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Board of Trustees

General Description:

Solace Women’s Aid provides services to women and children who have experienced Domestic Violence, in four boroughs: Camden, Enfield, Islington and Lambeth. We provide specialist services to targeted communities within these boroughs including Bangladeshi, Somali, Irish, Irish Traveller and Turkish women and children.

Trustees are elected to the Board at the AGM of SWA.  Trustees can be co-opted to the Board between AGM’s and must then be elected at the next AGM. 

The Board of Trustees meets every six weeks in the evening.  Board members are encouraged to join one of the Board sub-groups, which also meet in the evening or at the weekend.

Current sub-groups are Finance, Human Resources, Service Users, Policy & Development and PR & Fundraising.

Purpose of the Board of Trustees:

As a Trustee, you are entrusted to look after the resources of SWA and ensure that these resources are used effectively for the overall purpose of the organisation. You are expected to:

• Act in the best interests of the women and children who use our services

• Make sure money is spent on the purpose intended

• Operate within the organisational structure and constitution that sets out our purpose and rules

• Avoid conflicts of interest

Duties of a Trustee:

• To ensure that SWA pursues its objects as set out in the constitution

• To ensure that SWA uses its resources for the purposes intended

• To contribute actively to the Board of Trustees giving strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets

• To safe guard the values and good name of SWA

• To ensure the efficient and effective administration of SWA

• To ensure the financial stability of SWA

• To protect and manage the property of SWA

• To ensure the proper investment of SWA funds

• To appoint the Chief Executive Officer and monitor her performance

• To contribute any specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions

• To ensure that SWA complies with its constitution, charity law and any other relevant legislation or regulations

Skills and experience required:

• A commitment to the organisation

• An understanding of the impact of Domestic Violence on the lives of women and children

• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

• Strategic Vision

• Good/Independent judgement

• An ability to think creatively

• A willingness to speak your mind

• An understanding and acceptance of the duties of the Trustee

• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team  

Meeting Arrangements

Meetings take place centrally- frequently in Camden or Islington and usually take place on Monday- Thursdays between the hours of 6.30-8.20pm (approx.)

Please note that the service user sub-commitee takes place on Saturday.