Louise Lapish Chair of the Trustees shares her thoughts on what it is like to be part of the team and why you might want to join!
Simon on the Streets has continued to provide outreach and advocacy services across Leeds, Huddersfield and Bradford throughout 2018. We have developed strong partnerships with other service providers whilst maintaining our independent voice, but more must be done to address the increasing number of people on our streets. Our fight to offer emotional support to entrenched rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness continues. That’s the hard job, every hello, cup of coffee and conversation builds trust, sometimes that takes weeks, other times months and in some cases years - but don’t worry, that’s not what we are asking you to do! Although you might well just be the person to join the Board of Trustees as we look to expand our team.
After many years of being a supporter I was approached to become a Trustee; I had helped with fundraising as well as attending events and even took part in the Sleep Out and the time was right to get more involved. Being a Trustee is about ensuring that the charity continues to deliver everything we promise to our Service Users and providing strategic support to the General Manager and other team members. It’s a great way of making a difference to our local communities and being part of a team that is changing lives. In 2018 we have supported 11 people in to permanent housing, and 858 first time visits to access services.
I have always been passionate about Simon on the Streets and what the charity stands for and I am proud of the impact we are having across the different cities. Each one has different challenges and we have to learn to adapt and change alongside each one. This is one of the reasons we are looking to expand our team; we want to ensure we are representing all of the cities and have a diverse range of skills. Is it you we are looking for?
The key thing we are looking for is people who are committed to help us build our resilience and respond effectively to change. You are expected to attend most monthly Trustee meetings and a couple of Strategy days throughout the year. We also expect, where possible, our Trustees to attend our big events like The Rough Diamond Ball and The Sleepout. We do also have to resolve ad-hoc issues by phone and email. We are not badge wearing Trustees, as a small charity we do provide support and input. We are particularly interested in people with the following expertise or with a Business network in Huddersfield or Bradford.
We ask you to send us an expression of interest, one to two pages about who you are and why you are interested in becoming a Trustee and why specifically Simon on the Streets. If you would like to talk to one of the Trustees then please email us at trustees@simononthestreets.co.uk to arrange a time to speak.
What is the difference between a volunteer and a Trustee?
There is more responsibility as a trustee as you will have the overall legal responsibility for a charity. We do various checks to ensure you are eligible to join the Board. Find out more.
How many hours a week does it involve?
We usually say 2-3 hours per week, though there are times we may need you to be more involved, for example during a period of recruitment. We also ask that you attend the strategy days each year, these are during working hours. There may be daytime meetings if we need to involve the team. Our monthly meetings take place at 6pm at our offices near Armley Prison.
What kind of things do you get involved in?
The list is endless, we do get involved in projects that are happening, attending networking events, helping develop staff to name but a few things. As a small charity we often find ourselves providing practical support as well as simply strategic.