Induction, continuing engagement, training, appraisal and support

Induction

Everyone joining our governing team is expected to participate in our induction programme. It ensures that you have a firm understanding of the full round of our activities, preparing you for your volunteering career with us. As you would expect, the programme is weighted more towards your start date, but it does extend across your first year.

Continuing Engagement Programme

A Continuing Engagement Programme identifies opportunities for our trustees, co-optees and QACE directors to participate in a wide range of activities across their terms of office. This enables them to experience the full breadth of what we do and to meet many of the students and clients whom their voluntary work with us benefits.

There is no expectation that individual members of the governing team will undertake the majority, let alone all, of the Continuing Engagement Programme activities. However, the Board of Trustees does expect that both individuals and the board as a whole will achieve a reasonable level of contact with the charity through the programme each year

Training

Trustees, co-optees and QACE directors bring with them valued experience and expertise. But elements of the role may be new to them, whether that’s further education, specialist education, governance or any of the skills needed to be even more effective. We regard training as essential support to equip you with what you need to be able to fulfil the full range of your responsibilities.

Our compulsory training programme is currently self-taught virtual modules, although this is under review.

It is likely to need an average of two hours of your time each month, although the requirements and, therefore, the time commitment may be less for committee co-optees and for QACE directors whose responsibilities are narrower in scope than that for trustees.

Appraisal

Trustees, co-optees and QACE directors take seriously the knowledge that they need to govern and are expected to participate actively in the assessment of their own contribution to the work of the governing team. An essential part of this assessment is appraisal, usually undertaken by the Chair of Trustees, the Vice-Chair of Trustees and the Director of Governance together. These conversations also provide an opportunity to feed into the assessment of colleagues.

Other support

Whatever the level of confidence, knowledge, expertise and training people bring with them when they join our governing team, at any time they may need some help. We check regularly whether written guidance made available continues to meet needs and our expert Governance Team is on hand to assist with any queries.

With so much done remotely nowadays, any of us may find that we need help with information technology (IT). IT support for our trustees, committee co-optees and QACE directors is provided by our Associate Director for IT.