Hub Trustees Programme
Gain skills and experience by joining the trustee board of one of Oxfordshire’s local charities
Please note that the Hub Trustee Programme will not be running in 2022-23.
What does the programme involve?
We will match you with a local charity board aligned with your interests, and you will become a trustee of that charity. To ensure that you develop good governance skills and feel confident to contribute your perspectives to the board, we will provide a 12 month training and support programme.
Training is based on a flipped learning model, combining a workbook and online training with in-person sessions where you can dig deeper into the topics you have learned about. This preparation, alongside attendance at board meetings, gives you a great balance of formal learning and practical experience. As part of the programme, you will also complete a governance project on behalf of your board, to put this learning into practice. Past projects have included: completing a skills audit ahead of recruitment of new trustees, revisiting the structure of the board to make it more effective, and designing induction processes to support new trustees.
Throughout the programme, you will also be working closely with a board level mentor from your partner charity - another trustee who is committed to supporting your learning. Staff at Oxford Hub will also be on hand to offer advice and support whenever you feel that you may need some.
Why become a trustee?
Develop your skills
Participating in the programme will help you to develop a wide range of important skills. Strategy, finance, good governance, risk management, and board development will be hugely relevant not just for your work as a trustee but elsewhere in your career. The programme will also give you opportunities for networking and learning from other professionals in Oxford.Share your perspective
Trustee boards benefit from a having a variety of perspectives in decision making and strategic planning. You will be able to contribute your fresh ideas and valuable insights, helping the charity to maximise its social impact.Give back locally
Take the opportunity to learn more about the social and environmental issues that exist on your doorstep, and help us actively tackle these in order to make Oxford a better city for everyone.
Learn more about the programme by reading this blog post by a member of our 7th cohort, ‘What’s it like to be on the Hub Trustees Programme?’.
Get involved
For our next cohort of the Hub Trustees Programme, Oxford Hub is teaming up with the Lived Experience Advisory Forum (LEAF) group to train and support local residents with direct, lived or frontline experience of homelessness and mental health services to become trustees of Oxfordshire charities. We believe that charities do their best work when they are led by those with expertise that comes from using or working with their services or programmes.
Applications for this Oxford Hub x LEAF cohort of the Hub Trustees Programme will open on the 1st July and close on the 29th August 2021.
The application process involves filling in an online form, after which shortlisted candidates are invited to an interview. Our aim is for successful candidates to be introduced to their boards during the week of the 12th September, before the introductory session on the 22nd September 2021.
Find out more here.
Applications are now open. Please fill out this application form by 29th August. Note that this cohort of the Hub Trustees Programme is for individuals with lived, direct or frontline experience of homelessness and mental health services only.
Is this programme suitable for me?
Oxford Hub is committed to making our activities inclusive to all members. For this programme we are actively looking for applicants who have a range of experiences. We will make reasonable adjustments to application processes, training sessions, volunteering projects and other activities. If you have particular accessibility needs, including special educational needs, you can let us know what adjustments we can make to support you on the application form. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.
What does the Oxford Hub x LEAF Hub Trustees Programme involve?
You will be matched with a charity board that aligns with your experience and interests, and become a trustee of that charity for at least a year. To ensure that you settle in, you will be assigned a board mentor. The board mentor will be somebody who is already a trustee on the board and can answer your questions and support your development.
To enable you to contribute confidently to the trustee board, you will receive 4 training sessions from Oxford Hub on topics such as finances and board culture. Before attending each training session, you will undertake independent exercises provided in a workbook and powerpoint slides.
During the year, you will complete a governance project for your board. The topic of this governance project will be decided between you and the board, depending on what interests you and what they need.
After the year is up, we hope that you will choose to stay on your trustee board and keep us updated on your progress!
How much does the Oxford Hub x LEAF Hub Trustees Programme cost?
The programme costs £300. There are three payment options:
1) A full bursary
2) If you are in employment, you can ask your employer to pay (e.g. through a training and development budget)
3) You can pay yourself
On your application form, you will be asked to state which of these options you will choose.
What is ‘direct, lived or frontline experience’?
We believe that it is up to individuals to define how they see themselves and their experiences. However, generally, direct, lived or frontline experience is when someone has firsthand experience of a system or service and uses the expertise they have gained through this experience to create positive change for other people.
