Vacancy: Charity Trustee (Voluntary) – closing date Monday 3rd March

In Shared Lives, an adult or young person who needs long term support is matched with a carefully approved Shared Lives carer, by their local Shared Lives scheme which are run or commissioned by council’s adult social care services. Together, the person needing support and the Shared Lives carer share the carer’s family and community life.

Shared Lives Plus is the UK membership charity for more than 6,000 Shared Lives carers and 146 Shared Lives schemes. We also host the Homeshare UK Network, which has a membership of 19 local organisations. Homeshare brings two people together to share a home; typically, someone who needs help to live independently in their own home (a householder) is matched with someone who has a housing need (a homesharer). In return for affordable accommodation, the homesharer provides around ten hours of support per week to the householder.

Our vision is a kinder, stronger society built on sharing our lives and our homes. We help build communities where everyone lives a full life, regardless of support they need. We do this by turning Shared Lives and Homeshare into thriving, mainstream options, with all the right structures in place to support and guide those who want to share their lives and homes. We do this through a combination of guidance, support to our members, strategic advice (which involves providing practical support to local areas to grow Shared Lives), innovation programmes (to digitise, diversify and grow the model of support) and communications to raise public awareness. Shared Lives Plus’ Chief Executive is also on the Leadership Team for IMPACT, the UK centre for implementing evidence in adult social care and we are deeply in the Social Care Future movement.

It is an exciting time for Shared Lives and Homeshare. In England, we have seen the largest ever investment in Shared Lives through the Accelerating Reform Fund, a new initiative which seeks to scale innovations in social care and there is significant interest in children’s social care to see the model expanded for children leaving care. The recently published report by the Housing for Older People’s Taskforce, also recommended that there be growth in Shared Lives. In Scotland and in Wales, Government has renewed its interest in supporting the growth of Shared Lives.

Shared Lives Plus is an Equal Opportunities organisation, and we are committed to ensuring that all trustees are motivated, skilled and rewarded by their work. We are committed to anti-racism, disability equality and a human rights-based approach. We seek to involve people with lived experience in all strategic decisions, planning, delivery and evaluation of what we do.

We are seeking up to three new Trustees to join our Board. We are particularly interested in applicants who have the following skills and experience:

• Knowledge of policy leadership, commissioning and change management in adult social care, but also relevant experience in health and children’s social care.
• Communications, marketing and public relations, especially in supporting public awareness campaigns and recruitment
• Human resources and organisational learning and development

We are especially interested in applicants from ethnic minoritised communities and people with lived experience of receiving adult social care services.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of Shared Lives Plus and Homeshare UK, developing the aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document, legal and regulatory guidelines. The Board of Trustees is supported in its work by a Finance Committee, which is made up of Board members.

Each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve:

• Reading and assimilating board papers
• Leading discussions
• Focusing on key issues
• Compliance – ensuring that the organisation complies with guidelines and legislation
• Monitoring the financial position and ensuring that we operate within our means with clear lines of accountability and financial management ensuring financial stability

Time Commitments

• Attendance at quarterly board meetings (online), approximately 2.5 hours per meeting, plus preparation.
• Attendance at AGM (online), approximately 1-2 hours.
• Attendance at one face to face strategic meeting each year
• Expenses and travel will be covered.

Please submit your CV along with a supporting statement based on all the details in the role description and person specification telling us why you feel you’re the person for us to recruitment@sharedlivesplus.org.uk

The closing date is:  Monday 3^rd March 2025.

An formal interview with the Chair, CEO, Ambassador and Independent member will be held in the afternoon of Monday 31^st  March. The first board meeting to join will be held online via Zoom on Thursday 19^th June 10am-12:30pm.