Reach Volunteering has launched a website to help charities improve how they recruit trustees and increase their board’s diversity.
The Trustee Recruitment Cycle includes guidance, templates, and insight from other charities, with an aim to make it easier to recruit more openly and inclusively.
It was created by Reach Volunteering, alongside the Association of Chairs, Small Charities Coalition and Getting on Board.
The Trustee Recruitment Cycle takes charities through the recruitment process in six stages and is designed so charities can dip into relevant sections, or work through the whole recruitment process from start to finish.
Penny Wilson, chief executive of Getting on Board, said: “This will help charities recruit the trustees they need to thrive, a key part of which is to build a diverse board which has personal experience of the issues a charity is seeking to tackle.”
Charity Commission research shows that over 70% of boards still recruit their trustees informally, using their own networks. This can mean boards lack diversity and skills in key areas.
The website was created using research about the barriers and challenges in trustee recruitment.
'No organisation should even consider recruiting without reference to this guide'
Janet Thorne, chief executive at Reach Volunteering, said: “Getting the right mix of trustees on board is important for all charities. This accessible and practical guide combines tools, guidance and case studies to help charities make their trustee recruitment more inclusive and more effective.”
The resources include content about identifying skills gaps and assessing candidates.
Rita Chadha, chief executive at Small Charities Coalition, said: “Recruiting trustees can be a pivotal turning point for a small charity. Getting it right is so important, good trustees can make an organisation, bad trustees break one.
“This guide from Reach Volunteering is an essential and invaluable tool in making sure not only that the process of recruitment is done well, but also that it envelopes and expands an organisation’s commitment to equality. No organisation should even consider recruiting without reference to this guide.”
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