AfID Mobile | Accounting for International Development

UK Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Qualify?

You will also need to tick one of these: Please note it is not essential to be a qualified accountant

3 to 5+ or more years relevant accounting experience
Membership or affiliation to a UK or overseas accounting institute e.g. ICAEW, ICAS, ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA,
Part-Qualified or AAT Accounting Technician with 5 or more years relevant work experience
You will need to provide evidence of your qualifications, accounting experience i.e. references, as part of the registration process
If you are still unsure, please drop us a line as we are happy to answer any questions.

What will I be doing?

Each assignment will vary from charity to charity but typical areas of focus are listed below:

Organisational needs assessment & Internal audit
Understanding financial statements
Bookkeeping and cash management
Income & Expenditure budgets
Creating, Monitoring & Evaluating budgets
Cash flow forecasting
Debt & credit management and control
Internal controls and financial procedures
Management information systems
Financing
External audit preparation
Risk management
Interim position and providing handovers to new members of staff
Trustee & Treasurer positions
Remote consultation

How much does it cost?

There is no charge for UK or Remote volunteering. Partner organisations will often cover associated expenses such as travel and lunch.

How can I get involved?

If you would like to volunteer in the UK, please email info@afid.org.uk. We will then get back to you and arrange a convenient time to call.

We will ask you to complete a UK registration form, which covers your personal details, professional qualifications & skills, work & travel experience, employment references & CV. This information will help us find the right assignments to fit you. Once registration is complete we will begin to provide you with new opportunities to consider as and when they arise.

What is available now?

Our UK opportunities are displayed within the Top Opportunities. If there doesn’t appear to be a role in your region, please get in touch and let us try and find a role for you.

Remote pro-bono Technical Assistance

During the Corona virus pandemic we will not be organising onsite face to face assignments, we are arranging remote technical support whereby experienced finance & accounting professionals can support non-profits via email, telephone and video conferencing. This also means we can now provide remote support to organisations globally and offer volunteer roles to professionals unable to travel. This will remain a service after the pandemic. If you are keen to become a Remote Volunteer or you are an organisation that would welcome this type of support please email volunteers@afid.org.uk

Trustees & Treasurers

Many of our charity partners are seeking trustees and treasurers and would love to secure the services of an accountant to take on this very rewarding role. If you are interested in becoming a trustee or treasurer, please see our UK Volunteer Opportunities.

Why become a trustee or a treasurer?

Being a trustee or a treasurer is a rewarding, enjoyable and accessible way to get involved with a charity, learn new skills, make a real difference and find out more about the non-profit sector before making a career change:

Utilise your professional skills and expertise to benefit an important cause
Play a crucial role in ensuring a charity is financially secure and achieves their ambitions
Help shape the direction of a charity alongside passionate, like-minded people
Gain charity sector experience for a possible career move

What skills will I gain?

Becoming a trustee or treasurer of a charity not only gives you a unique insight into how non-profits operate, but also provides an opportunity to develop professionally and pick up new skills such as:

Management and leadership skills
Interpersonal and team working skills
Analysis and monitoring skills
Specialist charity sector finance skills
Knowledge of charity governance and structure

What is a trustee?

A trustee is a member of the governing board of a charity who are responsible for the general control and management of the administration of a charity. The board of trustees of a charity would be responsible for ensuring that the organisation has a clearly aligned set of goals and strategy and would take overall legal responsibility for the organisation’s work:

Work alongside other trustees to ensure the success and sustainability of the charity
Safeguard the organisation's mission and the best interests of beneficiaries
Shape the future direction and strategy of the charity

What is a treasurer?

An Honorary Treasurer (treasurer) is a member of the Board of Trustees, but takes a more senior responsibility for the financial management of the charity – the Board of Trustees would often look to the treasurer for advice and guidance. The treasurers’ role would be to oversee the financial administration, reporting and risk management of the organisation:

Provide guidance and advice on budgeting and financial operations
Advise fellow trustees on financial implications of strategic plans
Organise financial resources and report on financial health of charity

How much time do I need to be able to commit?

Trustee and treasurer roles vary greatly, depending on the size and nature of the organisation, and therefore the time commitment required to undertake the role varies too. Often it is is purely an oversight role where the time commitment required is quarterly Board meetings (evenings and weekends) and possibly Finance Committee meetings. For other organisations, usually smaller charities, the treasurer role may also entail an element of 'hands-on' work, typically no more than a few hours a month.

How much experience do I need?

This varies from one position to the next, but in general you'll be expected to bring a certain level of experience and know-how to the role to ensure the financial success of the organisation. In most cases there is no expectation that you will have held a trustee position previously, and although some charity sector experience is often sought after, for many roles this is of much less importance than having a genuine interest in the aims and objectives of the charity.

We have assisted many non-profits, both large and small, with board appointments over many years and have appointed an equally diverse group of accountants and auditors, from newly qualified accounting technicians to those who have held senior leadership roles within large international charities.

Express your interest in becoming a Trustee or Treasurer

Useful resources

There are numerous online resources that provide further information on the roles and responsibilities of trustees and treasurers. Here are the links to a few sites and resources that we have found particularly useful.

If you are a charity or an NGO and would like AfID’s support in finding your next trustee or treasurer, then let us know at info@afid.org.uk.

UK Volunteers and the law

Before offering your services as a volunteer or a trustee in the UK it is worth taking a little time to understand the nature of your role, your rights and how you are treated by UK law. Elaine Carey, an employment solicitor at Bates Wells Braithwaite has compiled these notes for accountants considering a UK volunteer assignment. For more information please read the ICAEW's Volunteer Helpsheet.

Volunteers

Volunteers are:

Covered by the obligation on organisation to “ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that persons not in their employment…are not exposed to risks to their health and safety” and to “give such persons (not being their employees) who may be affected in a prescribed manner information as might affect their health and safety”.
Covered by data protection principles under the Data Protection Act 1998.
Able to claim benefits while they are volunteering, as long as the only money they receive as a volunteer is only to cover expenses. If a volunteer receives Jobseekers Allowance, they can volunteer full time as long as they are still actively seeking employment, can attend job interviews at 48 hours’ notice and can take up paid work at one weeks’ notice.

Volunteers are not:

Entitled to claim unfair dismissal or a statutory redundant payment.
Covered by discrimination law.
Entitled to the National Minimum wage.

Normal expectations of volunteers by charities:

To undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check (formerly CRB check)
To act in accordance with the charity’s Equal Opportunities policy
To maintain confidentiality
To assign intellectual property rights that arise during the volunteering activity

Normal expectations of charities by volunteers:

To provide adequate training
To provide insurance for any negligence by the volunteer
To reimburse reasonable out of pocket expenses

Trustees

The position of trustee carries legal duties and responsibilities which are set out in a mixture of statue and case law. A summary of the primary responsibilities is set out below:

Trustees are responsible for the proper administration of the charity
Trustees must accept ultimate responsibility for everything the charity does
Trustees have to act reasonably and prudently in all matters relating to their charity
Trustees must safeguard and protect the assets of the charity
Trustees have a duty to act collectively
Trustees must act in the best interest of their charity
Trustees must avoid any conflict between their personal interest and those of the charity

Trustees as directors:

Many charities are set up as companies limited by guarantee When this is the case, the

charity trustees will also be the directors of the company. The Companies Act 2006 sets out

the statutory list of general duties for directors, which are, in summary:

To act within their powers
To promote the success of the company
To exercise independent judgment
To exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence
To avoid conflicts of interest
Not to accept benefits from third parties
To declare an interest in a proposed transaction or arrangement.

Immigration status and volunteering:

Tier 2 migrants (employer sponsored migrants) are allowed to undertake voluntary work in addition to their sponsored employment. The Tier 2 Guidance states. "You can also undertake voluntary work in any sector You must not be paid for your work, other than the reasonable expenses outlined in section 44 of the National Minimum Wage Act."
Tier 4 migrants (students) are restricted in their ability to undertake voluntary work. The number of hours they are allowed to work depends on the nature of their studies.

Type of course Number of hours:

Students on degree level courses (NQF 6 and above) Up to 20 hours per week during their term time and full time during vacations

Students on below degree level courses (NQF 3-5) Up to 10 hours per week during term time and full time during vacations

Students studying at a publicly funded further education college Up to 10 hours per week during term time and full time during vacations

Employment Solicitor, Bates Wells Braithwaite

e.carey@bwbllp.com