In November the Charity Commission published a set of short, user-friendly guides aimed at trustees, which it describes as a 'core syllabus', covering the five areas considered to be key to charity stewardship.
The guides have been developed with the aim of making it quicker and easier for trustees to understand their role and access information, taking into account that the vast majority of trustees are unpaid volunteers. The Commission has stressed that although the guides are basic, they are of use to both new and more experienced trustees.
The five areas covered are:
- 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
Links to the more detailed Charity Commission guidance are provided in these short guides and so they also act as a useful signposting tool.
Publishing the guides is part of a wider programme the Commission is undertaking to update its core guidance and update the website.
