We look to ensure we provide appropriate support for the CEO and Leadership Team whilst properly exercising our governance responsibilities.
Why else might you want to be part of Toybox? The Christian ethos of our charity is very important to all Trustees and many of our staff because it sets the right value base and is core to our motivation – we do things because we feel that it is right to do them, and we make sure our people have the opportunity to develop through training and leadership.
I hope you find the information we have provided helpful and clear. If you believe you canbring the necessary skills, knowledge and passion to this important cause we would love to hear from you. I would be very happy to speak with you personally and can be contacted by email: .
Yours faithfully,
David Lowbridge, Chair of the Board
2. Introduction
Toybox is a UK charity with a mission to end the injustice of street children, one of the world’s most vulnerable groups.
The United Nations estimates the number of street children around the world to be in the hundreds of millions. Toybox works in urban environments across Latin America and is currently helping more than 15,000 street children annually. We have recently begun work in India and Kenya also.
Toybox’s aims
· To promote a just world, where all children are valued
· To ensure that even the most marginalised street children can access their rights, receive an education and enjoy a safe and happy childhood
Toybox’s objectives
· To significantly reduce the number of children living and working on the streets in cities across the world.
History
Established in 1992, Guatemala City was the first place Toybox started working. We are still there today, working with children who are living or working on the streets. Our mission is unchanged from those early days.
In 2005 the organisation extended its geographical reach and we are now working in five countries in Latin America. This year we also began working in India and Kenya. In the year to 31 March 2014 over 15,568 children received support through Toybox funded programmes.
In these 20 plus years income has grown to just under £2 million with private donations accounting for 80% of income.
Vision
Our vision is of a just world with no street children.
Mission
Our mission is to end the injustice of children living and working on the streets.
Core value
Courageous
3. Time commitment
The existing Trustees, led by our Chairman, David Lowbridge, meet three times a year at the Toybox office in Bletchley from lunchtime to approximately 17:30hrs. Additionally, we arrange an annual Trustee Away Day. Trustees are also encouraged to join one of the Sub-Committees (Finance and Audit Committee/Governance and Nominations Committee), held each quarter. The existing Trustees bring a range of skills and experience and have worked in differing environments and in positions of leadership in the charity and commercial sectors.
4. Christian Ethos
Our Christian faith defines who we are and how we behave. The motivation of our work with street children is a direct result of the teachings and example of Jesus as recorded in the Bible.
Our Christian belief inspires and motivates us to engage with everyone, both with those who have a faith and with those who have none, and irrespective of race, culture, gender, age or social position.
Trustees are asked to support this Christian ethos.
5. How to apply
If, after considering the role requirements as set out in the key responsibilities list, you believe you canbring the necessary skills, knowledge and passion; are available to become part of a committed Board of Trustees; would enjoy the opportunity of supporting and perhaps visiting the projects we help to fund and would relish contributing to governance of the charity at the heart of strategic decision making then we would love to hear from you.
· Expressions of interest are by summary CV together with a covering letter explaining what you would hope to bring to the role.
You can either email your CV and covering letter to or post to Lynne Morris – G4 Challenge House, Sherwood Drive, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, MK3 6DP United Kingdom, marking the envelope “Private and Confidential”. All expressions of interest will be kept confidential.
6. Trustee Role Description
Responsibilities of Trustees
All trustees continue to be jointly and severally responsible and liable for the administration of the charity.
The purpose of the Board of Trustees is to work to the framework outlined below which defines governance responsibilities in five key areas:
Strategic planning: Defining the organisation’s objectives and the expected results and impact, horizon scanning to ensure the organisation responds to the factors which could enhance or diminish the organisation’s ability to deliver its mission.
Policy Making: Determining and safeguarding the vision, mission and values of the organisation, stating the organisation’s position on external policies as it relates to mission, vision and values, ensuring effective operating policies and systems are in place.
Accountability: Ensuring accountability to legal regulators, beneficiaries, donors, stakeholders, staff and volunteers are met.
Oversight: Determining organisational expected results, defining key performance indicators, monitoring organisational performance and monitoring the management of risk.
Board systems, processes and development: Structuring the Board, its meetings, committees and Trustee complement to ensure effective governance. This includes the succession planning, Trustee conduct, terms of office, Trustee recruitment and development.
Key responsibilities:1. Ensuring that the charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is focused on achieving these;
2. Being responsible for the performance of the charity and for its “corporate” behaviour;
3. Ensuring that the charity complies with all legal and regulatory requirements;
4. Acting as guardians of the charity’s assets, both tangible and intangible, taking all due care over their security, deployment and proper application;
5. Ensuring that the charity’s governance is of the highest possible standard.
Duties and tasks to fulfil these key responsibilities:
1. Ensuring that the charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is focused on achieving these;
To work in partnership with other Trustees, the Chief Executive and other senior staff to ensure that -
1.1 The charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic plan that have been agreed by the board, and that there is a common understanding of these by Trustees and staff.
1.2 The business, operational and other plans support the vision, mission and strategic priorities.
1.3 The Chief Executive’s annual objectives and targets support the achievement of the vision, mission and strategic priorities.
1.4 Board policies support the vision, mission and strategic priorities.
1.5 There are effective mechanisms in place:
1. to listen to the views of current and future beneficiaries;
2. to review the external environment for changes that might affect the charity;
3. to re-assess the need for the charity and for the services it provides, or could provide; and
4. to review regularly its strategic plans and priorities.
2. Being responsible, with the other Trustees, for the performance of the charity and for its “corporate” behaviour;
2.1 To agree the method for measuring objectively the progress of the charity in relation to its vision, mission, strategic objectives/priorities, business plans and annual targets, and to receive regular reports on the performance of the charity.
2.2 To ensure that the fundamental values and guiding principles of the charity are articulated and reflected throughout the charity.
2.3 To ensure that views of beneficiaries on the performance of the charity are regularly gathered and considered by the board.
2.4 To appoint the Chief Executive, to set his/her terms and conditions and to ensure that the Chief Executive and the charity invest in the Chief Executive’s ongoing professional development.
2.5 To receive regular reports from the Chief Executive on progress towards agreed strategic priorities.
2.6 To hold the Chief Executive to account for the management and administration of the charity.
2.7 To ensure that the Chief Executive receives regular, constructive feedback on his/her performance in managing the charity and in meeting his/her annual and longer term targets and objectives.
2.8 To ensure that the Chief Executive develops a learning organisation and that all staff, both paid and unpaid, review their own performance and regularly receive feedback.
2.9 To articulate the values of the charity.
2.10 To agree board policies.
2.11 To ensure that there are mechanisms for beneficiaries, employees, volunteers, other individuals, groups or organisations to bring to the attention of the Trustees any activity that threatens the probity of the charity.
3. Ensuring that the charity complies with all legal and regulatory requirements;
3.1. To be aware of, and to ensure the charity complies with, all legal, regulatory and statutory requirements.
3.2. To maintain familiarity with the rules and constitution that govern the charity, to ensure that the charity complies with its governing instruments and to review the governing instruments regularly.
3.3. If the charity has powers to delegate, to agree the levels of delegated authority, to ensure that these are recorded in writing by means of minutes, terms of reference for board committees and sub-committees, job descriptions for honorary officers, Trustees and key staff, etc., and to ensure that there are clear reporting procedures which are also recorded in writing and complied with.
3.4. To ensure that the responsibilities delegated to the Chief Executive are clearly expressed and understood, and directions given to him/her come from the board as a whole.
4. Being guardians of all the charities assets, both tangible and intangible, taking all due care over their security, deployment and proper application.
4.1. To ensure that the charity has satisfactory control systems and procedures for holding in trust for the beneficiaries all monies, properties and other assets and to ensure that monies are invested to the maximum benefit of the charity, within the constraints of the law and ethical and other policies laid down by the board.
4.2. To ensure that the major risks to which the charity is exposed are reviewed annually and that systems have been established to mitigate or minimise these risks.
4.3. To ensure that the income and property of the charity is applied for the purposes set out in the governing document and for no other purpose, and with complete fairness between persons who are properly qualified to benefit.
4.4. To act reasonably, prudently and collectively in all matters relating to the charity and always to act in the interests of the charity.
4.5. To be accountable for the solvency and continuing effectiveness of the charity and the preservation of its endowments.
4.6. To exercise effective overall control of the charity’s financial affairs and to ensure that the way in which the charity is administered is not open to abuse by unscrupulous associates, employees or volunteers; and that the systems of control are rigorous and constantly maintained through regular evaluation and improvement in the light of experience.
4.7. To ensure that intangible assets such as organisational knowledge and expertise, intellectual property, the charity’s good name and reputation etc are properly valued, utilised and safeguarded.
4.8. If the charity owns land, to know on a continuing basis what condition it is in, if its boundaries are being encroached upon, what can be done with it and how it is or should be used. In particular, to ensure that any property which is a permanent endowment is preserved and invested in such a way as to produce a good income while at the same time safeguarding the real value of the capital.
4.9. To ensure that all income due to the charity is received and that all tax benefits are obtained and all rating relief due is claimed.
5. Ensuring that the charity’s governance is of the highest possible standard.
5.1 To ensure that the charity has a governance structure that is appropriate to a charity of its size/complexity, stage of development, and its charitable objects, and that enables the trustees to fulfil their responsibilities.
5.2 To reflect annually on the board’s performance and your own performance as a trustee.