Trustee Vacancy 2026 - Volunteer

HOPS Wellbeing Service; Houghton-le-Spring; On-site; Full time

Job description

Join HOPS as a Trustee and help shape holistic wellbeing support for carers, older people and isolated individuals in Sunderland. We're seeking passionate people to strengthen our board and support the growth and strategic direction of our charity.

What difference will you make?

Our Trustees play a very important role in our charity. They know they are giving something back and striving to have a positive impact. We’re looking for someone who is committed to our mission of supporting community wellbeing and who understands the responsibilities of being a trustee. Key characteristics include reliability, good communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team. We value trustees who are thoughtful, open‑minded, and willing to ask questions or offer guidance when needed.

What are we looking for?

We are particularly interested in individuals who have experience in the following areas:

• Charity or voluntary sector
• Board or committee involvement
• Equity, diversity and inclusion
• Fundraising and income generation
• Building partnerships
• Strategic development

Experience or understanding of wellbeing, holistic health, and community engagement is also valuable, as is lived experience of unpaid caring, mental health challenges, or chronic illness.

We also welcome those who have knowledge of HOPS’ field of work. Strong people skills, problem‑solving abilities, the confidence to ask difficult questions, and sound decision‑making are just as important to us as technical knowledge or professional expertise.

What will you be doing?

As HOPS continues to grow and develop its services, we are seeking a new trustee to strengthen our board and support our evolving strategy. We want to ensure we have a diverse mix of skills, experiences, and perspectives to guide the charity through the next phase of development.

A new trustee will help us enhance our governance as our programmes expand and bring fresh insight and ideas to help shape our future direction. They will also support our efforts to engage more effectively with local communities, funders, and partners, and contribute to ensuring the long‑term sustainability and impact of our work.

We’re particularly keen to recruit someone who is passionate about community wellbeing and can bring skills in areas such as fundraising, communications, strategic planning, or experience of the voluntary sector. As a small charity with big ambitions, every trustee plays a vital role in helping us achieve our mission.