Liberdade Community Development Trust (Gosforth Civic Theatre) are looking for a number of new people to join our Trustee Board as we embark on an exciting stage in our development.
What we are looking for
We are looking for people who can strengthen our Board and enable us to fully realise our plans for the future.
We are especially keen that our Board more fully reflects the diversity of the community where we work, we would actively encourage applications from local people, especially those who have experienced or are disadvantaged by racism, who are part of the LGBTQI+ community, or have experienced disability discrimination.
We are looking to recruit trustees with one or some of the following skills, knowledge and experience:
Accountancy/Finance - Our current treasurer will be stepping down soon and we are looking for a new trustee with experience of overseeing company, or charity accounts. We are supported by our accountants Tait Walker and development opportunities for this role are available.
Lived Experience - We are looking for people with lived experience of; being a parent or a carer of someone with a learning disability; being disadvantaged by racism; being part of the LGBTQI+ community; or have been disadvantaged by disability discrimination.
Facilities Management (arts/hospitality) – Although we have good skills within our staff team we would like to find a trustee who can bring facilities management skills to the board.
Fundraising Events and Philanthropy - To support our fundraising campaign to raise £1m pounds for our capital project. Some of these funds will need to come from our community and we need someone on the board who can help us to raise our target.
Capital project delivery – We would like to bring a trustee onboard to help us to successfully deliver this building project, and to take part in our capital development sub group to deliver the project.
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What you will do
As a Liberdade Trustee you will be expected to attend 4-6 Board meetings per year. You may also be asked to attend time limited sub-groups, strategic planning sessions, occasional away days and training relevant to your role. You will not be paid for this role but expenses are paid to enable all trustees to attend.
You do not need to have prior experience of being a Trustee as training will be given so that you fully understand the responsibilities that come with this role.
The recruitment and induction process will include an informal chat with the Chair of the trustees and the Chief Executive, the opportunity to sit-in on a board meeting, a tour of the building, an opportunity to meet some of our beneficiaries, and a finance induction.
How to apply
Please send an email or a short video of yourself telling us:
a bit about you
what skills you could bring to the organisation (See what we are looking for section above, but we are also interested in your other skills)
why you would like to become a trustee of Liberdade.
Please include a CV of your experience if you have one.
Please send this information to Rob Huggins (Chief Executive) at rob@liberdade.co.uk by the 18th March 2022. You can also contact Rob Huggins for a chat about becoming one of our trustee.
About us
Our organisations mission is “To raise everyone’s expectations about what people with learning disabilities can achieve”. To help us achieve this, in 2016 we opened Gosforth Civic Theatre and have developed this into an inclusive and vibrant arts and cultural venue in which people with learning disabilities are at the heart of all we do.
We are a disability arts charity which was set up in 2003 as an apprenticeship scheme with the aim of enabling a group of people with learning disabilities to set up and run their own physical theatre company. We wanted to show how running an organisation could offer people with learning disabilities choice, and the opportunity to shape the community in which they live.
Gosforth Civic Theatre
Under Liberdade’s management Gosforth Civic Theatre operates as:
A home for our training, volunteering and work opportunities and programmes for people with learning disabilities
An arts and cultural venue which offers a programme of gigs, performances and events for public audiences
A community venue housing a range of regular weekly activities for community members to benefit from.
In addition, the Theatre offers:
A popular community café which is open daily for people living and working nearby
A flexible venue which can be used for corporate and private functions including weddings, parties, conferences, and away days.
Our Plans
This is an exciting time for Liberdade. We have developed a new Theory of Change which focuses on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and which commits us to:
Make everyone feel welcome at Gosforth Civic Theatre
Get even better at showing what people with learning disabilities can do
Make the building better
We are now developing a new 3-year business plan to make sure we can deliver these commitments. Additionally, we are planning a fabulous £1,000,000 refurbishment and extension to the Theatre which will significantly improve its environmental performance, upgrade its facilities and provide extra space for community members and our growing staff team.
To find out more pop in and say hello or you can visit our website and social media
@gocivtheatre (Facebook,Instagram,Twitter)
@Liberdade community development trust (Facebook)