Sense Trustee

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Location: Registered Address: Sense, 101 Pentonville Road, London, N1 9LG

Responsible to: Chairperson of the Board of Trustees

Time commitment: Varied

For everyone living with complex disabilities. For everyone who is deafblind. Sense is here to help people communicate and experience the world. We believe that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. Our experts offer support that’s tailored to the individual needs of each person, whether that’s at our centres, through our holidays and short breaks, or in people’s own homes. In addition to practical support, we also provide information to families and campaign for the rights of people with complex disabilities to take part in life.

Being a Trustee at Sense

Being a Trustee of Sense will be one of the most interesting and impactful experiences you have ever had. Sense put disabled people and their loved ones at the heart of everything we do. We have over 65 years of expertise in providing personalised support for people of all ages - from early life to adulthood.

The Sense Board of Trustees meets a minimum of four times a year. These meetings are face to face and take place twice a year in Birmingham and twice a year in London plus an annual Away Day which may be residential.

T he Board of Trustee meetings take place during the working day, they are typically around 4-5 hours including breaks. All accessibility needs will be met.

You may also be asked to sit on sub-groups to help the Board in undertaking its governance obligations. The time commitment of these sub-groups varies and is discussed with you informally before nominating you for a role.

Trustees add real value to Sense, bringing their passion, enthusiasm and fresh perspectives to the work that we do.

About the Board of Trustees

The Sense Board of Trustees are a group of people with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences who all come together to help guide Sense to deliver services to exceptional standards.

The Board work as a team, fully contribute to discussions and support our Executive Team with strategic decisions as well as going out to services and seeing first-hand how we impact the lives of individuals and families.

The Head of Governance supports the Trustees, providing regular news updates as well as fully prepared papers ahead of each meeting. The team are always available to help you.

You can find the biographies of our current Board of Trustees on our website.

Key duties

· Attend and contribute to Council meetings and share in decision making about all significant issues that impact on Sense.

· Share in setting Sense’s strategy and ensure that it is followed.

· Scrutinise Sense’s activities.

· Visit a Sense service or activity at least once a year.

· Act as custodian of Sense’s values and long-term future, ensuring that the organisation is managed prudently and lawfully.

· Provide challenge and support to Sense’s Chief Executive and staff.

· Be an ambassador for the organisation.

Skills & qualities

· Have professional skills, life experience or personal qualities that Sense needs in order to form an effective and diverse Trustee body

· Share Sense’s values and aspirations for disabled people we support.

· Have an eagerness to develop your own skills and knowledge by seeking and attending appropriate training;

· Have the confidence to contribute to discussions and decision making and express contrary views if necessary.

· Have a commitment to listening to the voice of the people who are deafblind or have complex disabilities, their families and carers.

· evidence a real commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion;

· commit a willingness to volunteer adequate time to ensure that you are able to meet all of the practical requirements of the role attending meetings in working hours and adhering to Trustee obligations and the Code of Conduct.

What Sense offers

· A full induction with ongoing support and guidance from the Sense volunteering team.

· The chance to be involved in a wide range of exciting activities and events.

· The opportunity to make an invaluable contribution to Sense and the people we support.

· Your travel expenses to and from your sessions will be covered by Sense, and you will have a budget for activities each week (agreed in advance).

· A reference for other paid or voluntary work (available on request).

Our values

Everything we do is underpinned by five core values. These values shape the way we work as we pursue our vision of a world where no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, is isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential.

· We include

· We collaborate

· We find a way

· We challenge

· We celebrate