We are looking for young trustees and trustees from diverse backgrounds, who have a passion for mental health in Suffolk. Would you like a role that enables you to make a difference? Find out more about our current Trustee Vacancies. (November 2020)
Trustee Vacancy
Suffolk User Forum, also referred to as SUF, is an independent charity which is the voice for emotional wellbeing and mental health in the east and west of Suffolk County. We deliver engagement, peer support, signposting support for access into services and inpatient independent mental health advocacy, working to give mental health service users a powerful unified voice for their experiences of care and support, promoting individuals’ rights, options and choices for care and support. We are passionate about continuing to improve mental health services in East and West Suffolk. We are a growing organisation that plays in an influential role in making sure mental health service users and their families are listened to and that their views help to shape future Mental Health services in Suffolk.
What skills are needed
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic (BAME) individuals, women and younger people, as they are currently under-represented on our trustee board. We would value new trustees with lived mental health experience, and/or skills in Fundraising, Human Resources and working with diverse communities. As a Trustee you will join our Trustee Board which:
- Focuses on our charitable objectives, ensuring we are an inclusive and trusted mental health user led network, that values, promotes and strengthens the user voice for positive change, independence, human rights, choice and control.
- Sets the overall strategic direction.
- Scrutinises our processes and decisions.
- Ensures our standards of governance are upheld and maintained.
Please note that the trustee role in Suffolk User Forum (SUF) is voluntary and is not a paid position. Our Board normally meets at our Kesgrave office but has also successfully pioneered the use of Zoom during the COVID-19 crisis to allow remote working.
What skills will be learned/gained
The role of the trustee is a rewarding one, as our trustees are central to our organisation`s leadership, governance, strategic direction and team support. If you are passionate about emotional well-being and mental health and would like a strategic role that enables you to make a difference, consider becoming a SUF trustee. This is an opportunity to contribute to the development of our charity at a particularly formative time, when the impact of COVID 19 is exacerbating already difficult mental health problems. Our organisation is also pioneering new ways of working with mental health service users and their families in the new world of social distancing.
Our trustee board is very friendly, and all new trustees are fully supported with induction and training.
Extra Information
The estimated time needed for the role is 0-5 hours a week. Work can be done either within or outside office hours. We meet as a Board about 10 times a year with occasional additional working groups as required. Further information about SUF is available on our website https://www.suffolkuserforum.co.uk/. To register interest contact us at hello@suffolkuserforum.co.uk or 01473 907087.