Become a Home-Start Trustee and Make a Lasting Impact

Are you ready to make a real difference in your local community?

Home-Start Guildford is a local, independent charity committed to supporting families with young children through difficult times. Our trained volunteers offer compassionate, practical, and emotional support – often in the family’s own home – to help parents build confidence and create a safe, nurturing environment for their children.

Although we are part of the Home-Start UK network – one of the country’s leading family support charities – we operate independently and do not receive funding from the national organisation. We benefit from their policy framework and quality assurance standards, while maintaining local governance and fundraising responsibility.

The Role and What We’re Looking For

We are currently seeking new Trustees to join our Board – particularly individuals with experience in fundraising, legal expertise, or a strong network in Guildford. We are also recruiting for key leadership roles, including Chair of Trustees and Fundraising Trustee.

You don’t need to have been a trustee before. What matters most is your passion for improving the lives of children and families, your ability to work collaboratively, ask thoughtful questions, and see the bigger picture. We’re looking for people who are open to learning, ready to contribute, and committed to the responsibilities of being a trustee.

We are especially keen to hear from individuals whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of the families we support. Your unique perspective could help us make better decisions and have greater impact

If you’re interested in joining our Board, please view our vacancies page for further information.

Why become a trustee with Home-Start?

Trustees are the people who make the top-level decisions for our charity. They’re not responsible for the day-to-day business but they do carry out a wide range of duties and are responsible for making the charity effective, providing overall direction and maintaining sound management of funds.

As a trustee you will have the opportunity to: 

• Make a real difference for local families during their toughest times 

• Shape the strategic direction of a vital local charity and grow its impact 

• Share and develop your knowledge, skills and networks 

• Be part of the wider Home-Start movement in Surrey 

What does becoming a trustee involve?

As part of the trustee role, you will be expected to:

• Attend, and prepare for, a minimum of six meetings per year
• Undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service check)
• Undergo a selection process as outlined by Home-Start Guildford
• Commit to the legal and financial responsibilities of the role, as outlined in the charities Constitution (‘Foundation’ model constitution)
• Visit and engage with the office and staff to enhance your understanding of how Home-Start Guildford works

Training and support

Trustees are fully inducted into Home-Start at the start of their new role; they will receive:

• An online welcome event and e-learning, introducing Home-Start’s service and your responsibilities.
• Training in key areas including safeguarding.
• Reimbursement of paid expenses.
• Access to Home-Start’s online community via Home-Start UK intranet – full of information and guidance on running a local Home-Start.
• Tailored support by other trustees and staff.

What does the time commitment look like?

We ask for about five hours of your time per month, and the ability to join face to face board meetings in Guildford that are usually held every 6-8 weeks on a Monday or Friday morning.

Dates are set well in advance but can occasionally be rescheduled depending on availability. There may be other occasions when your time and skills will be needed to focus on a piece of work, but this will be minimal.

A Trustee who takes on added commitment – perhaps as a subject lead, will need to be able to commit more time to their role.  

What do we look for in trustees?

Trustees play a vital role in our charity’s governance, so we’re looking for people who are ready to engage thoughtfully and responsibly.

You don’t need previous experience as a trustee — what matters most is your passion for improving the lives of children and the families we support.

We’re looking for people who:

• Work well with other and value collaboration
• Are confident to ask questions and share ideas
• Are thoughtful, open to learning, and able to see the bigger picture
• Take the responsibilities of being a trustee seriously

We welcome new trustees who bring: 

• Energy and commitment 
• Professional skills, life experience, and/or personal qualities aligned with our mission 
• An understanding of the trustee role and its responsibilities 
• Diverse perspectives and experiences  
• Strategic thinking and sound, independent judgment 

What should I do next?

If you’re interested in finding out more, please register your interest here: https://forms.office.com/e/3wgEpfi4Jb.

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