Become a Member

Are you interested in becoming a member?

As a legal charity we have a Management Committee made up of representatives of member organisations from local community groups and local authorities.

Because our Management Committee is made up of a collection of representatives from organisations and individuals we refer to these bodies as ‘members’. Other charities which might have a board made of individuals may call these ‘Trustees’.

There are three ways of becoming a supporting member:

  • Firstly, you can be a representative of an existing member organisation. You can see our list of members here.
  • Secondly you can apply for your organisation to become a member and represent them.
  • And thirdly, you can join as an independent individual.

Find out more about the specific types of membership.

What does the Management Committee do?

The Management Committee and member organisations are responsible for overseeing the strategic management of Derbyshire Law Centre and ensuring that we remain financially and ethically accountable, especially to the Charity Commission.

There are 14 places on the Management Committee which is made up of representatives from local groups elected at the Annual General Meeting. There are five additional places which are reserved for representatives from our council funders and five places for co-opted members to address any imbalances on the committee.

Our members are ultimately responsible for safeguarding the charity’s assets – both physical and intangible like it’s good reputation. Most importantly they help us make sure that we are always putting the purpose of the charity and our beneficiaries first.

What will you do as a member?

As a member you will be invited to attend the Annual General Meeting and have the opportunity to be part of our Management Committee. Importantly you will help to build relationships between the Law Centre and other community organisations and advocate for the work that we do to help people in need of legal advice.

If you are part of the Management Committee you will use your unique expertise and knowledge to contribute to sustainable and effective management of the organisation.

Our Management Committee meet 4-8 times per year depending on arising issues and there is the option to be part of sub-committees for Finance and Personnel.

What skills do you need?

We welcome representatives from a wide range of community interest groups and local authorities. It is important to us that we have a wide range of voices and skills within our members so that we can best represent our beneficiaries. The current committee possesses a wide range of skills and experience including:

  • Management (voluntary, private and public)
  • Financial
  • Political (elected representatives and members of advocate and activism groups)
  • Personnel
  • Networking and relationship building
  • IT Management
  • Having direct experience of the legal industry or, have experience of some of the issues that our client base face including in housing, discrimination, employment, immigration and/or debt

Management Committee applicants need to:

  • Possess skills and experience required to move the Law Centre forward, these include; management and personnel skills, financial and political awareness and the opportunity to network at all levels.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the ethos of the Law Centre
  • Be willing to attend a bi-monthly Management Committee Meeting
  • Where necessary, induction training for the management role (including charity commission trustee training) or a particular position, ie Company Secretary, can be provided.

How to apply to become a member

It’s straightforward to apply to become a member. All you need to do is fill in this Application form and email it to DLC@DerbyshireLawCentre.org.uk

If you’re unsure if your organisation is already a member you can see our list of members here.

Or you can find out more about volunteering as a member by filling out our contact form and we’ll be back in touch with you soon.