The Guardian’s published an article that set out some broad brush ideas to help an organisation achieve good governance.
The first tip is to explore the Charity Commission’s guidance. We agree – and suggest trustees concentrate on “The Essential Trustee: What you need to know, what you need to do” (also known as CC3). This publication sets out the benchmark the Charity Commission expects from trustees.
The second tip is to get some training. We agree – and we often can be found speaking at events or at board meetings. We find that more charities are asking for skills audits – which is a good thing. If some skills gaps are identified, then access to resources or training will help fill those gaps. Although our solicitors are based in London and Manchester, we provide training sessions throughout England and Wales.
The third tip is a little less obvious – get a mentor. We think that’s a great idea too – especially for new trustees. Old hands might consider whether they could mentor others.
Last is the concept of induction – the process of joining a board. An induction might be an informal chat with other board members, a pack of documents, attending training or meetings as an observer, or a combination of all of them. We’ve created induction packs and processes for our clients, so if you would like us to help with that for you, please contact us.