The Role of a CVE Scotland Trustee
CVE Scotland Trustee Vacancy
CVE Scotland are looking to recruit Trustees to join the Board in 2025. This vacancy may be suitable for retired or active Head Teachers/Senior Management Team members in nursery, primary and secondary schools in the public and private sector within Scotland. We are also keen to recruit those with a heart for school work with a Chaplaincy background.
How can I find out more about one of these roles?
Please email Lynn MacMillan, Senior Administrator, cve@cve-scotland.org.uk if you would like general information on becoming a Trustee with CVE Scotland. You can also make contact with Megan Patterson, our Chair, for more in-depth discussion about the position at mpatterson@cve-scotland.org.uk. If you think you would be able to serve on the Management Committee, without being able to fulfil the role of Trustee, please also get in touch.
Information about the charity can be found in the 2023-24 Annual Report C005 Christian Values in Education – final signed accounts – 2024. redacted or at the OSCR website https://www.oscr.org.uk/about-charities/search-the-register/charity-details?number=SC045125
Whilst requiring commitment to the role, there is understanding that for Trustees or Management Committee members in some active roles (e.g. school Senior Management) there is likely to be little time for CVE Scotland meetings and an amount of flexibility is applied in order to involve the member in communications and decision making.
Where does a Trustee fit into the charity’s structure?
The charity is overseen by a Board of Trustees who vote on decisions at meetings. The Board of Trustees is joined by a small number of additional members who are not Trustees (including the charity’s two employees) to form the Management Committee. The Management Committee includes a Chair, Vice-Chair and Treasurer and there are members of an Advisory Board on whose expertise the Management Committee draws as need arises.
How is a Trustee appointed?
In discussion with the Chair and at the approval of the Board of Trustees, suitable persons wishing to contribute towards the running of the charity as a Trustee, Management Committee member or Advisor can be invited to join.
What does a Trustee do?
Trustees generally have the privilege of being involved in discussions and decisions which control the main activities of the organisation and hold regular Management meetings (approx. 4 or 5 a year) to do this, are invited to lunchtime prayer meetings and may also be invited to attend other meetings relevant to a Trustee’s scope of work within the charity. There is a wide range of church denominations represented on the Board and a unity in achieving the charity’s purposes together.
Each Trustee will bring to the Board their own expertise and experience of educational settings, relevant skills and/or governance to contribute towards discussion, decision making and the achievements of the charity.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for monitoring and controlling the financial position of the organisation and managing the charity’s employees. Each of the charity Trustees has a duty, in exercising functions as a charity Trustee, to act in the interests of the organisation and, in particular, must seek, in good faith, to ensure that the organisation acts in a manner which is in accordance with its purposes and act with the care and diligence which it is reasonable to expect of a person who is managing the affairs of another person.
As stated in the charity’s Constitution, the organisation’s purposes are:
1 The advancement of education through identifying, resourcing, enabling and disseminating best practice by teachers and community partners, which empowers children and young people in critically understanding a range of beliefs, values and practices.
2 The advancement of citizenship and community development by supporting organisations and churches to take up opportunities to serve schools in a relevant and effective manner which will benefit children and young people and enhance the curriculum, through the development and teaching of civic values and the encouragement of both adults and young people in voluntary community activity.
3 The advancement of religion by fulfilling the above purposes within a framework of Christian faith and values, working in active engagement with a range of organisations and churches and at all times within the Scottish Government guidelines for education for young people aged 3-18.
The ways in which the charity accomplishes these aims can be read by visiting the CVE Scotland website cve-scotland.org.uk.
What are the requirements of a Trustee to join the CVE Scotland Board of Trustees?
Board members are required to acknowledge their commitment to the rationale and purposes of Christian Values in Education, and to the Apostles’ Creed.
The roles of a Trustee, Management Committee member and Advisor are voluntary positions. Necessary expenses to attend meetings can be reimbursed.
General information on the role of a Trustee can also be found at:
https://www.oscr.org.uk/managing-a-charity/trustee-duties/