HARINGEY WELCOME 

Governance Structure and Approach

Introduction 

Haringey Welcome has decided to adopt the Charity Governance Code. The Code is not a legal or  regulatory requirement; however, it outlines tenets of good governance and accountability that reflect  Haringey Welcome’s approach and aspirations. The Code was developed by a steering group and supported  by over 200 charities, individuals, and related organisations. The Code sets out principles and  recommended practice and a tool to be used for continuous reflection and improvement.  

Charity Governance Code 

Governance Principles 

1. Organisational purpose: The organisation’s board is clear about its aims and ensures that these are being delivered effectively and sustainably.

Principle in Action:  

1.1 The Board will demonstrate a shared understanding and commitment to Haringey Welcome’s  purposes and will be able to articulate these clearly.  

1.2 The Board will be able to demonstrate that Haringey Welcome is achieving it’s purpose and  agreed outcomes. 

2. Leadership: The organisation is headed by an effective board that provides strategic leadership in line with its aims and values. 

Principle in Action:  

2.1 The Board, as a whole and as individual members, accept collective responsibility for ensuring  that the organisation has a clear and relevant set of aims and an appropriate strategy for  achieving them.  

2.2 The Board agrees to Haringey Welcome’s vision, values and culture and will lead by example. 2.3 The Board will endeavour to create and support leadership pathways for people from different  communities’, including those with lived experience of the immigration and asylum system, and  with a particular focus for those with links to Haringey. 

3. Integrity: The board acts with integrity. It adopts values, applies ethical principles to decisions and creates a welcoming and supportive culture which helps achieve its purposes. It reflects the organisation’s ethics and values in everything it does, keeping in mind the need to maintain the  public and communities’ trust.  

Principle in Action:  

3.1 Board members will act in a way that protects and promotes Haringey Welcome’s reputation, by  living its values, promoting confidence in the organisation, and the sider sector. 

3.2 The Board will act in the best interest of Haringey Welcome, and do so honestly and by making  objective decisions free of undue influence 

3.3 The Board will ensure that it creates a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment for all those  who come into contact with it

4. Decision making, risk and control: The board makes sure that its decision-making processes are informed, rigorous and timely, and that effective delegation, control and risk-assessment, and management systems are set up and routinely monitored. 

Principle in Action:  

4.1 The Board is clear that it is primary focus is on strategy and governance, rather than  operational matters. Where Board members are acting in a more operational way, this should  be made clear and agreed by the whole Board and minuted.  

4.2 The Board will abide by a broader Decision-Making framework that includes clarity about who  needs to be involved in making which kinds of decisions. This will have some flexibility but  should be noted so that decision making can be traced and accounted for at all times.  

4.3 The Board will write and maintain a risk register, which outlines both identified risks, and also  an approach to risk 

4.4 Where decision making is delegated to others, the Board must maintain proper oversight and  ultimate responsibility for the work of Haringey Welcome.  

5. Board effectiveness: The board works as an effective team, using the appropriate balance of skills, experience, backgrounds, and knowledge to make informed decisions. The Board understands that it is accountable to the communities’ it works with and for as well as maintaining regulatory  compliance.  

Principle in Action:  

5.1 The Board will embody the culture and values of Haringey Welcome and engage with processes  that reflect these to resolve any challenges or work through differing opinions.  

5.2 Board members should have appropriate skills and knowledge of the organisation and have the  time to commit to be effective in their role. The Board as a whole should support any  development needs of Board members to be able to fulfil their roles.  

5.3 The Board Chair should ensure that there is a culture of openness and safety to ensure that  discussions can hold different opinions and these can be worked through to find consensus.  5.4 The Board makes decisions collectively and once made should stand by them and accept them  as binding.  

6. Equality, diversity, and inclusion: The board is committed to supporting equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout the organisation and in its own practice. This approach supports good governance and the delivery of the organisation’s social purposes. 

Principle in Action:  

6.1 Principles of equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded in the organisation and are a core  part of Haringey Welcome being able to deliver its purpose.  

6.2 Haringey Welcome will endeavour to remove obstacles to participation, through the design of  the organisation’s processes, and the culture that is created.  

6.3 The Board understands that the organisation is more effective when it reflects different  perspectives, experiences, and skills, including where possible, those that represent lived  experience of the Immigration and Asylum system.  

7. Openness and accountability: The board leads the organisation in being transparent and accountable.

7.1 Haringey Welcome will be open by default, and only limit transparency where it is necessary to  do so 

7.2 The Board will report to the Advisory Group quarterly, and to the broader membership at least  annually to demonstrate progress against its aims, and ensure that the prioritisation of its work  represents the needs and priorities of the communities Haringey Welcome exists to support.  

Application of the Code

The Code recommends using an ‘apply or explain’ approach to application of the code, meaning that the  principles are applied, or that the organisation explains why they are not being (or what steps are being  taken to meet the principles).  

Haringey Welcome will include an update on how the code is being put into action as part of its annual  reports, as well as via other mechanisms as part of its integrated governance and accountability structure  and approach.  

Governance Structure: Meetings, Membership and Responsibilities  

Haringey Welcome has developed a governance structure with a number of elements in order to enable a  continued link with a broad variety of stakeholders, both as individuals and partners/allies across the sector.  The idea is that there will be different ways that different people engage with Haringey Welcome so that it  can continue to be agile and responsive, while building towards longer term objectives.  

The different groups are:  

Board of Directors:  

Purpose: To do the routine governance and oversight. As the group will be responsible for a lot of the day to  day work as well initially, we are proposing having both Executive Directors (unpaid) who are more involved  operationally, like the Chair, Treasurer and Secretary; and Non-Executive Directors who are more focussed  on Governance and Oversight in order to maintain independence. This should include financial oversight,  responsibility (jointly with staff) for reporting to Companies House, maintaining risk register, doing oversight  of policies, leading recruitment and management of staff and representing Haringey Welcome internally  and externally.  

Frequency: The full Board will meet quarterly, with potentially more frequent meetings for the Executive  Members during this transition phase.  

Membership: Up to 5 members (initially) but with a minimum of 3 members needed to make decisions.  Directors will be appointed for a term of up to 3 years. Details on appointing and terminating Directors will  be included in the companies Memorandum and Articles, as well as their responsibilities and liabilities. 

Advisory Group:  

Purpose: A group of experts drawn from partners, allies, community members etc… who can act as a  rooting body to ensure that the work is representing the need, working strategically and continues to be  focussed on partnership work. While this group would have structured input to the broad direction and  strategy, it is unlikely that members would act as representatives of Haringey Welcome externally. If  individual members do represent Haringey Welcome, they will be supported by staff and/or Board members  in order to ensure they are able to do so in alignment with HW goals and values.  

Frequency: This group will meet quarterly, and in person where possible. Some members may also be  asked to provide specific advice/input. The group will also be invited to input during the AGM  process/event.  

Membership: This group will comprise of individuals who have specific roles, as well as others from allied  sector organisations, and individuals who have experience of the immigration system. Membership could be  on a rolling basis depending on people’s capacity. As the membership would be different from the formal  governance group (the Board), it will act as an external accountable body who offer some independent  oversight back from the community.  

Staff

Purpose: Haringey Welcome will initially recruit a part time coordinator to support the transition and hold  responsibility for much of the day to day running of Haringey Welcome. Including (but not exclusively)  liaising with volunteers and both the Advisory and Governance Groups, doing administrative work,  maintaining relationships with partners, supporting fundraising and event planning and other activities.  

Volunteers 

Purpose: Haringey Welcome has to date been exclusively run by Volunteers, and is likely to be continue to  have significant input for the foreseeable future. Going forward, it is likely/advisable that volunteers have  their roles clearly defined and that any staff members can support their work and manage the central  flow/communications. Volunteers may well have more than one role during this period. As Volunteers are  such a pivotal part of Haringey Welcome’s DNA, it is important that they are considered in planning and  care and recruitment policies. Recruitment, training, and support for volunteers will continue to be pivotal  and will need to be within the culture and values of Haringey Welcome. It is likely that volunteers will  continue to represent Haringey Welcome so will also need to understand any code of conduct/expectations,  and communication guidelines, as well as be up to date on any developments that will factor into these.  

Membership: Existing volunteers (those who attend meetings, lead activities, support fundraising etc…).  Going forward, volunteers should have clear understanding of how they will be supported and how decision  making regarding the work they are involved with takes place.  

Members 

Purpose: This group encompasses volunteers who are actively involved in delivery of projects or  tasks, as well as a broader group of supporters who will receive regular information, support the  work in terms of sharing campaigns, attending events, and maintaining links with other community  organisations. Members will be invited to the Annual Strategy and Accountability meeting.  Members will be able to support the organisation financially with regular or one off donations, but  payment will not be required as Haringey Welcome is committed to being an inclusive group open  to all.  

Partners 

Purpose: To work with Haringey Welcome in furthering their cause – and to have Haringey Welcome  support their work. This may be in formal partnerships, such as with Museum of Homelessness and the  Council, but also informal partnerships such as with Haringey Migrants Support Centre.  

Support: Depending on the nature of the partnership, relationships and/or delivery will need to be held and  coordinated, either by the Coordinator, or by designated volunteers.  

Governance Calendar 

Event	Month	Purpose	Who
Annual Strategy and  Accountability   Meeting	1	To report on previous years work, and put  forward plans and priorities for the  coming year	All members,   including Board, AG,

			Volunteers, Members  and Partners invited
Board Meeting	2	Governance/Strategy work including • Financial Monitoring  • Policy Review and oversight  • Board member   updates/appointments  • Agree Board workplan/responsibilities • Review Board skills and training needs • Review income/fundraising plans and  targets	Board (exec and non exec directors)  Invited others (such as  staff)
Advisory Group Mtg	3	• Update on work and progress towards  goals  • Gathering information from   community/partners   • Review any potential opportunities for  working together/supporting each  other	AG members, staff and  Exec Board members  (others can also be  invited)
Board Meeting	5	• Financial Monitoring  • Policy Review and oversight  • Board member   updates/appointments  • Agree Board workplan/responsibilities • Review Board skills and training needs • Review income/fundraising plans and  targets	Board (exec and non exec directors)  Invited others (such as  staff)
Advisory Group Mtg	6	• Update on work and progress towards  goals  • Gathering information from   community/partners   • Review any potential opportunities for  working together/supporting each  other	AG members, staff and  Exec Board members  (others can also be  invited)
Board Meeting	7	• Financial Monitoring  • Policy Review and oversight  • Board member   updates/appointments  • Agree Board workplan/responsibilities • Review Board skills and training needs • Review income/fundraising plans and  targets	Board (exec and non exec directors)  Invited others (such as  staff)
Advisory Group Mtg	9	• Update on work and progress towards  goals  • Gathering information from   community/partners   • Review any potential opportunities for  working together/supporting each  other	AG members, staff and  Exec Board members  (others can also be  invited)
Board Meeting	10	• Financial Monitoring  • Policy Review and oversight  • Board member   updates/appointments	Board (exec and non exec directors)

		• Agree Board workplan/responsibilities • Review Board skills and training needs • Review income/fundraising plans and  targets	Invited others (such as  staff)
Advisory Group Mtg	11	• Update on work and progress towards  goals  • Gathering information from   community/partners   • Review any potential opportunities for  working together/supporting each  other	AG members, staff and  Exec Board members  (others can also be  invited)
Annual Strategy and  Accountability   Meeting	13	To report on previous years’ work, and  put forward plans and priorities for the  coming year	All members,   including Board, AG,  Volunteers, Members  and Partners invited

Meetings: 

Meetings: Meetings of the Board and the Advisory Group will both run on a quarterly schedule, alternating  throughout the year. While having distinct purposes, these meetings will be planned to work cohesively in  order to enable accountability and oversight.  

Board Meetings:  

These will focus on the governance and compliance needs of the organisation, ensuring that throughout the  year policies are reviewed, finances are examined, and new members are supported to join the Board (or be  reappointed at the end of their terms). The Board will also discuss any information and/or questions that  arise at the Advisory Group meetings regarding the priorities of migrant communities in Haringey, and any  opportunities or issues that are arising locally.  

• Board meetings may be called by any member of the Board, but will normally be arranged by the  Chair.  
• Board meetings will ordinarily take place online/in person and will last between 1.5 and 2 hours.  • Board members are expected to attend as many Board meetings as possible (with at least 3 per  year) 
• Meetings will be chaired by the Chair. If the Chair is not able to do this or attend, another member  can do so in their absence as agreed.  

Papers for Board Meetings 

• Wherever possible, the agenda and other papers for a Board meeting will be circulated at least one  week before that meeting and all Board members will be expected to have read those papers and  have raised concerns / issues with the Chair before the meeting. 
• Occasionally papers may have to be circulated late. Where this happens a brief outline of the • contents may be given verbally at the meeting but otherwise all Board papers will be assumed to • have been read before the meeting. 
• The papers for the full Board must contain a report on the activities and any decisions made  between meetings, as well as a summary report from the Advisory Group meetings.  

The Agenda for Board Meetings 

• The Agenda will be shared at least one week before  
• Certain issues can be scheduled in advance throughout the year, for example examining finances  each quarter and setting the budget prior to the start of the new financial year, or having a policy  review schedule in place

Minutes 

• The decisions taken and action points arising from every Board Meeting should be clearly minuted  by either the Secretary or a notetaker designated at the start of the meeting.  
• Minutes of every such meeting are then sent to the relevant Board Members for approval • and thereafter stored (electronically) for at least 12 years. 
• Any agreed amendments to this Statement and Procedures or to any Haringey Welcome policies  and 
• procedures or to any of the delegations and authorities contained within this document or • elsewhere should also be recorded, by formal amendment of the relevant document. 

Quorum 

The quorum at Board meetings is 3 members. 

Advisory Group 

The Advisory Group will be recruited by the Board, with support from staff members and volunteers. The  group will then create a terms of reference, and elect or appoint a Chair/co-Chair or the equivalent, and will  then create an outline of their ways of working to be shared with the Board. Specific working relationships  between the two groups will be co-designed to ensure that there is full accountability, transparency and a  clear understanding of how the two groups can support each other to achieve Haringey Welcome’s vision.  

September 2025