Chairperson Designate

Bringing friendship to older people since 1980

The Organisation:

Friends of the Elderly is an Irish volunteer-based charity established in 1980 to bring one-to-one friendship and social engagement to older people living alone or suffering from social isolation. Since opening our doors, we have been working to improve the lives of our older members by offering emotional and social support. With a small staff and a dedicated crew of volunteers, we reach out in various ways to as many isolated individuals as possible.

We combat loneliness through one-to-one friendship. In 2025, we supported 1,300 older members with over 30,000 Friendly Calls, 7,200 Home Visits, 9,000 social event attendances and 6,100 Hampers delivered.  Our TASC research shows that 1 in 4 Irish Adults face chronic loneliness – we exist to change that.

Our Vision:

A society where all people age positively and have the opportunity to live their lives as fully as possible.

Our Values:

The following fundamental values have always inspired Friends of the Elderly Ireland:

“The unique and irreplaceable worth of each human being and the dignity of each man and woman, whatever their origin, beliefs, situation and physical, psychological or social state.”

Friends of the Elderly Ireland enables older members, volunteers, staff and donors to share these values.

Website: Friends of the Elderly Ireland – Bringing friendships and social connections to older adults. ​

The Role:

With the current Chairperson’s term due to end later this year, Friends of the Elderly are seeking a voluntary Charity Trustee who will be Chairperson Designate. They will have experience in Governance, ideally in the non-profit sector in Ireland.

We are particularly interested in individuals who have a strong background in corporate governance principles and practices. Knowledge of the practicalities of adhering to  the requirements of the Charities Regulator's Governance Code would be advantageous.                                                                                                                         

If you have experience in this area and want to play a key role in role in helping to relieve social isolation and loneliness among the elderly, we are keen to hear from you.

General duties of a Charity Trustee:

• Comply with the Charity’s governing document and the Charities Governance Code
• Ensure the charity is complying with its charitable purpose for the public benefit
• Act in the best interest of the charity
• Act with reasonable care and skill, exercising independent judgement
• Safeguard the assets of the charity

Specific Responsibilities of this Board role will include the following:

• Governance Sub-Committee: Lead the work of the subcommittee to to embed excellence in compliance and board effectiveness.
  • Governance & Strategy: Actively participate in the board's governance and strategic planning to ensure the charity's objectives are upheld. 
  • Policies: Work with board and staff members to maintain up-to-date, relevant polices governing the activities of the charity.
  • Compliance: Guide the charity in upholding relevant laws, regulations, and the charity's governing document. Focus on ensuring compliance with the Charities Regulator’s Governance Code on an ongoing basis.

Skills and Experience:

• • Commitment: A strong commitment to the charity's cause and values.
  • Leadership: The ability to lead and develop the board. 
  • Teamwork: Ability to work effectively as part of a diverse and collaborative team. 
  • Independence: Good, independent judgment and the ability to think creatively. 
  • Communication: Willingness to speak up, ask questions, constructively challenge ideas and build rapport with the staff.
  • Legal Understanding: Understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of trusteeship.

Board Meetings:

There are 6 Board meetings a year, in-person at Bolton St, Dublin, and lasting two hours from 6.30pm in the evening. There is also one in person strategy day.

It is expected that the Chair Designate will join a sub-committee which also meets 6 times a year, but online.

To apply:

Please submit your CV (maximum 2 pages) to peter@boardmatch.ie and include a cover letter (maximum 500 words) answering:

• Why Friends of the Elderly?
• Your top Governance achievement
• How you will add diversity of thought