GET INVOLVED

our say

FCDA is a charity that wants to expand its work across the Feltham West ward and into the surrounding areas. The charity wants to hear from you about the needs of your local community.

Please help us by filling in this quick survey. FILL IN THE SURVEY (https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LPWRS6P).

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RUN YOUR OWN CLASSES AT THE FCDA?

Then get in touch with us, with your PROPOSAL. Tell us what you would like to do, why you would like to do it and from when. We look forward to hear from you

WOULD YOU LIKE TO RUN ‘STAY AND PLAY’ SESSIONS AT THE FCDA?

Then get in touch with us, with your PROPOSAL. Tell us what you would like to do, why you would like to do it and from when. We look forward to hear from you

Volunteering opportunities

TRUSTEE

FCDA DUTIES OF A TRUSTEE

Why are trustees important?

Trustees are essential to the wellbeing and effectiveness of the voluntary and community sector. Trustees have key responsibility for an organisation. They are in law the guardians of its purpose and are expected to direct the strategy (working with staff where they exist); they have financial oversight, are responsible for resources, and are expected to ensure the organisation stays within the law.

FCDA

FCDA is a community resource centre for young people and adults that live in the local area and help provide them with opportunities to access services, classes or provision to help better themselves and their wellbeing.

Our services are designed to make and sustain relationships with those most in need and those who are hardest to reach. As well as developing relationships with service users we also maintain relationships with partner organizations who help provide services to the local and wider community from FCDA. We work with people who are let down by other routes or who are unable to maintain relationships with more conventional forms of education, services or support. We help put them in contact with the right partner organization to best support that individual.

Trustees’ duties at a glance

This is a summary of trustees’ main legal responsibilities, which are explained in detail in the rest of this Charity Commission guidance. You should read this section as a minimum, and ensure you fully understand your responsibilities by referring to the rest of the guidance as necessary.

Before you start – make sure you are eligible to be a charity trustee

You must be at least 16 years old to be a trustee of a charity that is a company or a charitable

incorporated organisation (CIO), or at least 18 to be a trustee of any other charity.

You must be properly appointed following the procedures and any restrictions in the charity’s governing document.
You must not act as a trustee if you are disqualified, unless authorised to do so by a waiver from the Commission. The reasons for disqualification are shown in the disqualifying reasons table and include:
being bankrupt (undischarged) or having an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA)
having an unspent conviction for certain offences (including any that involve dishonesty or deception)
being on the sex offenders’ register

You can read the automatic disqualification guidance for charities which explains the disqualification.

rules in more detail. There are further restrictions for charities that work with children or adults at risk.

Ensure your charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit.

You and your co-trustees must make sure that the charity is carrying out the purposes for which it is set up, and no other purpose. This means you should:

ensure you understand the charity’s purposes as set out in its governing document
plan what your charity will do, and what you want it to achieve
be able to explain how all the charity’s activities are intended to further or support its purposes
understand how the charity benefits the public by carrying out its purposes

Spending charity funds on the wrong purposes is a very serious matter; in some cases, trustees may have to reimburse the charity personally. See section 4 for more information.

Comply with your charity’s governing document and the law.

You and your co-trustees must:

make sure that the charity complies with its governing document
comply with charity law requirements and other laws that apply to your charity

You should take reasonable steps to find out about legal requirements, for example by reading relevant guidance or taking appropriate advice when you need to.

Act in your charity’s best interests

You must:

do what you and your co-trustees (and no one else) decide will best enable the charity to carry

out its purposes

with your co-trustees, make balanced and adequately informed decisions, thinking about the long

term as well as the short term

avoid putting yourself in a position where your duty to your charity conflicts with your personal

interests or loyalty to any other person or body

not receive any benefit from the charity unless it is properly authorised and is clearly in the charity’s interests; this also includes anyone who is financially connected to you, such as a partner, dependent child, or business partner

Manage your charity’s resources responsibly.

You must act responsibly, reasonably, and honestly. This is sometimes called the duty of prudence. Prudence is about exercising sound judgement. You and your co-trustees must:

make sure the charity’s assets are only used to support or carry out its purposes
avoid exposing the charity’s assets, beneficiaries, or reputation to undue risk
not over-commit the charity
take special care when investing or borrowing
comply with any restrictions on spending funds or selling land

You and your co-trustees should put appropriate procedures and safeguards in place and take reasonable steps to ensure that these are followed. Otherwise, you risk making the charity vulnerable to fraud or theft, or other kinds of abuse, and being in breach of your duty.

Act with reasonable care and skill

As someone responsible for governing a charity, you:

must use reasonable care and skill, making use of your skills and experience and taking appropriate

advice when necessary

should give enough time, thought and energy to your role, for example by preparing for, attending

and actively participating in all trustees’ meetings

Ensure your charity is accountable.

You and your co-trustees must comply with statutory accounting and reporting requirements. You

should also:

be able to demonstrate that your charity is complying with the law, well run and effective
ensure appropriate accountability to members if your charity has a membership separate from

the trustees

ensure accountability within the charity, particularly where you delegate responsibility for tasks or decisions to staff or volunteers

Please read the Charity commissions document before you put yourself forward to be a trustee of FCDA. Thank you: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1171397/CC3_feb20.pdf

TREASURER

1. Introduction

The Treasurer is responsible for the proper handling of the organisation’s finances and account books. It is not part of his/her duties to undertake the fund-raising necessary for the organisation’s purposes.

It must also be remembered that although the Treasurer has responsibility for looking after the accounts on a day to day basis, and for preparing and reporting on them, it is all management committee members who are responsible and accountable for the financial affairs of the organisation.

The Treasurer’s responsibilities are to the main committee of the organisation and to its general membership. The Treasurer will ensure:

That the association is spending its money in the right way according to what it was given for;
The association is able to meet all its financial obligations; and
Alert the Committee if he/she thinks they are heading for financial trouble.

In practice, this means that s/he reports on the organisation’s financial transactions both to the committee and to the Annual General Meeting, at which the Treasurer will present the statement of accounts for the previous financial year.

At every regular meeting of the main committee the Treasurer will report income and expenditure; say what balance the organisation holds and report on whether the income and expenditure is in accordance with the budget. The Treasurer will advise the committee as to economies or fund-raising required and seek its authority for the payment of the organisation’s expenses. Appropriate Standing Orders will determine the extent to which the Treasurer, where appropriate in conjunction with other authorised officers, can agree various levels of payment without direct reference to the Committee.

In order to assist the committee with its forward planning, the Treasurer will prepare estimates of income and expenditure for the coming year, to be agreed by the management committee.

The Treasurer will keep the account records of the organisation, which will vary according to the size of the organisation and the number and type of its activities. It is likely that some records of day-to-day income and expenditure will have to be kept by other officers or by employed staff.

A Day Book (daily record) will usually be necessary, particularly for organisations which have a centre of their own, and in this receipts and payments will be entered by the officer or member of staff in charge (e.g. by the Centre Manager). (See also 4 below, Section Accounts.)

The main accounts of the organisation should be kept in an analysed Cash Book, or using a computer spread-sheet or other accounting software, so that the income and expenditure of different activities (and such things as cleaning and heating) can quickly be totalled. Get a book with as many columns on each side as possible – this will save laborious analysis of ‘miscellaneous income’ columns later on. Alternatively, if you intend to keep the accounts electronically, ensure that you use software that is appropriate.

Not all commercial software will allow you to keep the records in formats required for charity accounting purposes, and it is also important that you are able to print out reports for presentation to committee meetings in appropriately intelligible formats. If you are used to working with spreadsheets or you have someone willing and able to set it up, a spread sheet may be all you need and may be better (and will cost you less) than a professional package.

Some Sections will keep their own records e.g. the Youth Work Committee may have a simple account book detailing receipts and payments at the events it organises. The final responsibility for these subsidiary accounts remains with the Treasurer, who not only supervises them but ideally has a hand in deciding, in the first instance, the form in which they should be kept.

A record must be kept of all transactions, however small.

The organisation’s Treasurer, or the responsible officer, should issue receipts for all income and obtain receipts for all cash expenditure. In principle, all payments should be made from the organisation’s bank account, and it is normal for its committee to authorise any two (often, for convenience, any two out of three or four) of its officers to be the cheque signatories. However, where it has been agreed that an officer or section should hold a petty cash float, such officer/section should maintain their own records and regularly account to the organisation’s Treasurer for amounts spent.

Money/cheques should be paid into the organisation’s bank account as soon as possible.

Sometimes this means that an officer other than the Treasurer has to take the money to the bank; this presents no problems as long as s/he uses the organisation’s paying-in book and keeps the Treasurer informed.

On no account should any substantial sum of money be kept in an officer’s home – nor at the organisation’s premises unless there are adequate security precautions.

When the organisation has an adequate current account balance for normal running purposes, the Treasurer will (having consulted the committee) transfer surplus funds to a deposit account or investment which pays reasonable interest. This sounds obvious, but thousands of pounds of potential interest can be lost to community organisations which fail to take this simple step.

2. Annual Statement of Accounts and Balance Sheet

The Treasurer prepares this summary of the affairs of the organisation from his/her books, submits it for audit or independent examination and presents it to the Annual General Meeting.

Annual accounts of registered charities must be prepared and audited in accordance with regulations made under the 2011 Charities Act. The regulations are complicated and further advice is in technical guidance note ‘Reporting and Accounting by Charities’. The accounts should incorporate all the income and expenditure from all activities carried out by the organisation, including sections. However, in order that members can be well informed, it may be useful also to produce separate income and expenditure accounts for each section and sub-committee, so that members may know, for example, the percentage profit on catering.

The statement shows where funds are kept – in the current account, on deposit, cash in hand, etc. To present a true picture, allowance has to be made for stocks on hand and outstanding income and expenditure at the year’s end (i.e., amounts owing to the organisation and bills it has yet to receive/pay for the year in question).

3. Budgeting

Budgeting is a method of forward planning for the organisation’s finances.

The Treasurer prepares a forecast, based on the previous year’s income and expenditure, and makes allowance for:

inflation;
actual or probable changes in activities or in the anticipated level of support expected for them;
alterations already known in charges made by the organisation or in expenses it is liable to meet. An example on the income side might be a decision to increase rents to users, and, on the expenditure side, making allowance for an announced increase in the cost of electricity.

The simple way to prepare a budget is for the Treasurer to write his/her forecast, in the first instance, on a spare copy of the previous year’s accounts. He/she must not, of course, forget to add any new items which the committee has already decided upon, e.g. to start regularly distributing a news-sheet.

The budget enables the Treasurer to advise the committee as to the need to increase charges or to find additional sources of funds. It may even cause him/her to say ‘We can’t go on like this’.

4. Organisation failing to meet its financial commitments

Having taken the trouble to prepare an annual budget, the Treasurer should compare it, ideally once a quarter, with the actual income and expenditure to date. If, during the course of the financial year, either the income or expenditure (or both) is not as anticipated, the Treasurer must advise the committee of the new situation, so that it may, if necessary, take remedial action.

4.1 Section Accounts

The Community Organisation Treasurer should ensure that each Section has its own receipt book, so that s/he may check copy receipts where the Section income is passed on (or, if administratively more convenient, when it has been paid into the organisation’s bank account by the Section Treasurer.) Most Sections require some form of petty cash float, and it is up to the organisation’s Treasurer to see that this is made up to the agreed amount at regular intervals. Petty Cash vouchers and receipts should be required for all items of expenditure from the float.

As the Section is an integral part of the community organisation, its items of expenditure will require prior authorisation by the main committee of the community organisation (this would not apply to petty cash expenditure once the main committee has agreed and specified the amount of a float). As much of a Section’s expenditure is of a regular or recurrent nature, the main committee does not wish to have to record its agreement each time for such items as the purchase of refreshments – e.g. tea, coffee – or prizes for the whist drive. These are the sort of things which a float can cover. For larger sums, such as payment of a band for the dances, one authorisation for a series of payments is sufficient.

Bookkeeper

Adhoc roleJob advert

We are looking for a bookkeeper to join our team to manage the finances of a small charity. The team is small, but very supportive and committed to the community and service users. This is an adhoc role for a person who believes in the potential for community to affect personal change. This adhoc role can be worked remotely but occasionally will be asked to attend trustee meetings in person.

We support our local residents by offering services, classes and support from the our community resource center. We aim to offer people the opportunity to engage in services they would not otherwise have access to. We work from a community resource center in the heart of an estate and just off Feltham high street. We are looking for a person to help manage the books and budgets of grant applications.

While an interest and feeling for local issues is vital to the work, other experiences of management and community partnership work are also valuable.

The ideal candidate will need to bring diplomacy, humour, willingness and a commitment to the ethos of helping to grow stronger FCDA and local community.

Feltham Community Development Association JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Bookkeeper

Responsible to: Centre Manager

Salary: £12ph – £14ph

ANNUAL LEAVE: N/A

Hours; a flexible working system in agreement with the Trustees

Location: Working from Home however will be required to attend trustee meeting occasionally at FCDA, Belvedere House, Community Resource Centre, Lemon Grove, Feltham, London TW13 4DH

FCDA

FCDA is a community resource center for young people and adults that live in the local area and help provide them with opportunities to access services, classes or provision to help better themselves and their well being.

This means the role supports individuals as well as general admin, day to day tasks and priorities of the trustees. Alongside engaging with service users this role involves the supporting of the daily running of the center, and supporting the Centre Manager.

Job Purpose

In your new job in book keeping,

You could be managing part of your organization’s grant portfolio and working to find fantastic community partners for FCDA to work with and provide funding for their projects. You’ll be keeping the trustee board updated on the foundation’s portfolio, and could even be making funding recommendations. You could be working with your foundation’s funder, to inspire their employees about the foundation’s work to fund community projects and partners. You will also be responsible for ensuring FCDA meets all relevant legislative and compliance requirements by feeding these back to trustees and the center manager and will represent FCDA externally and apply learning from outside to your work at FCDA.

Main Duties

Duties and key responsibilities- Full job description

Job Overview:

We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Bookkeeper to join our team. As a Bookkeeper, you will be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records and performing various accounting tasks. The ideal candidate must have experience with HRMC, HR and payroll along with being proficient with google drive and sheets.

Duties included but not limited to:

Completing transactional accounting daily (AR/AP). Sage 50 Accounts knowledge is essential
Sole payroll processing in full and HR preparations – including contracts and pension auto-enrolment. Sage HR AND Payroll knowledge is an advantage
Preparing quarterly figures as well as daily tracking of targets
Preparation and analysis of grant budgets
Completing nominal and balance sheet reconciliations
Sole production of monthly management accounts
Processing and first stage authorization of all supplier/payroll/expense payments
Statutory returns (PAYE, VAT, personal Tax Return for Stakeholders)
Monthly expenditure reconciliation
Ensuring processes and controls are monitored and updated
Collating all year-end information and liaising with external Accountants
Management of charities invoice process properties

Skills:

– Proficiency in accounting software (Sage 50)- Strong knowledge of accounts payable processes- Attention to detail and accuracy in financial recordkeeping- Excellent organizational and time management skills- Ability to work independently and meet deadlines- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities- Effective communication skills, both written and verbal

If you have a passion for numbers and a keen eye for detail, we invite you to apply for the position of Bookkeeper. Join our team and contribute to the financial success of our organization.

Experience required

Accounting: 2 years (required)
bookkeeping: 2 years (required)

Work Location: In person

Grants Officer

Adhoc role

Job advert

We are looking for a Grants Officer to join our team to help fund so we can provide services and support to the local community. The team is small, but very supportive and committed to the community and service users. This is an ad hoc role for a person who believes in the potential for community to affect personal change. This ad hoc role can be worked remotely but occasionally will be asked to attend trustee meetings in person.

We support our local residents by offering services, classes and support from the out community resource center. We aim to offer people the opportunity to engage in services they would not otherwise have access to. We work from a community resource center in the heart of an estate and just off Feltham high street. We are looking for a person to write grants and manage the charity’s portfolio of grant applications.

While an interest and feeling for local issues is vital to the work, other experiences of management and community partnership work are also valuable.

The ideal candidate will need to bring diplomacy, humor, willingness and a commitment to the ethos of helping to grow stronger FCDA and local community.

Feltham Community Development Association JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Grant Officer

Responsible to: Centre Manager and Trustees

Salary: £12ph – £14ph or payment by reward

ANNUAL LEAVE: N/A

Hours: a flexible working system in agreement with the Trustees

Location: Working from Home however will be required to attend trustee meeting occasionally at FCDA, Belvedere House, Community Resource Centre, Lemon Grove, Feltham, London TW13 4DH

FCDA

Job Purpose

In your new job in grant-making, you could be managing part of your organization’s grant portfolio and working to find fantastic community partners for FCDA to work with and provide funding for their projects. You’ll be keeping the trustee board updated on the foundation’s portfolio, and could even be making funding recommendations. You could be working with your foundation’s funder, to inspire their employees about the foundation’s work to fund community projects and partners. You will also be responsible for ensuring FCDA meets all relevant legislative and compliance requirements by feeding these back to trustees and the center manager and will represent FCDA externally and apply learning from outside to your work at FCDA.

Main Duties

Duties and key responsibilities

Lead on the writing and submitting grant applications on behalf of FCDA
To co-ordinate with the Centre manager on resources or information you need in order to submit a grant application.
Have an active presence within FCDA Trustee meetings.
Plan activities and create opportunities to work alongside service users to build trusting relationships.
Keep up date with grant funder reports
passing on content for FCDA social media and passing on to the assistant center manager to upload.
If gaps in policies for grants are discovered during the application process then the Grant officer will pass this information on to the Trustees and Centre manager.
Assist with governance administration support such as minute taking and organising meetings
Work in partnership with other organizations as necessary in support of the grant applications and work of FCDA
Work within FCDA policies and procedures
Any other duties reasonably requested by management GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Be flexible within the broad remit of the post, be willing to go towards the work
Work at all times within the guidance and remit of the ethos, values and aims of FCDA
Actively participate in reflective practice
Take direction and instructions on projects and priorities from Trustees
Abide by organizational policies, codes of conduct and practices
Be proactive in keeping up to date with developments affecting your work
Carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned EXPERIENCE
Work experience in community work / grant writing
An interest and some knowledge of the needs of the local community (essential)
Experience of team (essential)

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

A commitment to community and willingness to participate in community life
An open and non-judgmental approach to people and their situations
Ability to make and maintain safe relationships with people whose behavior can be challenging and/or who are carrying trauma
Confidence to take charge where required
Clear verbal and written communication skills including the ability to communicate clearly and assertively with a wide range of people
Ability to prioritize and make clear decisions

Good persuasion, negotiation and diplomatic skills

KNOWLEDGE EDUCATION/TRAINING

An understanding of how to work within a Community setting

An understanding of safeguarding
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Confident and adaptable
Belief in the potential in everyone
Ability to resolve workplace conflict if it arises
Work within the FCDA ethos and philosophy
Able to be flexible with working hours and respond to the needs of the community.
Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion issues to all areas of work