Trustee Recruitment - ADHD Aware

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Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees and Trustee Role Description

About ADHD Aware

ADHD Aware is a national member-led charity founded in Brighton that supports adults affected by ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). We offer a mixture of in-person and online peer support groups for adults with ADHD, their partners, and parents of children or young adults with ADHD. Our services also include courses for individuals and couples, neurodiversity training for organisations and online support via member subscription, email, website and social media. We are predominantly run by volunteers

More information about our charity is available at: http://adhdaware.org.uk

What are we looking for?

We are currently recruiting for several Trustee roles, as well as one role of Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees – both are described below. We encourage applicants to submit your application with a CV covering your relevant experience, as well as indicating which role you are most interested in.

What are we looking for in a Co-Chair?

Objectives

To work with the other ADHD Aware Co-chair and the rest of the Board of Trustees, to continue and to sustainably develop the charity’s work supporting ADHD adults nationally (and locally in Brighton), primarily through the delivery of peer support services.
To chair the Board of Trustees, attend relevant sub-committee meetings, and provide supervisory support to our Operational Manager.
Alongside the other Co-chair, to share tasks and provide leadership to the organisation, with a particular emphasis on valuing the volunteer base and making connections with services and funders.

Responsibilities

Chairing the Board – Being an effective Trustee and Co-chair, working both in a partnership and a team to take forward the aims and objectives of the organisation.
Supervision – Supporting and supervising our Operational Manager, working with individual members of the Board as well as the Co-chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and sub-committee leads.
Administrative tasks – Liaising with the Board Secretary and Ops Manager to produce the Board agenda and ratify the minutes. Working on the Risk Register and policy updates. Keep abreast of Charity Commission and funding reports and monitoring deadlines. Writing monthly to volunteers.
Strategy & planning – Working with the Board on ADHD Aware’s Strategic Plan including the fundraising strategy.
Charity Commission – Awareness of the requirements and laws around charity status.
Ambassador – Appropriately promoting ADHD Aware’s work.
Equal opportunities – Implementing and promoting ADHD Aware’s Equality and Diversity Policy.
Safeguarding – Implementing and promoting ADHD Aware’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.
General – Undertaking all other reasonable tasks and responsibilities requested by the Board.

Experience, Knowledge & Skills

Board, chairing & supervision – Experience of being on a Board of Trustees and ideally, as a Chair. Supervisory/person-management experience.
Understanding neurodiversity (ND) – An awareness and understanding of ND and in particular, ADHD.
Collaborative working – Ability to work with ADHD Aware trustees, volunteers, the wider community beneficiaries, and other partners, so that our work is jointly developed.
Community development – Demonstrable commitment to including the wider ADHD/neurodivergent community in the work that we do.
Communications – Ability to share information clearly and to use IT tools. Ability to share information in an accessible and meaningful way with individuals and groups.
Confidentiality – Ability to maintain confidentiality appropriately.
Equal opportunities – Good understanding and commitment to equal opportunities and experience of working with diverse communities, cultures, and faiths.

What are we looking for in a Trustee?

Objectives

The duties of a trustee are as follows:

Ensuring that the organisation pursues its stated objects (purposes), as defined in its governing document, by developing and agreeing a long-term strategy
Ensuring that the organisation complies with its governing document (ie its trust deed, constitution or memorandum and articles of association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations
Ensuring that the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects (ie the charity must not spend money on activities that are not included in its own objects, however worthwhile or charitable those activities are) for the benefit of the public
Ensuring that the organisation defines its goals and evaluates performance against agreed targets
Safeguarding the good name and values of the organisation
Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place
Ensuring the financial stability of the organisation
Protecting and managing the property of the charity and ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds
Following proper and formal arrangements for the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of the chief executive (if the charity employs staff)

In addition to a charity Trustee’s statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the trustee has specialist expertise.

Time Commitment

Standard terms of Board Trustees are a period of three (3) years. Board members can usually be re-elected for a period of another three (3) years thereafter, for one (1) further term
ADHD Aware Board members will regularly attend Board meetings and/or send apologies with sufficient warning (no less than two days ahead of meeting)
All Board members are also expected to respond within two (2) weeks to a request for review of information and comment by any other member of the Board
If a Board member misses more than three (3) consecutive meetings, it may be appropriate to ask that Board member to resign or take a leave of absence
Trustees will provide a minimum three (3) month notice period if they choose to step down

Location

Please note: this role can be carried out largely remotely (via Teams or Zoom). Very occasionally, the Board may gather or take meetings at its main headquarters location in Brighton, East Sussex.

Accessibility Statement

At ADHD Aware, we are committed to ensuring that all of our activities are as accessible and as inclusive as possible. These include applying for and interviewing for roles. Whilst we understand that we can never be fully accessible as everybody's needs are different, we strive to be proactive with thinking about accessibility requirements.

When applying for a role at ADHD Aware, if you would like to get in touch to talk about any access requirements, please contact us using the details below and we will arrange a date and time to have a conversation with you.