Purpose
The Trustee Board is a team of volunteers who work together to make sure Scouts is run safely and legally.
Together, Trustees make sure the charity is well managed, risks are assessed and mitigated, buildings and equipment are in good working order, and everyone follows legal requirements and Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR). Their support helps other volunteers run a fantastic programme that gives young people skills for life (and experiences they’ll remember forever).
Who’s in the team
- Chair
- Treasurer
- Ex officio Trustees
- Nominated Trustees
- Elected Trustees
- Co-opted Trustees
- Secretary (if appointed as a Trustee)
Tasks for the whole team
All Trustees are equally responsible, but they might decide to split the tasks between them.
Trustees work together to make sure the District:
Manage money well
- Have enough money for now and in the future. This means having a reserves policy and making sure fundraising takes place, if it’s needed.
- Have a budget in place. Trustees then agree how to manage the budget with other volunteer teams.
Follow Scouts policies and relevant legislation
- Follow POR, key policies and charity regulations
- Put measures in place to make sure Scouts’ safety policy is followed.
- Follow employment law, if staff are employed
- Create Trustees Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, and get it checked by an appropriate person. If they’re a registered charity, they’ll need to share it with the charity regulator.
- Hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Look after buildings, insurance and property
- Look after records of ownership of property and equipment.
- Have the right insurance for people, buildings, and equipment.
- Make sure buildings and equipment are working well.
Manage risks
- Carry out regular risk assessments and put the right risk mitigations in place.
Help the charity to operate well, today and in the future
- Work with Lead Volunteers to meet their charity aims.
- Champion Our Volunteering Culture, and make sure volunteers are aware of it, reflect on it, commit to it, and apply it in their teams.
In carrying out the above, Trustees also:
- Keep a record of Trustee Board meetings, and complete any actions that are agreed.
- Recruit new Trustees.
- Co-opt Trustees onto the Board if they need people with particular skills or knowledge.
- Get expert advice, if needed. This could be on health and safety, managing money, buildings, equipment, or employees.
- Network with other Scouts Trustees to share knowledge and experience.
- Create sub-teams for specific activities, such as finances, if needed.
Allocated tasks
Chair
- Lead the Trustee Board.
- Plan when Trustee Board meetings should take place, and decide what to talk about at each meeting.
- Lead Trustee Board meetings and the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
- Liaise with Lead Volunteers.
- Lead recruitment for new Trustees.
- Support other Trustees by organising inductions, checking in to see how they’re getting on, and carrying out annual reviews.
Treasurer
- Look after finances, such as making sure all membership fees are collected and all payments are made.
- Share details about income and spend with other Trustees.
- Make sure Gift Aid is being claimed.
- Make sure proper accounts are kept and draw up policies on finance and investment.
What it means to be a Trustee and where to get support
Trustees are part of an important team. You can find out more about the legal aspects of being a Trustee, whether you’re in England and Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland. It’s also covered in the Trustee Introduction module.
You can visit the Scouts webpage to find out more information about being a Trustee, join the Manager and Trustees in Scouting Facebook Page, or talk to other local trustees to get support.
Each Group, District and County is a separate charity, whether or not the Group, District and County is registered with a charity regulator.
