A Guide to Trustee Boards for Young People
Can I be a trustee?
Executive Committees are known as Trustee Boards. This came into effect for members in Scotland in July 2023, and all others from April 2023. 'Executive Committee' and associated wording will still be visible on Compass and the website as we move to our new way of volunteering.
To learn more about what we are doing to improve how we volunteer at Scouts, visit the Volunteer Experience webpages.
Introduction
This guidance is designed to help young people starting their role on Trustee Boards. It should not be seen as a technical guide, but should point you in the right direction when getting started in the role. Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR) of The Scout Association contains the up-to-date rules of the Scouts.
The Trustee Board is a team of volunteers who work together to make sure Scouts is run safely and legally.
Together, Trustees make sure the charity is well-managed, risks are assessed and mitigated, buildings and equipment are in good working order, and everyone follows legal requirements and Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR). Their support helps other volunteers run a fantastic programme that gives young people skills for life (and experiences they’ll remember forever).
As a young person in the Scouts, it’s important you can be represented and be engaged in decision-making at all levels.
Can I be a trustee?
All members of Trustee Boards are charity trustees which hold important legal responsibilities and requirements. You cannot be a member of the Trustee Boards if you are disqualified from being a charity trustee by the Charities Acts.
You'll find the criteria for disqualification to a role with Trustee responsibilities on POR 13.1.
Anybody else can be a charity trustee within the Scouts. All Youth Commissioners are ex- officio members of their local District or County Trustee Board. Where possible, Group, District and County/Area Trustee Boards should have at least two young people (18-25 year-olds).
If you're under 18, you cannot act as a charity trustee. However, you can attend Trustee Board meetings as a guest (with no formal vote).