Governance Trustee Survey 2015

Trustee Survey 2015

We are seeking to find out your views about being on a Charity Trustee Board/Voluntary Management Committee within the voluntary sector. Your individual responses will remain anonymous and confidential. The information will be collectively analysed within an overall research report providing information on governance within the voluntary and community sector and enabling some comparisons to be made with previous evidence gathered in 2003.

We would be grateful if you would complete this questionnaire using your own personal experience in your current role as a Charity Trustee/Voluntary Management Committee member. If you are a Charity Trustee/Voluntary Management Committee member on more than one organisation please choose just one organisation in relation to answering the questions. We estimate that the survey will take 15 minutes to complete. Your views are important to us, so please do take time to answer all the questions.

Definition: Voluntary Sector
For the purposes of this governance research the voluntary sector is defined as encompassing organisations, formal or informal, which meet the following criteria:

• informal or formal (ie with or without an adopted governing document)
• independent (not controlled by a for profit organisation or the state; voluntary organisations must have a majority of non-statutory bodies, appointees or representatives on its board of trustees and a majority of non statutory members)
• self governing
• non profit distributing
• benefits from a meaningful degree of philanthropy ie gifts in kind or of time (eg volunteers, non paid trustees)
• established for public benefit

This definition includes most charities (for exceptions see below); housing associations; community groups, informal and formal; self-help and mutual aid groups; sports groups with community benefit; religious groups with social benefit; campaigning non political groups; community businesses; credit unions.

Charities which are not included are: school trust funds, places of worship, promoting and supporting religion, statutory charities, statutory museums, independent further education colleges, professional associations, charitable independent schools, charitable quasi autonomous non-governmental organisations and voluntary aided schools.

‘GOVERNANCE is about leadership and ensuring that an organisation is effectively and properly run. It has been defined as ‘the systems and processes concerned with ensuring the overall direction, effectiveness, supervision and accountability of an organisation.’

Question Title

* 1. How long have you served on your current management committee?

Less than 1 year

1 to 2 years

3 to 5 years

6 to 10 years

11 to 25 years

Over 25 years

Question Title

* 2. Please indicate from the list below which term is used for your current management committee.

Board of Trustees

Board of Directors

Board of Governors

Management Committee

Executive Committee

Governance Board

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 3. Are you a member of any other management committees?

Yes

If Yes how many?

Question Title

* 4. Do you currently hold any of the following office bearer’s roles?

Chairperson

Vice Chairperson

Secretary

Treasurer

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 5. What is the legal classification of your organisation? Please tick all that apply.

Unincorporated Association

Company Limited by Guarantee

Charity (awaiting registration with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland)

Charity (registered with Charity Commission for Northern Ireland)

Trust

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 6. Which topic best describes the work of your organisation?

Community development

Children & families

Health & well being

Education & training

Disability

Older people

Arts

Children & young people

Young people

Advice services

Sport

Housing

Community relations

Women

Faith based

Oversees aid

Support for the voluntary & community sector

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 7. Who are the main beneficiaries of the organisation’s activities? Please tick all that apply.

Preschool (0-5 year olds)

Children (5-13 year olds)

Young people (13–25 year olds)

Older people

General public

Men

Women

Ethnic minorities

People with a disability

Voluntary & Community Sector

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 8. What is the annual income of your organisation?

Less than £10,000

£10,001 - £100,000

£100,001 - £250,000

£250,001 - £500,000

£500,001 - £1million

Over £1million - £3million

More than £3million

Question Title

* 9. Which of the following geographic areas does your organisation operate in?

Antrim & Newtownabbey

Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon

Belfast

Causeway Coast & Glens

Derry & Strabane

Fermanagh & Omagh

Lisburn & Castlereagh

Mid & East Antrim

Mid Ulster

Newry, Mourne & Down

North Down & Ards

All of Northern Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 10. Please indicate from the list below the method by which you were appointed to the management committee.

Elected (by membership/community)

Nominated/co-opted by current committee

No formal selection process

Appointed by virtue of a position held in another organisation

Appointed by another body/agency

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 11. Please rank the relevance of the following statements in relation to your reasons for becoming a committee member with your current organisation(s).

	Very relevant	Neither relevant or not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant at all
Committed to the cause of the organisation	Committed to the cause of the organisation Very relevant	Committed to the cause of the organisation Neither relevant or not relevant	Committed to the cause of the organisation Not relevant	Committed to the cause of the organisation Not relevant at all
A sense of duty	A sense of duty Very relevant	A sense of duty Neither relevant or not relevant	A sense of duty Not relevant	A sense of duty Not relevant at all
Work in the particular field	Work in the particular field Very relevant	Work in the particular field Neither relevant or not relevant	Work in the particular field Not relevant	Work in the particular field Not relevant at all
Wanted to be more involved in my community	Wanted to be more involved in my community Very relevant	Wanted to be more involved in my community Neither relevant or not relevant	Wanted to be more involved in my community Not relevant	Wanted to be more involved in my community Not relevant at all
Knew a board member	Knew a board member Very relevant	Knew a board member Neither relevant or not relevant	Knew a board member Not relevant	Knew a board member Not relevant at all
Personally affected by the organisation’s work	Personally affected by the organisation’s work Very relevant	Personally affected by the organisation’s work Neither relevant or not relevant	Personally affected by the organisation’s work Not relevant	Personally affected by the organisation’s work Not relevant at all
Representing another organisation	Representing another organisation Very relevant	Representing another organisation Neither relevant or not relevant	Representing another organisation Not relevant	Representing another organisation Not relevant at all

Other/Any Additional Comments

Question Title

* 12. Please indicate how much time you give in undertaking your duties as a committee member.

0-1 hours a month

1-2 hours a month

3-4 hours a month

5-7 hours a month

8-15 hours a month

16+ hours a month

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 13. Please indicate the specific skills/tasks you are expected to bring/perform in relation to your current committee(s) please rank relevance.

	Very relevant	Relevant	Neither relevant or not relevant	Not relevant	Not relevant at all
Knowledge of relevant work	Knowledge of relevant work Very relevant	Knowledge of relevant work Relevant	Knowledge of relevant work Neither relevant or not relevant	Knowledge of relevant work Not relevant	Knowledge of relevant work Not relevant at all
To take a particular post (ie Chair)	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Very relevant	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Relevant	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Neither relevant or not relevant	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Not relevant	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Not relevant at all
Enthusiasm/energy	Enthusiasm/energy Very relevant	Enthusiasm/energy Relevant	Enthusiasm/energy Neither relevant or not relevant	Enthusiasm/energy Not relevant	Enthusiasm/energy Not relevant at all
Personnel	Personnel Very relevant	Personnel Relevant	Personnel Neither relevant or not relevant	Personnel Not relevant	Personnel Not relevant at all
Knowledge of local community	Knowledge of local community Very relevant	Knowledge of local community Relevant	Knowledge of local community Neither relevant or not relevant	Knowledge of local community Not relevant	Knowledge of local community Not relevant at all
Previous work in similar role	Previous work in similar role Very relevant	Previous work in similar role Relevant	Previous work in similar role Neither relevant or not relevant	Previous work in similar role Not relevant	Previous work in similar role Not relevant at all
Managerial skills	Managerial skills Very relevant	Managerial skills Relevant	Managerial skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Managerial skills Not relevant	Managerial skills Not relevant at all
Public relations skills	Public relations skills Very relevant	Public relations skills Relevant	Public relations skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Public relations skills Not relevant	Public relations skills Not relevant at all
Fundraising skills	Fundraising skills Very relevant	Fundraising skills Relevant	Fundraising skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Fundraising skills Not relevant	Fundraising skills Not relevant at all
Political skills	Political skills Very relevant	Political skills Relevant	Political skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Political skills Not relevant	Political skills Not relevant at all
Financial skills	Financial skills Very relevant	Financial skills Relevant	Financial skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Financial skills Not relevant	Financial skills Not relevant at all
Legal skills	Legal skills Very relevant	Legal skills Relevant	Legal skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Legal skills Not relevant	Legal skills Not relevant at all
Access to funding	Access to funding Very relevant	Access to funding Relevant	Access to funding Neither relevant or not relevant	Access to funding Not relevant	Access to funding Not relevant at all
IT skills	IT skills Very relevant	IT skills Relevant	IT skills Neither relevant or not relevant	IT skills Not relevant	IT skills Not relevant at all
Property skills	Property skills Very relevant	Property skills Relevant	Property skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Property skills Not relevant	Property skills Not relevant at all
Marketing skills	Marketing skills Very relevant	Marketing skills Relevant	Marketing skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Marketing skills Not relevant	Marketing skills Not relevant at all
Governance skills	Governance skills Very relevant	Governance skills Relevant	Governance skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Governance skills Not relevant	Governance skills Not relevant at all
Planning/policy making skills	Planning/policy making skills Very relevant	Planning/policy making skills Relevant	Planning/policy making skills Neither relevant or not relevant	Planning/policy making skills Not relevant	Planning/policy making skills Not relevant at all

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 14. What skills do you think are most important for committee members?

	Very important	Important	Neither important or unimportant	Not important	Not at all important	Not sure / don't know
Knowledge of relevant work	Knowledge of relevant work Very important	Knowledge of relevant work Important	Knowledge of relevant work Neither important or unimportant	Knowledge of relevant work Not important	Knowledge of relevant work Not at all important	Knowledge of relevant work Not sure / don't know
To take a particular post (ie Chair)	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Very important	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Important	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Neither important or unimportant	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Not important	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Not at all important	To take a particular post (ie Chair) Not sure / don't know
Enthusiasm/energy	Enthusiasm/energy Very important	Enthusiasm/energy Important	Enthusiasm/energy Neither important or unimportant	Enthusiasm/energy Not important	Enthusiasm/energy Not at all important	Enthusiasm/energy Not sure / don't know
Personnel	Personnel Very important	Personnel Important	Personnel Neither important or unimportant	Personnel Not important	Personnel Not at all important	Personnel Not sure / don't know
Knowledge of local community	Knowledge of local community Very important	Knowledge of local community Important	Knowledge of local community Neither important or unimportant	Knowledge of local community Not important	Knowledge of local community Not at all important	Knowledge of local community Not sure / don't know
Previous work in similar role	Previous work in similar role Very important	Previous work in similar role Important	Previous work in similar role Neither important or unimportant	Previous work in similar role Not important	Previous work in similar role Not at all important	Previous work in similar role Not sure / don't know
Managerial skills	Managerial skills Very important	Managerial skills Important	Managerial skills Neither important or unimportant	Managerial skills Not important	Managerial skills Not at all important	Managerial skills Not sure / don't know
Public relations skills	Public relations skills Very important	Public relations skills Important	Public relations skills Neither important or unimportant	Public relations skills Not important	Public relations skills Not at all important	Public relations skills Not sure / don't know
Fundraising skills	Fundraising skills Very important	Fundraising skills Important	Fundraising skills Neither important or unimportant	Fundraising skills Not important	Fundraising skills Not at all important	Fundraising skills Not sure / don't know
Political skills	Political skills Very important	Political skills Important	Political skills Neither important or unimportant	Political skills Not important	Political skills Not at all important	Political skills Not sure / don't know
Financial skills	Financial skills Very important	Financial skills Important	Financial skills Neither important or unimportant	Financial skills Not important	Financial skills Not at all important	Financial skills Not sure / don't know
Legal skills	Legal skills Very important	Legal skills Important	Legal skills Neither important or unimportant	Legal skills Not important	Legal skills Not at all important	Legal skills Not sure / don't know
Access to funding	Access to funding Very important	Access to funding Important	Access to funding Neither important or unimportant	Access to funding Not important	Access to funding Not at all important	Access to funding Not sure / don't know
IT skills	IT skills Very important	IT skills Important	IT skills Neither important or unimportant	IT skills Not important	IT skills Not at all important	IT skills Not sure / don't know
Property skills	Property skills Very important	Property skills Important	Property skills Neither important or unimportant	Property skills Not important	Property skills Not at all important	Property skills Not sure / don't know
Marketing skills	Marketing skills Very important	Marketing skills Important	Marketing skills Neither important or unimportant	Marketing skills Not important	Marketing skills Not at all important	Marketing skills Not sure / don't know
Governance skills	Governance skills Very important	Governance skills Important	Governance skills Neither important or unimportant	Governance skills Not important	Governance skills Not at all important	Governance skills Not sure / don't know
Planning/policy making skills	Planning/policy making skills Very important	Planning/policy making skills Important	Planning/policy making skills Neither important or unimportant	Planning/policy making skills Not important	Planning/policy making skills Not at all important	Planning/policy making skills Not sure / don't know

Other/Any Additional Comments

Question Title

* 15. Were you provided with an induction when you were appointed/elected to the management committee?

Yes

Don't know / not sure