On Thursday 21st May Empowering Communities partners Voluntary Norfolk, Community Action Norfolk and FUSE Network welcomed 30 trustees, non-executive directors and board members of Norfolk voluntary organisations to an online networking session. Trustees of charities and directors of social enterprises play a crucial role in steering and supporting thousands of not-for-profit organisations across Norfolk, but this can be a tricky role, with legal and financial responsibilities, overseeing the work of staff and volunteers, and very often pitching in to help with that delivery.  

Thursday’s session was the fourth in a series of networking sessions for board members to come together to share challenges, learn from each other about what works well, and identify common support needs. We heard from Sue Scott and Debbie Fisher, non-executive directors of The Shoebox Enterprises, about their experiences of recruiting new members to their board. It was really helpful to hear from both sides of the process, with Sue an existing director involved in recruitment and Debbie a new recruit. This prompted lots of discussion about the most effective ways to recruit, how to attract candidates with the right values and motivations to match your organisation, and how the recruitment process should be about testing your organisation’s fit for the candidate, as much as the other way around. 

We then heard from Paul Johnson, a new director at Cup O T Wellness and Therapy Services, who provided a timely reminder of the importance of looking after yourself as a leader in the VCSE sector. While board members give their time and skills for free, this should not be taken for granted and boundaries must be set by both individuals and the board as a whole, to ensure no-one is exceeding their capacity and putting their own wellbeing at risk. Finally, trustee of Wild Lakenham Rebecca Dale spoke about her passion for community and connection with nature, and how the organisation has stayed true to its mission while navigating registering with the Charity Commission and expanding as an organisation. It was inspiring to hear from board members who are truly passionate about what they do and reminded us again that shared values are central to a supported, successful board. 

Some feedback from attendees: 

I got a great chance to listen to the viewpoints of trustees/NEDs in other charities and I got some ideas that could help me improve my contributions to my charity. 

I feel energised to ensure our board are effective and our recruitment processes are considerate and inclusive. 

[My role] feels less lonely 

Next events: 

Our next networking session for board members will be in-person in Autumn – look out for details in an upcoming newsletter or check our events calendar here! You may also wish to join our VCSE Leadership Network session on 2nd July – more here. 

You can also check out these resources for board members: 

Board members Padlet, for sharing resources, updates, relevant events and more: 

Resources for Trustees and Board Members 

Get InVOLved Norfolk, for board recruitment: 

Volunteering opportunities in Norfolk | Get InVOLved Norfolk 

Get InVOLved Skills, for accessing training and resources: 

Get Involved Skills