Volunteer Trustee with Governance or Charity Experience required

What will you be doing?

ECT is looking for new trustees to join our existing enthusiastic and dedicated board who share our ambition to provide top-quality, safe, affordable and accessible transport services for every community we serve. The range of perspectives and experience diversity brings is an asset to ECT and we want to create an inclusive, welcoming environment. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and particularly those who share our values but may be new to a role as a trustee. Our Board is forging exciting plans for the future, alongside our top-notch team of committed, professional managers, drivers, assistants and administrators. As new trustees, you will help steer our charity on the next stage of its important journey.  We are based in Greenford, West London, and also operate in Dorset and Cheshire. There are no specific skills required, and we are very keen to hear from people new to the role of being a trustee who are active in their local communities and we are determined to provide better representation for the people we support. ECT has been going for over 30 years and we do a lot of work with young people, the elderly, community groups and charities but we are also very keen to see what other services we might be able to offer. We are particularly interested in hearing from you if you have experience in charity management or governance, transport or have a personal connection in some way to community transport but above all else, we want you to feel motivated to be involved and make a difference.

What are we looking for?

We are keen to hear from people with a broad range of skills, from diverse backgrounds, and in particular from those who may have a connection or interest in community transport but who may never have been a trustee before. We want to be representative of the diversity of our user-group, as they are the ones who know best how our services should work. With 2 vacancies, we aren't looking for specific skills, but would be keen to hear from anyone with Legal, Safeguarding/Welfare or a Comms/Marketing background. With a turnover of just over £5m, over 200 staff, and 130 vehicles in 3 locations (Ealing, Cheshire and Dorset), we cover a range of services and adding these strengths to our board would be useful. We do a lot of work with schools and people who need our accessible transport services, and applicants with social care or safeguarding knowledge would be welcomed. Similarly you may have experience in transport, an interest in community transport, or have knowledge of governance, HR or a professional skill that would fit our charitable aims and objectives. Being a trustee is a responsibility, and you will need to be aware of the commitment you are making, but we will be happy to explain this during the process to make sure you feel you are the right fit.

What difference will you make?

Our aim is to take a good look at what we are currently contributing as a charity, where we do best and where we think we can do better. This includes the options for us to build new partnerships and take on new activities, whilst making sure our charitable delivery remains the key focus. ECT covered over 1,350,000 miles providing transport for communities and groups who otherwise may not have been able to travel. Using our nationally recognised Social Value Toolkit we were also able to calculate our services delivered an additional £606,000 of added value supporting local communities and passengers who would otherwise have struggled to travel. Community transport is not just a bus service. We use transport to help people who may be a part of the growing loneliness epidemic, for example, in both urban and rural areas. Whether it’s taking somebody for their weekly trip to the supermarket, a visit to the GP, a minibus for a local youth group, SEN school runs or a day out with friends and family – wherever people need a hand, we like to be there to help. We make journeys possible, across the communities we serve. We are a ‘forward looking’ charity and recognise that the world in which we operate is changing. This means we are always keen to look at opportunities for innovation and working together; we know the value real partnership working can bring to help people combat their own issues.