Whatever your position in an Third Sector Organisation you can find help and support here.
But there is a condition…. I’m an expert in Governance. If you have a question about any of the activities you deliver or have to carry out to deliver your activities I can’t help. Not because I necessarily don’t know, but because I am neither competent to nor qualified to advise on matters ranging from Employment Law to Health and Safety in the Workplace.
So what is Governance?
In the Third Sector, our Essential Sector, Governance is
“Making decisions (within a framework) that will get the best outcomes for our Beneficiaries“.
This is fundamentally different from the Private Sector (where many of the members of the Organisation’s Governing Body – Board of Trustees, Committee, Directors, etc. – come from) where the purpose of Governance is “Making decisions that will improve profit for the (owners/proprietors etc.)“
The framework consists of two parts:
Governance regulations – Relevant Law depending on your structure, and your Governing Document, and
Activity regulations. These include, but are not exclusive to, HMRC, VAT, Employment, HASAWA, Food Hygiene, Building Regulations, Safeguarding and so on. It is of the utmost importance that your decision makers know which regulatory frameworks they need to make decisions within.
It is a significant concern to Regulators (Charity regulators, Companies Regulator, Fundraising Regulator, HMRC, ICO and so on)that decision makers in our Sector often do not know this.
I’ve spent 30+ years as an Advisor, Consultant, Practitioner and Decision-Maker in our Third Sector. I have worked with hundreds of Organisations, helping them deliver better Governance and comply with their relevant codes.
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