Who are Brixton Advice Centre?

Brixton Advice Centre has offered walk in advice and legal services since 1966. It is a charity founded and funded in its community. Over the last 50 years and counting, its staff, volunteers and trustees have made it possible for thousands of local people to access life-changing free advice. What seems like a small form, a simple question or a big issue can, with the expertise of Brixton Advice Centre, transform the life, future and mental health of our clients and their loved ones

What Does Brixton Advice Centre Do?

We provide free specialist legal advice on housing, debt and welfare benefits. We can also provide advice on things like consumer and employment rights, family law, domestic violence issues and discrimination through our Online Legal Clinic and generalist advice service

Up until the pandemic we operated as a face-to-face service only, but in a ground-breaking response to the pandemic lockdown we set up telephone support lines and an online legal clinic to make sure no one in Brixton was left behind. Our Online Legal Clinic won Best Contribution by a Pro Bono Clinic at the National LawWorks Awards in 2020 and was also nominated in the Best New Pro Bono Activity category too

Brixton Advice Centre has always moved in step with our community and this new focus allowed us to continue supporting old clients while welcoming new clients, many of whom needed advice for times few people could plan for. Our steady presence in the area for over a half century means we evolve with the people who live here. Like a library you can come to us for information not just a crisis

We give free and confidential advice to all equally and without judgment. We are proud of the small acts we do that have established our reputation locally and nationally and which allow Brixton’s residents to access free legal advice or enforce their legal rights appropriately

Why Are We Seeking Trustees Now?

2020 was a year of huge change that raised the importance of equality and much reflection on the vital need for representation, diversity and accessibility of resources and opportunity in our communities. We particularly wish to honour that at Trustee level as we recognise in changing times there are gaps in terms of skills, age and diversity we want to fill to make sure Brixton Advice Centre’s decision making fully reflects its users and its community.

We seek to be a role model to those who use us or work with us so as well as Trustees we also welcome contact from people with other skills they wish to share or that they believe could add to our mission to provide education and advice to ease poverty and hardship in the borough of Lambeth

Who Can Be A Trustee?

We are seeking Trustees who live and/or work in the Borough of Lambeth. We serve a diverse ever-changing community and particularly welcome applications from people of colour or any BAME background, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people with disabilities or mental health conditions, those from a range of ages, socio-economic brackets, career stages or educational backgrounds

All Trustees should be over the age of 18 and fulfil the criteria under the Charity Commission’s The Essential Trustee guide: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-what-you-need-to-do

Being a Trustee is an unpaid voluntary role. It requires a commitment of time, energy and passion for the Centre and its values

At the moment trustee meetings are held virtually and this is likely to continue into the summer so Trustees will need access to reliable digital tools such as a smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC

What Will A Trustee Do?

Trustees will be expected to attend each monthly meeting. This is held on the last Wednesday of each month between 6.30-8pm

Trustees are also expected to participate in at least one sub-committee or take on roles to provide strategic insight and guidance for Brixton Advice Centre and the CEO

They should also be available to be reasonably consulted by fellow Trustees and the CEO between meetings

Trustees are expected to be prepared for each meeting having read and understood all papers and be able to follow the details of financial issues, policies and procedures applicable and ask questions and use critical thinking to reach and follow board decisions even if they do not agree with them individually

Trustees must understand and accept the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of being a Trustee for a registered charity and always act in the best interests of Brixton Advice Centre including. They should want to join the Trustee board to help grow Brixton Advice Centre in the next stage of its work

We are particularly looking for Trustees with skills or experience in the following areas:

• Fundraising, both individual and with corporate partnerships
• Finance
• Legal advice sector
• Media, PR and Marketing
• Digital Development and IT
• Business strategy and organisational development
• Public and community engagement

How To Apply To Be A Trustee:

Please complete the form here and include a statement of up to 500 words that outlines your motivation to join Brixton Advice Centre and how you believe your professional, vocational or lived experience is relevant and would be of benefit to the Centre

This recruitment will remain open until 30th June 2021

We look forward to welcoming fresh perspectives to our unique charity

Brixton Advice Centre

Registered Charity No 291484

Registered Company No 01893924

Address 167 Railton Road London SE24 0LU