Trustee Candidate Briefing Pack for Trustee Roles at Migrant Help.

1. Trustee Candidate Briefing Pack

2. Contents
1. Welcome letter from our Chair, Briony Thomas
2. Brief history
3. What we do
4. Corporate objectives
5. Role purpose
6. Time commitment and expectations
7. Person Specification
8. Timetable
9. How to apply

3. 1. Welcome letter from our Chair, Briony Thomas
As Chair of the Board I am delighted that you are interested in becoming a Migrant Help trustee.
We are a friendly board of eight trustees who are looking forward to welcoming new people with the skills and expertise we
require to strengthen the board. During 2014 we conducted a governance review with training to ensure we understood
our trustee roles and responsibilities. We are looking to recruit to four vacant posts skilled trustees who share our passion
for our work with migrants, our values and ethos.
At the heart of Migrant Help are our beneficiaries and as the charity grows and develops to meet their needs we must
ensure our understanding of their situations and the stability of the organisation. Linked to the review we have new
governance documents and a clear understanding of the skills we require on our board. We have reviewed and updated our
Memorandum and Articles. Working with our Executive Team we have developed a five year strategy clearly linked to our
vision and mission.
Migrant Help is a leading national provider of services to migrants delivering excellent care and support of the highest
standard. As an organisation that has recently undergone huge change and growth, we need to focus on sustainability,
planning for future contracts, developing our trading arm and using our resources for the benefit of our charitable
objectives.
I hope this letter helps you to decide if Migrant Help is the charity that can best use your skills, expertise and - most
importantly - your passion for the work we do.
Briony Thomas

4. 2. Brief history
Migrant Help was founded in 1963 by Helen Ellis MBE and was originally known as the Kent Committee for the Welfare of
Migrants.
Established to give support to the high number of vulnerable migrants arriving in the ports of Kent. It quickly expanded to
meet the needs of other migrants in the UK.
In the 1990s Migrant Help became a significant contract holder delivering services to asylum seekers and refugees.
In 2008 Migrant Help started to deliver services to victims of human trafficking in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and
Wales.
In 2015 Migrant Help is a leading national charity providing services to asylum seekers, victims of Human trafficking and
other migrants across the UK.

5. 3. What we do
Trustees are responsible for making sure Migrant Help complies with its governing document, charity and company law
and relevant legislation and regulation.
We meet quarterly to:
• Make sure that Migrant Help delivers on the objectives set out in our Articles of Association.
• Check that there are proper financial controls and that we use our resources correctly – we have a finance sub-group.
• Agree and maintain our vision, mission and purpose.
• Guard our ethos, values and reputation.
• Act in the best interests of Migrant Help using our skills and experience to help make sound decisions.
• With the Executive Team we develop our strategic direction – recently reviewed at our February Away Day.
• Agree the priorities for Migrant Help and work with the Chief Executive and the Directors to anticipate the charity’s
future.
• Ensure we are legally accountable to our beneficiaries, donors, staff and volunteers.
• Support and monitor the organisation’s management.
• Check that internal policies are established and monitored.
• Review our own board performance through training and annual trustee appraisal.
• Select and support the Chief Executive.
• Promote Migrant Help.

6. 4. Corporate objectives
Corporate
objective
statement
Strategic Plan Statements
1. Migrant
Help
protects
and cares
for our
clients
a  By continuing to provide the highest levels of service to our distinctive client groups
 Through securing national accreditations such as Investor’s in Diversity, Helplines Quality Standard etc.
 By developing our own ethical compliance programme for partners so that our clients and stakeholders
can be reassured that other sector provider’s services are of the same quality as ours.
b  By providing up to date, tailored services, through improved communication and digital channels, which
allow more effective contact with clients who cannot rely on direct face-to-face services from funders.
c  By developing and implementing an Accommodation Strategy. This will link to our Investment and
Growth Strategy.
d  Through increased understanding about the needs of our different communities and making distinctive
offers, which meet the needs of our communities more effectively
 We shall review and refresh our integration and cohesion services so that they are more appealing to our
clients and funders with the objective of improving integration and cohesion for both the client and their
new home community.

7. 4. Corporate objectives cont.
Corporate
objective
statement
Strategic Plan Statements
2. Migrant
Help invests
in our people
and develops
the
organisation
to meet our
needs and
the needs of
our clients
e  Leadership and management skills will be enhanced
 Robust procedures and policies will allow managers more flexibility and freedoms in taking day to day
decisions
 By empowering those who work for us and supporting staff and volunteer well-being.
f  A new performance management approach will ensure that staff understand their day to day roles,
responsibilities and objectives
 Learning and Development will not just be skills and training based, but will include targets on aptitude
and attitude to ensure that we meet the high standards we expect of each other at Migrant Help.
g  Managers will plan ahead through a new policy of budget management and setting annual internal
business plans
 These will be used to monitor activity and performance, giving Heads of Service and Senior Manager’s
time to look ahead and plan their services more effectively and efficiently.
h  We shall create a new Investment and Growth strategy which will set out and develop a more sustainable
organisation with the effect of protecting skilled staff from the vagaries of funding contractions and
expansions.

8. 4. Corporate objectives cont.
Corporate objective
statement
Strategic Plan Statements
3. Migrant Help is innovative
and proactive in business
practices that sustain our
services
i  The Executive Team will encourage and support business planning and service
growth which contributes to our overall objectives
 Corporate managers will be encouraged and given support in seeking new
opportunities to develop and grow services, particularly from non-Governmental
sources
 We shall develop packages which we can sell to organisations to enhance their
understanding of migrant issues
j  We shall support the expansion of Migrant Help Trading Ltd and, building on
Clearvoice in particular, develop and deliver a new distinctive business approach to
our trading company.
k  We will develop and implement a new sustainable Income Generation and Fund
Raising strategy which actively seeks new funding streams though developing
further links with Philanthropic Donors, Trusts and Foundations and grow funding
streams not dependent on government or its agencies.

9. 4. Corporate objectives cont.
Corporate objective
statement
Strategic Plan Statements
4. Migrant Help is able to
inform our sector and lead
on building collaboration
and partnership work
l  We shall continue to work with Canterbury Christchurch University and further develop
the UK Institute for Migration Research.
 It is expected that the research being conducted by this new Institute will build an
evidence base to inform future Migrant Help thinking.
m  By raising our public profile nationally so that we are not only the leader in our field, we
are actually seen as the leader in our field.
n  By increasing our collaborations and partnership working with organisations (such as
IOM) who also work with migrant and refugee communities where it is in our interest and
ensures a mutual benefit for our organisations and clients.
o  We shall build our understanding of the geo-political positon across the Globe in terms of
refugee and labour migration patterns so that we can shape our services and respond to
need accordingly. We continue to monitor national and local government policy and
amend our strategies to take into account changing agendas as appropriate.

10. 5. Role purpose
• Ensure that Migrant Help complies at all times with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other
relevant legislation or regulations
• Ensure that Migrant Help pursues its objects as defined in its governing document
• Maintain proper financial control and ensure that Migrant Help applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its
objects, i.e. the charity must not spend money on activities that are not included in its objects, no matter how worthwhile
or charitable those activities are
• Set and maintain vision, mission and values
• Develop strategy, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed
targets
• Ensure accountability
• Support the operational management of the organisation
• Monitor the implementation of internal policies, such as equality and diversity, health and safety policies and grievance
and disciplinary procedures

11. 5. Role purpose cont.
• Ensure that risk assessments for all aspects of the business are carried out.
• Safeguard the reputation and values of Migrant Help.
• Maintain effective board performance and ensure the effective and efficient administration of the charity including
funding, insurance and premises.
• Promote Migrant Help.
• Act in the best interests of Migrant Help. A Trustee shall declare his/her interest in, and shall not vote in respect of,
any contract or matter in which s/he is interested directly or indirectly or any matter arising. With fellow board members
identify and agree the trustee board’s priorities and work with the Chief Executive and the Executive Team to anticipate
the future needs of Migrant Help.
• In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience he / she
has to help the board reach sound decisions. These may involve scrutinising board and focus group papers, leading
discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives and other issues in which the trustee
has special expertise.
• A trustee is required to act reasonably and prudently in all matters relating to the charity and must always bear the
interests of Migrant Help in mind.

12. 6. Time commitment and expectations
• Attend trustee board meetings. There are four trustee meetings per annum, normally held early evening either in
London or Dover. Trustees are expected to attend, in person, at least three trustee board meetings a year.
• Attend training, site visits and our annual strategy day. In the first months the time commitment will be at least one
day per month to learn about Migrant Help.
• To sit on at least one sub-committee or serve, as a non-executive director, on the board of Migrant Help Trading Ltd (a
wholly owned subsidiary company of MH). There are several sub-committees, such as the finance committee, and these
normally meet a maximum of four times a year.
• Members of the board of trustees are expected to sit on a committee where their skills and experience are best suited.
Where appropriate, attendance at sub-committee meetings can be via telephone/video conference if necessary.
• Make an active contribution to the board.
• Board papers are distributed to trustees at least three working days before any board or sub-committee meeting. All
trustees are expected to have read the board/sub-committee papers, and to be able to contribute fully to the discussions
at the board.
• Trustees are expected to take away actions from board meetings, especially if the identified task is in their field of skill
and experience.

13. 6. Time commitment and expectations cont.
• Where a trustee takes an action they are expected to take responsibility for delivering on that action, and reporting
progress at the next board.
• In some cases trustees will need to make decisions outside of a board meeting. This is the exception rather than the
rule; however, in such cases we expect all trustees to be able to contribute to discussions remotely, by email.
• Understand the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of being a trustee.
• MH recognises that for some people this may be their first trusteeship and suitable training can be put in place to assist
them.
• Carry out the role in the best interest of Migrant Help.
• To properly manage any actual or deemed conflicts of interest in line with MH policy guidelines
• Work closely with other trustees, recognising that trustees come from diverse backgrounds
• Be supportive of the Migrant Help executive team when interacting with stakeholders in the organisation
• Agree and sign the Code of Conduct for Migrant Help Trustees

14. 7. Person specification
You should be able to demonstrate and provide evidence of the following criteria listed under Part One within your written
application. These will be considered further at the preliminary interview stage, along with the criteria listed under Part
Two.
Part One
You will be able to give evidence of:
• Experience of board or committee membership, in a charitable, public sector or commercial organisation. This could for
example include experience of being a school governor or committee member of a local group.
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship and an understanding of
the respective roles of the Chair, Trustees and Chief Executive
• A record of proven and significant achievement in their own field. Specifically we are looking for people who:
o Have legal expertise
o Strong commercial and/or financial expertise
o An understanding of the challenges facing the migrant community
o Strong organisation development and change management experience
• A proven ability to work effectively as a member of a team while contributing an independent perspective
• An understanding of and a commitment to the values of not for profit organisations

15. 7. Person specification cont.
Part Two
• An understanding of, and commitment to, the values of accountability, probity and openness and equality, diversity,
inclusion and social justice
• Strategic vision and sound independent judgement with a willingness to question and challenge difficult /sensitive
issues
• Confident and effective communication skills with a range of audiences
• A willingness to devote the time and effort required to effectively discharge the duties of this role

16. 8. Timetable
Activity Date
Closing date for applications Friday 20th March 2015
Preliminary interviews with Russam GMS Week commencing 13th April 2015
Final interviews with appointments panel Friday 24th April 2015
Monday 27th April 2015
Tuesday 28th April 2015
Wednesday 29th April 2015
Board of Trustee meeting Wednesday 6th May, 5pm in Dover

17. 9. How to apply
To apply for this position, please provide the following two pieces of information:
1. Your CV
2. A supporting statement that addresses how you meet part 1 of the person specification
Applications should be submitted at the following website page:
www.russam-gms.co.uk/vacancies/4444
For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact Melissa Baxter on 07789 985229 or
melissa.baxter@russam-gms.co.uk