Branch Trustee

Volunteer Role Profile

Volunteer Role: Branch Trustee

Volunteer Manager: Alongside other local Branch Trustees

Where you will be based: Community

Why we want you

We are the RSPCA and it's our vision to live in a world where all animals are respected and treated with compassion. Our volunteers are incredible, they play an essential role in helping us carry out our important animal welfare work every day.

As a trustee of a branch you will have the chance to influence how we care for and prevent cruelty to animals. We are looking for people from all social and cultural backgrounds, with a variety of experience and skills to draw on, whether these have been formed through life or work situations.

You'll be passionate about animal welfare and alongside other trustees, will manage the affairs of a local RSPCA Branch to promote and provide animal welfare within the branch area.

As a minimum, trustees would normally be expected to attend a monthly committee meeting lasting some 2 to 3 hours. However, the commitment may vary dependent on whether or not the trustee takes on additional duties such as the role of chairman, treasurer or secretary.

Trustees are elected for a 12 month term each year.

For more information on becoming a Charity Trustee, and to ensure it’s the right decision for you, we recommend visiting the YouGov website

What you will be doing

• Familiarising yourself with and supporting the aims and policies of the RSPCA
• Familiarising yourself with the branch rules and following them at all times
• Working with your fellow trustees and branch officers and jointly acting in making decisions for the best interest of the branch and the RSPCA.
• Ensuring the branch meets all the minimum animal welfare standards (MAWS). Where they are not met, working with national RSPCA staff to meet them as soon as practicably possible
• In conjunction with your fellow trustees and Branch Support Specialist (BSS), writing, adopting, monitoring and reviewing a branch development plan setting out the short and long term aims of your branch
• Actively participating in branch committee meetings and attending the branch annual general meeting and regional conference.
• Having an awareness of the outcomes of regional board meetings and supporting regional initiatives.
• Actively promoting and advertising to recruit new branch trustees and volunteers.
• Welcoming new trustees and volunteers to the branch.

The skills you need

• Aged 18 or over
• A current member of the RSPCA (please see rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/becomeamember for details on how to become a member)
• Able to work with people from all backgrounds and have good interpersonal skills
• Specific skills such as finance, legal, fundraising, project management, business experience, awareness of employment and/or charity legislation can be useful to help ensure we have a sound and robust business model and long term strategic development plan, however they are not essential.
• Commitment, common sense and the ability to be objective is vital
• Creativity, innovation. A person who can bring different experiences and fresh perspectives to the Board and help put those ideas into action

What's in it for you

• Meet like-minded people who share your enthusiasm for animal welfare
• Use your skills and experience to oversee the charity and make decisions that have a direct impact on local animal welfare
• You will be volunteering at the heart of the local community
• Full training via our trustee course
• Ongoing support is also provided by regional and national RSPCA staff in addition to additional training provided by the relevant branch

Disclaimer

Before you can start volunteering you’ll need to complete our simple online Health & Safety course and any associated training required for your role.

New RSPCA trustees are provided with a link to our intranet to view our Guidance for Branch Trustees and are also asked to attend a training course which provides information and guidance about a trustee’s role and responsibilities. Trustees must sign a Trustee Declaration of Willingness to Act to clarify that they are not disqualified from being a trustee and that they accept the post.

Tetanus is a life threatening bacterial disease caused by an infection in an open wound. All volunteers must be suitably protected. We recommend that volunteers check their vaccination history with their GP. If a volunteer has not had the required doses, the GP should offer them free of charge as part of the UK vaccination schedule.

This role is advertised as part of TPP's Free Giving Back Services. This volunteer advertisement copy has been supplied to TPP and applicants apply direct to the organisation. Please contact the organisation directly if you have any questions about this volunteer role.