Trustee Role Description – Tulia Outreach

Role at a glance

Tulia Outreach is recruiting trustees to help govern a growing Coventry charity that keeps destitute migrants housed, fed and supported.

This is a voluntary Board role with Tulia Outreach (registered charity no. 1211560). Trustees are accountable to the Board of Trustees through the Chair. We are based at 121–123 New Union Street, Coventry, CV1 2NT, and some meetings are held online.

We expect the role to take around 3–4 hours a month, covering board meetings, reading papers beforehand, and occasional support between meetings. Trustees serve a fixed term, (more details to be discussed in the interview). The role is unpaid, and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed.

About Tulia Outreach

We believe no one should be left homeless or hungry because of their immigration status. Tulia Outreach is a Coventry-based charity that relieves poverty and hardship among migrants in the UK who are left without support, many of whom have no recourse to public funds.

We help people move from crisis to stability through four areas of work:

  • Emergency aid and essentials: food parcels, toiletries, clothing and basic supplies for migrants facing destitution.

  • Support and casework: our case officer helps clients access legal advice, healthcare and referral services, including voluntary return options where appropriate.

  • Coventry Transitional Housing Project: a safe house for five destitute adults at a time, who stay for 3–6 months with tailored support towards immigration resolution or reintegration.

  • Community integration and advocacy: working with local groups to reduce isolation, and advocating for destitute migrants through national networks such as NACCOM.

Tulia Outreach sits alongside Tulia Group CIC, a social enterprise founded in 2017 as Migrant Family Support that provides immigration legal advice, training and holistic support to migrant communities. Together, Tulia offers legal expertise and practical, on-the-ground relief under one family of organisations.

We were registered with the Charity Commission recently, so our new trustees will help shape the foundations: our policies, our funding base and how we grow.

Purpose of the role

Trustees are collectively responsible for making sure Tulia Outreach stays true to its purpose, is well run, and uses its resources for the people it exists to serve.

The Board does not manage day-to-day delivery. It sets direction, provides oversight, and offers both support and constructive challenge to the staff team. Because we are a small, growing charity, trustees are also expected to roll up their sleeves now and then, lending their skills, networks and voice where they are most needed.

Key responsibilities

Working with fellow trustees, you will:

Governance and compliance

  1. Ensure Tulia Outreach carries out its charitable purposes for the public benefit and complies with its governing document, charity law and other relevant regulation.

  2. Act in the charity's best interests at all times, with reasonable care and skill.

  3. Declare and manage any conflicts of interest, including any links with Tulia Group CIC or partner organisations, so that each organisation's decisions remain independent.

Strategy and direction

  1. Help set and review the charity's vision, strategy and priorities, and monitor progress against them.

  2. Help shape the next stage of growth, for example extending the Transitional Housing Project or our casework capacity.

Money and resources

  1. Safeguard the charity's assets and ensure funds are used only for our purposes.

  2. Approve the annual budget, review management accounts, and ensure annual reports and accounts are filed with the Charity Commission on time.

  3. Support fundraising and grant applications, and help build a sustainable, diverse income base.

Safeguarding and risk

  1. Ensure robust safeguarding policies and practice are in place, given that we house and support adults in crisis, many with complex immigration, health and trauma histories.

  2. Oversee risk management, including housing safety, data protection, and the boundary between support and regulated immigration advice.

People and partnerships

  1. Support and hold accountable the staff and volunteers, and help appoint and appraise senior staff where relevant.

  2. Act as an ambassador for Tulia Outreach, building links with funders, local authorities, faith and community groups, and networks.

  3. Attend board meetings, read papers in advance, and contribute to discussion and decisions.

Trustees may also take on a lead role in a specific area, such as Chair, Treasurer, Safeguarding Lead or Fundraising Lead.

Person specification

You do not need previous trustee experience. Full induction and support will be provided.

Essential

  • A genuine commitment to our purpose and to the dignity and rights of migrants, whatever their immigration status.

  • Willingness to understand and accept the legal duties and responsibilities of a charity trustee.

  • Sound, independent judgement and the confidence to ask questions and offer constructive challenge.

  • Ability to work as part of a team, respecting different views, cultures and backgrounds.

  • Integrity, discretion and respect for confidentiality.

  • Time and commitment to attend meetings and prepare properly.

Desirable

  • Experience of serving on a board or committee, or in a senior leadership role.

  • Knowledge of the UK immigration system, no recourse to public funds, homelessness or destitution.

  • Links with communities, faith groups, funders or statutory services in Coventry and the West Midlands.

Skills we are particularly looking for

We want a board with a balance of skills. We would especially welcome applicants who bring one or more of the skills below.

Financial experience would help us oversee budgets, restricted grants and annual accounts as our income grows, and could lead to the Treasurer role. Safeguarding experience, particularly with adults at risk, matters because we house and support people in crisis and the Board needs a confident safeguarding lead.

Experience in housing or property would help us run a safe, compliant transitional house and plan for more bed spaces. Fundraising and grant-writing skills would help us build a sustainable and varied income base. Legal or immigration knowledge would help the Board understand the regulatory line between practical support and immigration advice.

We would also value people with marketing, communications or advocacy experience to raise our profile and amplify migrants' voices, and people with HR or volunteer management experience to support our small team and growing volunteer base.

Lived experience and inclusion

We want our board to reflect the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of migration, seeking asylum, destitution or no recourse to public funds, and from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, disabled people, and people from working-class backgrounds.

We will make reasonable adjustments throughout the process and in the role, including support with paperwork, meeting times and travel costs. If you have lived experience but have never sat on a board, we will pair you with an experienced trustee during your first year.

What we offer

  • A full induction covering our work, finances, policies and your legal duties as a trustee.

  • The chance to visit our services and meet the team, so you understand the work first-hand.

  • Access to trustee training and networks.

  • Reimbursement of reasonable expenses, such as travel and childcare to attend meetings.

  • Valuable board-level experience, and the satisfaction of helping people move from crisis to stability.

Eligibility and checks

  • You must be aged 18 or over.

  • You must not be disqualified from acting as a charity trustee under the Charities Act 2011. You will be asked to sign a declaration of eligibility and a declaration of interests.

  • Because we work with adults at risk, appointments are subject to two references and a DBS check at the appropriate level.

  • Having a criminal record or past financial difficulty does not automatically rule you out. Some disqualifications can be waived by the Charity Commission, and we are happy to talk this through in confidence.

  • Immigration status is not in itself a barrier. The role is unpaid volunteering, and we will talk through any visa conditions with you before appointment.

How to apply

Send a CV, or a short summary of your experience, and a covering note of no more than one page to help@tuliaoutreach.org . Please tell us:

  • Why you want to be a trustee of Tulia Outreach.

  • What skills, experience or perspective you would bring, including any lived experience you are comfortable sharing.

  • Which skill area or lead role interests you, if any.

If you would prefer to apply by phone or a short voice note, just let us know.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an informal conversation with the Chair and another trustee, and to observe a board meeting before appointment.