Sector Support

The choice is yours. It may be that there is a regular amount of time that you can provide on an ongoing basis or perhaps you would like to be informed on an ad-hoc basis about requests for your expertise. In either case, there is no expectation that you will have capacity and will choose to support every request. It is important that you feel inspired by the request and the work of the organisation as this is a voluntary contribution.

The initial conversation is to identify whether the consultant is a good match for your organisation in relation to ethos, understanding of your work and rapport during this meeting. Wherever possible, Skills Match will provide alternative options for support and guidance. When this is not available on a pro bono basis, there is the option to apply to the Vital Communities Sector Support Fund for possible funding to cover the consultancy fee. 

This varies between organisations and you will be provided with this information including the timing of meetings, during the process of identifying a role of interest. The minimum time commitment for any trustee role is preparation for and attendance at meetings. Further time commitment will be outlined by the organisation when they register the opportunity with Trustee Match.  

Timings of meetings and expectations of the role must be convenient in relation to your other commitments and this will be discussed as part of the Trustee Match process. 

As part of the recruitment process for a trustee role, you may be invited to meet the team and observe a board meeting to gain first-hand experience of the organisation and decision-making in action. This will help to guide your selection of a role and often it is the atmosphere and formality of an organisation that confirms a decision to pursue a role with confidence that it is a ‘good fit’ for your own criteria and expectations.  

In some cases, the reality of being a trustee doesn’t meet the initial experiences of the organisations. You are always in control of your trusteeship and support is available via Trustee Match if you feel that you may need to step back from a trustee position at any stage. If you have a concern about your experience with a charity, the charity’s own policies will guide your next steps.   

In advance of every training session, you will be invited to submit questions for the speaker in advance via the Sector Support Manager. This will be asked by the Sector Support Manager at the start of the Q&A without reference to your organisation. The guest speaker may also invite a one-to-one conversation following the event.