Chair of the Board of Trustees (Volunteer)
- Management Board
- Unpaid
- On site/Remote: Scotland wide -most meetings in Glasgow but potential to join remotely
- Closing 30th August 2024
- Advertised from 25th July 2024
Role
Scottish Refugee Council is Scotland’s national refugee charity. We provide support and advice to individuals and families, promote community integration, stand up for refugee rights and campaign for a fairer and more humane asylum system.
We are seeking a Chair to lead our board of directors when the current Chair’s term ends in March 2025. This is an exciting opportunity to shape and influence the development of the organisation as it enters its 40th year.
Currently in the second year of our five-year strategic plan, we are consolidating after a period of rapid growth. Our recently launched Refugee Support Service is an ambitious, Scotland-wide response to the changing context for Scotland’s refugees and wider dispersal of people in the asylum system. We are strengthening our presence across the country to support statutory and voluntary sector partners to address refugees’ needs and protect their rights, while widening access to direct support and advice through our helpline and digital solutions. Continuing to advocate for refugee rights and asylum reform, we are rising to the challenge of ensuring our long-term sustainability by restructuring to deliver the Refugee Support Service and diversifying our funding base.
Of equal importance is ensuring all our work fully involves, and is driven by, people with lived experience of refugee protection. With strong representation at board level and among our committed and creative staff and volunteers, we have a good foundation on which to build.
Your commitment
As Chair of Scottish Refugee Council, you will play a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction of the charity, ensuring the highest standards of charity governance and effective oversight of its operations and advocacy. Drawing on your substantial non-executive experience, ideally as Chair, you will ensure a cohesive and well-functioning board where diverse views are encouraged to improve consensus decision-making.
You will work closely with board colleagues through sub-committees and quarterly board meetings and provide support and constructive challenge to the Chief Executive, Sabir Zazai, and his senior team. With a track record of identifying and mitigating risk, you will protect and promote the charity’s excellent reputation, and represent us at external events and with key stakeholders.
The role currently takes on average one day a week, with busier periods around quarterly meetings. It is an opportunity to make a real difference, helping refugees to navigate challenges and connect, contribute and thrive in their community.
To note, there is the potential for this role to be that of Co-Chair, along with an existing Scottish Refugee Council Board member and this can be discussed further should a Co-Chair option be of interest.
Application notes
For further information, please visit our website.
Closing date: 30th August 2024 at 10 a.m.
Interviews: 11th & 13th September 2024 (TBC)
North Glasgow Integration Network SCIO (NGIN) is currently seeking a new Treasurer. NGIN is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees, who guide and oversee our organisation. Our board is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, with an interest in supporting asylum seekers & refugees and all New Scots in Glasgow,
The main aim of NGIN is to support asylum seekers and refugees who are accommodated in North/North East Glasgow communities. Led by the needs and interests of people accessing the service, NGIN connects people with services that will support them and hosts and promotes tailored events and opportunities. The charity works with people on an individual and group basis to help them to feel safe, develop the confidence to integrate with the host community and to have an improved quality of life.
The treasurer would work closely with the lead worker to provide regular financial updates for the board, prepare annual accounts and budget forecasts and support the aims of the organisation through effective financial management of the funds received through grant awards and donations.
We are looking for an individual with an interest or experience in accounts and finances. We would also welcome skills in other areas relevant to the wider work of the board in steering the organisation such as social media, human resources, community learning & development, finance/fundraising or marketing. We are looking for candidates with a belief in social justice and financial inclusion and an interest in the wellbeing of New Scots. Given our aims and commitment to diversity, we encourage applications from all genders, the BAME community and people with additional support needs.
The position of treasurer is a voluntary position but travel expenses and other reasonable expenses accrued when carrying out the role will be paid.
Time Commitment
For the role of treasurer we ask for availability to attend online meetings with the lead worker once a month to effectively support the financial management of NGIN. As with all board members we are also seeking commitment to attend 1 board meeting per quarter, held online or in person, with email contact on matters arising between meetings. Alongside this, additional requests may be made for support with board activities such as recruitment of staff on an occasional basis.
North Glasgow Integration Network SCIO (NGIN) is currently seeking a new Chair of Trustees. NGIN is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees, who guide and oversee our organisation. Our board is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, with an interest in supporting asylum seekers & refugees and all New Scots in Glasgow,
The main aim of NGIN is to support asylum seekers and refugees who are accommodated in North/North East Glasgow communities. Led by the needs and interests of people accessing the service, NGIN connects people with services that will support them and hosts and promotes tailored events and opportunities. The charity works with people on an individual and group basis to help them to feel safe, develop the confidence to integrate with the host community and to have an improved quality of life.
The role of chair, alongside being a board member, is to chair board meetings and annual general meetings, provide line management support to the lead worker of NGIN, and work with other office bearers to ensure that the board, staff and volunteers at NGIN are all able to work effectively for the benefit of the people using NGIN services.
Our Board wishes to expand its skills base and welcomes individuals with relevant financial, community and business experience, aligned with a belief in social justice and financial inclusion. We are looking to attract individuals with skills and experience ranging from social media, human resources, community learning & development, finance/fundraising, marketing and, most importantly, an interest in the wellbeing of New Scots. Given our aims and commitment to diversity, we encourage applications from all genders, the BAME community and people with additional support needs.
The position of chair is a voluntary position but travel expenses and other reasonable expenses accrued when carrying out the role will be paid.
Time Commitment
For the role of chair we ask for availability to attend online meetings with the lead worker 1-2 times per month to provide strategic support to the organisation and line management support to the lead worker role. As with all board members we are also seeking commitment to attend 1 board meeting per quarter, held online or in person, with email contact on matters arising between meetings. Alongside this, additional requests may be made for support with board activities such as recruitment of staff on an occasional basis.
North Glasgow Integration Network SCIO (NGIN) is currently seeking new Board Members. NGIN is governed by a voluntary Board of Trustees, who guide and oversee our organisation. Our board is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, with an interest in supporting asylum seekers & refugees and all New Scots in Glasgow,
The main aim of NGIN is to support asylum seekers and refugees who are accommodated in North/North East Glasgow communities. Led by the needs and interests of people accessing the service, NGIN connects people with services that will support them and hosts and promotes tailored events and opportunities. The charity works with people on an individual and group basis to help them to feel safe, develop the confidence to integrate with the host community and to have an improved quality of life.
Our Board wishes to expand its skills base and welcomes individuals with relevant financial, community and business experience, aligned with a belief in social justice and financial inclusion. We are looking to attract individuals with skills and experience ranging from social media, human resources, community learning & development, finance/fundraising, marketing and, most importantly, an interest in the wellbeing of New Scots. Given our aims and commitment to diversity, we encourage applications from all genders, the BAME community and people with additional support needs.
The position of trustee is a voluntary position but travel expenses and other reasonable expenses accrued when carrying out the role will be paid.
Time Commitment
We ask board member candidates for a minimum commitment of attending 1 meeting every quarter, held online or in person, with email contact on matters arising between meetings. Alongside this, additional requests may be made for support with board activities such as recruitment of staff on an occasional basis.
Director/Trustee of the Renfield Centre
The Renfield Centre is looking to appoint several individuals to its Board of Directors. The Board plays an essential and active role in pursuing the successful operation and development of the Renfield Centre, which is a Scottish charitable company limited by guarantee (SC153177; SC022996), located in the City Centre in premises owned by the Renfield Street Trust. With its Christian ethos (but no denominational affiliations) it is committed to the improvement of the wellbeing of the whole community, in physical, mental and spiritual respects. It provides short-term lets of serviced, IT-equipped accommodation, with capacities ranging from 8 to 200, to facilitate a huge range of social, professional, learning and creative activities. It also supports developments in the performing arts, and in addition offers long-term subsidised accommodation to enable particular charities to continue their vital work in meeting specialised needs. It presently employs a small team of seven permanent staff. It was incorporated in 1994.
It is an interesting time to become involved, as the Centre is on the threshold of initiating significant developments which will increase its prominence and contribute to the improvement of the ambience of this part of the City Centre. This will include the re-establishment of an integral café, operated by a wholly-owned trading subsidiary Renfield Enterprises
The Board is looking for enthusiastic and energetic individuals from all walks of life who feel they can become committed to the Centre’s objectives and take an active part in the Board’s deliberations and decision-making. The Board generally meets once a month, afternoon or evening and in-person or hybrid as arranged. Past experience in a relevant context is expected, and competencies in management, marketing or finance would be useful but not essential.
Directors of the company are simultaneously Trustees in respect of its charitable recognition.
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