About the Safeguarding Trustee Role
Role Overview
The Safeguarding Trustee ensures Rebuilding Lives UK meets all safeguarding obligations and promotes a culture of safeguarding at every level. They provide expert oversight, policy guidance, and ensure best practices are embedded across the organisation. The Safeguarding Trustee works closely with senior leadership to ensure the organisation remains compliant with safeguarding regulations. Trustees are expected to be actively involved in the charity’s work, providing hands-on support where appropriate.
Key Responsibilities
- Ensure robust safeguarding policies are in place, regularly reviewed, and adhered to.
- Provide safeguarding advice to the board and senior leadership.
- Ensure all trustees and staff receive appropriate safeguarding training.
- Oversee risk management relating to safeguarding, ensuring all cases are handled correctly.
- Promote a safeguarding-first approach across the charity’s activities.
- Ensure compliance with relevant safeguarding legislation and guidance.
- Act as the board’s safeguarding lead, providing regular updates and reports.
- Trustees share collective responsibility for the charity’s governance, ensuring the charity’s mission is achieved and its operations are effective. Trustees support the CEO by contributing to strategic planning, offering expertise, and working together to provide the necessary oversight and direction for the charity’s growth and success.
Who We Are Looking For
Essential Skills & Experience:
- Professional experience in safeguarding children or adults.
- Strong communication skills and the ability to advise on safeguarding matters.
- Awareness of safeguarding regulations in the charity sector.
- Ability to ensure safeguarding remains a board-level priority.
What You’ll Gain from This Role
Becoming a trustee with Rebuilding Lives UK is more than just a governance role—it’s an opportunity to be part of a team dedicated to creating real, lasting change. As a trustee, you will:
- Play a vital role in supporting survivors and helping them rebuild their lives.
- Be part of a passionate and driven team working towards a shared mission.
- Gain valuable leadership, governance, and strategic experience.
- Develop transferable skills in decision-making, safeguarding, and advocacy.
- Expand your professional network and engage with like-minded individuals.
- Have access to training and development opportunities to strengthen your expertise.
Mandatory Training Requirement
The Safeguarding Trustee must complete trustee governance and safeguarding training within the first three months of appointment. Additional training will follow as needed.
Terms of Appointment
Trustees serve an initial one-year term, with the option for renewal up to a maximum of three years.
Voluntary Role
All voluntary roles are subject to satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS check.
This is an unpaid remote position (UK Based); however, reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.
Time Commitment:
- 8 hours per month, including:
- Monthly board meetings (held via Zoom).
- Active involvement in governance and decision-making processes.
- Annual half-day strategy session to contribute to the charity’s direction.
- Engagement in charity activities beyond board meetings, as appropriate.
Registered Charity 
6 - 10
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
If you want to make a difference to people living with a mental health condition then we’d love to hear from you!
About us
At The Mental Health Community we use our lived experience to build understanding and support for what it’s like to live and work alongside managing a mental health condition.
We know that it can be difficult to get, or keep a job if your energy levels, how you’re feeling and your ability to go to a place of work every day are affected by a mental health condition like anxiety or depression. But we also know that having a sense of purpose and belonging can really help with the symptoms and impact that mental health conditions can have on you.
Our work is focused on helping people with a mental health condition who are in work or looking for work. We do this by supporting businesses to improve how they look after people, because we know that by creating inclusive and safe spaces at work we make it possible for people with mental ill health to stay in the workplace which helps keep them well and benefits the businesses too.
By joining our board you will be:
- Making a lasting impact by helping us make more workplaces safe and inclusive for people with a mental health condition
- Shaping the future of our charity as we expand our services and reach more people who need our support
- Using your skills and experience for good by helping guide the strategic direction of our charity.
What we’re looking for
We are looking for at least 4 new trustees to join our team. Whatever your skillset, we’d love to hear from you and there are some areas where we need particular help:
· Treasurer: oversee our financial health, provide guidance on building long term financial plans to help us grow and ensure appropriate financial management.
· Marketing and Communications: strategic oversight of our marketing and communications, raising awareness of our work and reaching new audiences through digital strategies and media engagement.
· Fundraising: develop our fundraising strategy and income streams, including grant applications, corporate sponsorship and campaigns.
· Governance: guide us in operating transparently and effectively whilst maintaining high standards of governance in compliance with our governing document and charity law.
We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of mental ill health, young people aged 18-30, people of all socio-economic backgrounds, genders and people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
About the role
As a board of trustees we meet remotely every 6 weeks, there may be some activity in between meetings so the estimated total time commitment is 4 hours every 6 weeks.
In addition to using your specific skills to develop how we work, all trustees share responsibility for:
· Developing our activities to help us achieve our purpose and positive impact,
· Making sure we are compliant with our governing document and the requirements of the Charity Commission, and
· Being an active member of the board to help us make good decisions
What you can expect from us
We are committed to supporting our Trustees: you can expect an induction to the organisation and trustee role plus any additional conversations and support you need to help you feel confident in your role.
Our meetings are relaxed and informal; there are no expectations of ‘business clothes’, technical jargon or having all the answers.
We welcome and support your preferences for the way we work together, how you like to receive information and how we can make it easier for you to participate actively in our discussions.
One more thing
We know that great trustees come from many backgrounds and with a variety of experiences and that’s great - we really value people who bring different perspectives and add new voices to our team.
But you might not feel you ‘check all the boxes’ as you read this advert or the role description, especially if you’ve been marginalised or excluded. We get it, and we’ve felt like that too. But we hope you’ll apply anyway because we’d love to hear from you and will take care to help you feel welcome and included.
For more information on the role please see the role description.
We welcome and support your preferences for how you like to receive information and how we can make it easier for you to apply.
If you prefer to apply in a different way e.g. through a conversation or submitting a short video please contact us and we can arrange it.
If you need any adjustments during the application process please let us know and we'll do our very best to accommodate them.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
2025 is a pivotal time for our small, family centred Charity as we move into our 22nd year. This year our Board will be defining our new mission and preparing for implementation. We're seeking new trustees to join us to contribute to our new mission and define the Charity's direction as we conclude our first mission in late 2025.
The Muscle Help Foundation (MHF) is a small multi-award winning, family-centred charity, delivering both in-person and virtual interventions and experiences in the UK - these moments-in-time are called Muscle Dreams, designed specifically for children & young people (8-28yrs) with the muscle wasting disease, Muscular Dystrophy (MD).
MHF’s impact is felt by beneficiaries and their families across the UK – from improved confidence, greater self-esteem, and an increased sense of hopefulness to a powerful shared identity that connects families, giving a platform to share knowledge, memories and establish lasting friendships.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
We are looking for Trustees who have a passion to take the charity forward, to grow impact, to leave a personal legacy and to feel the sense of personal fulfilment from the time they volunteer.
AS A TRUSTEE, YOU WILL
- Have an opportunity to help improve the lives of children, young people and their families
- Contribute to the governance of our small, well respected, national charity
- Have strategic responsibility for a specific skill area
- Act as an advocate/champion in promoting the charity's work across your network
- Receive induction, support and training
- Bring your lived experience, in using and further developing your skills for the benefit of others
- Be a part of the team that will help the charity achieve its overarching 657 Muscle Dream mission
REQUIREMENTS + KEY CRITERIA
Commitment to the charity’s values, bags of enthusiasm, an understanding and passion for our work, great comms skills and a real desire to want to make a difference to the lives of our vulnerable community. You may have experience of living with muscular dystrophy, other disabilities or life limiting conditions, but this is not essential.
MAIN BOARD MEETINGS + EXPENSES
Trustee Board meetings take place virtually. They are usually 2hrs. Over and above this time commitment, trustees on average, depending on their role, may give additional time in being directly involved in occasional ad projects – MHF Trustees ‘own’ a ‘bucket’, in other words, an area of responsibility like HR, Fundraising, Safeguarding, Marketing, Finance, Digital, Risk or Campaign Management that allows an individual to bring their skills, experience and talents to the charity. Reasonable expenses will be covered.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR – PERSON SPECIFICATION
- Absolute belief in the cause
- Desire to learn the trustee role, previous governance expertise is an advantage
- Excellent communicators with great listening, responding and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to both empower and challenge supportively.
- Strong commitment to equality, and an understanding of disability and how for example this may impact on the quality of life and life choices for disabled people and their families.
- Commitment and time to dedicate to the role and responsibilities of being a Trustee.
- Commitment to the charity’s vision, mission and values.
- Strong desire to make a difference to the lives of our vulnerable beneficiary community.
- Understanding of the context/environment in which the charity works - it is estimated that some 96% of MHF's beneficiaries are those with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), the most severe variant of muscular dystrophy - it is life limiting.
- Understanding the importance of ensuring public confidence and trust in the charity.
- Collaborative working (part of a team), using sound independent judgement and collective decision making.
- The capacity to grasp issues outside ones personal experience.
- The ability to think creatively both in terms of high level strategy and development.
- Commitment to equality and diversity with other trustees, staff, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL YOU MAKE?
To provide strategic leadership in line with our values and goals. Trustees will use their knowledge, skills, passion and experience to ensure that the charity achieves its objectives – as a Trustee, you will represent the interests of all stakeholders and act as an ambassador.
AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO BRING YOUR UNIQUE SELF
As an MHF Trustee, this is an exciting opportunity to bring your unique skill set to help the strategic progression of the charity in reaching its overarching goal to deliver 657 Muscle Dream interventions, that's one experience for every muscle in the human body, cherished moments-in-time that truly changes lives and give hope, and beyond as we reach this goal.
IN RETURN FOR YOUR COMMITMENT
- You will have an opportunity to help improve the lives of children, young people and their families
- Be part of a team all supporting the charity and rowing in the same direction
- Contribute to the governance of a national charity, that's worked tirelessly over the past 20 years
- Have your voice heard and listened to
- Attend events, meet beneficiaries & families and directly witness the impact of the charity’s work
- Have strategic responsibility for a skill area such as: HR, Fundraising, Corporate Partnerships etc
- Network with other like-minded individuals with common values
- Receive induction, support and training
- And much more…
INCLUSION - PROUD OF OUR BOARD DIVERSITY
Our greatest strength as a board and as an charity is in our community's diversity. We are particularly interested in hearing from applicants with diverse skills and experiences that reflect the diversity of our beneficiaries and welcome applications from first time Trustees.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.