The Charity Commission has recently published a new guide for charity trustees with learning disabilities. The Commission collaborated with Mencap to produce ‘Being a trustee’, which is in Easy Read format.
The guide uses straightforward language, larger text and images to explain how trustees with learning disabilities can understand and fulfill their role. The guide covers a lot of the Charity Commission’s existing guidance, 'The Essential Trustee’,and also points to areas where trustees may need to seek further assistance on understanding more complex areas.
Preliminary information is provided using a question and answer format, with clear definitions, and tells potential and current trustees the key types of information they need to know about their particular charity.
It is hoped that the guide, which is being distributed widely, will not only help people with learning disabilities but will also act as a straightforward guide for people who are considering starting a small charity.
Easy Read format is being used by an increasing number of organisations so as to include people who have learning disabilities. Police authorities, local authorities and other public bodies already use this format to explain complaints procedures, for guides to adult social care and for prescription instructions, amongst other documents.
The Easy Read guide can be downloaded from the Charity Commission website.