DF Trustee App: Alison Surtees

From Tribewanted

Application For Role of Trustee: Alison Surtees

A. Occupation

Name and Address of current or most recent employer:

Creative Industry In Salford

Director, Oct 2004 to Current

Please summarise the main duties and responsibilities in your current or most recent job:

I originally was involved in setting up the organisation as a board member. We are a Social Enterprise/Community organisation that delivers creative projects across Salford and Greater Manchester with the aim of getting excluded groups involved in training work placement and employment in the sector. I have been responsible for securing funding and delivering the funding strategy, business planning, managing staff, delivering projects, finance, monitoring and evaluation, strategic development, supporting other small businesses in the sector with start ups and ongoing advice, networking and securing our position as a key partner in the Media City project, a multi million pound initiative that ties with the BBC’s move to Salford Quays. My long-term objectives are to ensure that the move of the BBC is of benefit to the people of Salford in work opportunities beyond cleaning the place and serving the chips!

B. Education and Training

a) Secondary education OR further and/or higher education, giving most recent qualification first

School/College/University/	Qualification and subjects(s)	Level	Grade	Year obtained
University of Salford	P.G. Dip Television Features and Documentary Production	Post Grad		2002
University of Bolton	P.G.C.E. Further Higher and Adult Education	Post Grad		2000
University of Bolton	BA(Hons) Film & Television / Creative Writing		2:1	1999
Salford College of Technology	HNC Business and Finance		Distinction	1987

b) Qualification(s) currently being undertaken

Institution/Provider	Qualification/level	Subject(s)	Exam/finish date
(none)

c) Relevant Training and Non-Qualification Courses Attended

• DSC courses in Risk Assessment, Health and Safety and Financial Management and Accounting (all 2 days each)
• NCVYS Child Protection Awareness and Policy Writing Course (2 days)
• School Governor Training – ongoing with Salford City Council

d) Membership of Professional Body(ies)/Professional Qualification(s)
(If more than one, please list all)

Name of Professional Body(ies)	Qualification(s)	Membership level	Registration No.	Date obtained
(none)

C. Additional Information in Support of your Application

1. Have you read and understood the following document published by the Charities Commission: [1]

YES

2. Please outline any experience you may have of working with a charity:

My experience lies within the voluntary and community sector, rather than a charity directly, although we are looking at splitting our current organisation into a charity and a CLG. I have also worked with Business in The Community and a legal team pro bono for support with another organisation I am involved with regarding charitable status (Manchester District Music Archive). Having said that, the operation of a voluntary and community group is very similar to that of a charity in terms of its objectives, in that they are charitable, and therefore allow access to funding. I am aware of the requirements to funders and the obligations of Trustees, including finance, governance and accountability. I have worked within this sector for 5 years, and regularly ensure I engage with training to support the work we undertake.

3. Give an account of any specialist or transferable skills you may have which would be relevant to the role of TWDF Trustee?
(e.g. PR/marketing, fundraising, accountancy, legal, HR, project management, specific connections with Fiji etc)

Transferable skills:

Fundraising and writing funding bids – Some of the bids include: Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Big Lottery Young Peoples Fund, Single Regeneration Budget, European Regional Development Fund, New Learning in Deprived Communities (LSC), Positive Activities for Young People.

Project Management – currently this is my main role within CRIS, securing funding, managing resources and freelancer/subcontractors. Planning projects, monitoring and evaluating activity, governance, strategic planning and business planning.

Managing HR and facilities – as above, employing staff, organising freelance contracts and subcontractors contracts, hiring kit and crew. Managing payroll, staff evaluations, support and mentoring.

Producing – as with project management in the commercial sector producing films, commercials and music videos.

Systems and procedures – from paperwork, to monitoring forms, evaluation paperwork, and IT systems.

Knowledge of Children and Young People’s agendas (Britain but key to setting standards wherever we work)

Administration and organisational skills are high, managing a number of projects, staff and freelancers, keeping effective records, and strategic planning.

4. What experience, if any, do you have of serving on a committee?

I served on the committee for CRIS before stepping down to take the post. I will be joining the board on the new CLG when this goes through as Company Secretary. I was a member of the board for RipRoar Productions, a community film making company. I am co-founder and board member for Manchester District Music Archive. I sit on the Board of Governors for Walkden High School, Salford. I am a member of The Publicity and Communications committee for the Local Safeguarding Children Board in Salford. I am on the Nexus Steering Group Committee for Voluntary and Community Sector Youth Organisations in Salford, and I also sit on the Infrastructure Committee for CVS Salford which links to GMCVO.

5. What do you think will be the priorities for the TWDF Trustees in the next 6 months?

Establishing a formal Charity, which can take 6 months in itself, but during the process of this we should also be doing the following:

Formalising structures of reporting for the Charity, and our relationship to Tribe Wanted.

Opening a bank account

Short term Constitution, which establishes our aims and objectives, and lays out to everyone how we will operate and secure finance.

Building a track record with managing funding or finance, either by funding bids or through fund raising initiatives. This is important if we in future want to approach major funders, so we do not have to use an accountable body for our finances, and can be trusted to manage funds ourselves.

Establishing a formal membership of the Charity, as a means of gaining ownership of the project from all TW members, and support, and in the short term perhaps raise some income for the first project.

Once status achieved, then we will need to formally launch it, which would be towards the end of the 6 month period, and it would need profile through press and publicity.

6. Have you been to Fiji/do you plan on going in the next few years? Please give details:

I am looking to go towards the end of this year, with my son. I would like to buy more time on the island (currently only have a week, but like to do at least 2, and travel around the North of the Islands to understand the situation and see what work would be done and how it could be planned.

Would you be willing/able to carry out any relevant TWDF work while there?

Yes

7. If you are UK based, will you be able to attend meetings four times a year with the other Trustees and the occasional training day? (reasonable travel expenses will be paid):

Yes

8. Please give any further details you think are relevant to your application:

I think my experience would be an asset to the team, and I am more than prepared to pitch in with any work, but ultimately it is my enthusiasm, and my belief in the ideas of the charity that will provide the most benefit. I may come across sometimes as being cautious, but my mind will work on all sides of a problem, and I usually can find solutions and better ways of working to get things done. If I don’t think something is right I will say so, but always propose another option, and I think this is important with a responsible role such as a Trustee. One of the issues I see regularly is lack of confidence in Committee members to make decisions, which can cripple organisations ability to do their work. Clear leadership is crucial and I am more than prepared to get my hands dirty. I like to work within a team and support others in their tasks, but equally can be trusted to get on with work alone. I think this will be a great opportunity for me to get to know the project better and to really feel I have made a contribution to the long term sustainability and lasting legacy of Tribe Wanted.