Volunteer Trustee with Charity Governance Experience sought to join board of children's play charity.

What will you be doing?

ROAM is a Birmingham-based charity whose mission is to facilitate children’s free play in nature with minimal supervision, to support others to do so and to campaign for every child’s right to independent play. ROAM registered as a charity in 2020 and has been fortunate to enjoy the benefits of a skilled and enthusiastic board of trustees. We are now looking to grow and expand the talent on our board  by recruiting at least two new trustees to join our dynamic  and impactful organisation.  We are particularly looking for new trustees with charity experience at a senior level (either as a trustee or in their employment) or with a marketing and communications background. This is an exciting time for our charity as we spread our mission more widely and develop some exciting opportunities with new partners. We are looking for enthusiastic and skilled people to help up with this next part of our adventure. 

What are we looking for?

We are specifically looking for a candidate with established and/or extensive charity experience in a leadership role. This could include working/volunteering in the charity sector or as part of a Trustee Board, ideally for a minimum of three year period.   Personal Skills and Qualities

Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as  trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation. Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member. Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion.  A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Enthusiasm for our vision and mission. Willingness to lead according to our values.

The board strives to ensure that the composition of the board is diverse, and representative of the communities we serve. We would therefore particularly welcome applications from people with characteristics that are typically underrepresented on Boards, and underrepresented on our current Board; this includes people aged over 55 and under 30, men and non-binary candidates. With an ambitious growth plan we would like our Board to reflect the diverse community of Birmingham and beyond.

What difference will you make?

We believe that there are huge benefits to children experiencing this type of play, that has largely disappeared in the UK in the space of a generation. It brings significant benefits to children’s physical and mental health and in their personal development, equipping them with a broad range of skills for life.  Our trustees play a vital role in making sure that ROAM achieves its core purpose to facilitate children’s free play in nature with minimal supervision, to support others to do so and to campaign for every child’s right to independent play. They oversee the overall management to ensure that ROAM has a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision. Just as importantly, they support and challenge the executive team to enable ROAM to grow and thrive. Board members have a collective responsibility. This means that trustees always act as a group and not as individuals.