Take 5: new essential guide for trustees

The Charity Commission has revamped its core guidance and published new 5-minute guides for all trustees.

These new guides are intentionally brief and jargon-free and cover the core responsibilities of trustees in five areas: 

• Financial oversight
• Achieving a charity's purposes
• Good decision making
• Addressing conflicts of interest
• What to file with the Commission and what support is available

The guide on financial oversight includes a checklist for internal financial controls to help trustees identify the main financial risks and manage them effectively, and the guides signpost to more detailed information and advice for specific circumstances.

Trustees who are interested in comprehensive online training are encouraged to join ICAEW’s Volunteering Community which offers interactive e-learning modules that cover the duties, obligations, operational and strategic considerations of trustees, and provides insurance and regular updates and newsletters for volunteers.