she shared the highlights of what they offer.. ACEVO has been around for 40 years- Stephen Bubb was founder and was succeded by CEO Vicky – 7 years ago and has taken the organisation in a new direction. The organisation now has about 1500 CEOs so not so big as to be impersonal, but large enough for us to find support.

The key thing is this is FOR all CEOs in the VCS as a personal service to support those of us doing this special and very difficult job- there are other groups for various leadership roles but it is recognised that the CEO role is unique and can be very lonely

Anne believes that there is a common theme for CEOs from all charities- regardless of the topic for the charity

• managing teams
• relationship with Trustees
• finances and funding

One of the key elements is the advice and support service they offer- they have very experienced staff particularly governance and wellbeing.

There is also a mentoring scheme – you can either be a mentor or have a mentor – there is capacity within the organisation to match people to each other (this is human controlled – not AI :))

There is guidance on good governance as this has been shown to be a critical issue for those who seek support. Jenny who handles this helped write the Charity Governance Code so is well placed to help.

There is a CEO in crisis service for those grim times when you need it – hopefully never..

There is training, briefing, coaching based on CEO competencies – you get 6 free coaching sessions as part of membership to help you develop skills for the job – coaches are not necessarily CEOs. they are experts in CEO skills training. They can also guide us on leadersip development – either for staying where you are or for moving to another role.

Events – digital members meetings – with 20 or 30 on the zoom – distinct from seinars- also members meetings in various locations. They also offer webinars from the CEO perspective – not generic organisation issues. There are workshops and training at additional expense – £150 per day – eg Dynamic Duo training for Chair/CEO – some online, some in person , some hybrid. Past webinars are available to all members – when you join , the back catalogue is available to you. Also the resources section is extensive – blogs, detailed reports, podcasts. There are weekly updates from the CEO- Leader to Leader briefing newsletter- quick guide to what is coming up. Guides and templates are also available – vast library of these.

ACEVO also influences those in power or positions of authority – they re focused on key topics to get max effect- eg looking at commissioning in public services, diversity in the charity sector, cost of living

ACEVO also has a list of service providers – all vetted for quality and those that offer free or discounted advice – there is a jobs board and they also have a deal from UCheck which members can use. Also a utilities scheme for cheaper fuel etc.

Finally the ACEVO community (the online service for interaction with all other members) it is a discussion board with direct messaging as well as group chats – wealth of info

WOWEE – just a stunning offer it seemed to many of us – 3 of us joined by the end of the day and others have indicated that they are already members so full speed ahead …and full info below (that sounds rather nice doesn’t it? full speed ahead: full info below…

ACEVO (Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations) is the membership body for charity leaders. Together with its network, it inspires and supports its members through connections, skills, and influence, so they can make the biggest possible difference. Its members include the leaders of small, community-based groups, ambitious medium-sized organisations, and well-known, well-loved national and international not-for-profits. 

Citizens Advice has teamed up with ACEVO to offer you a discounted annual membership. You will receive a 20% discount by using the code CitAd20 at the checkout, you can join by completing this online form. 
To find out more about being an ACEVO member click here to view the full range of member benefits and click here for more information on membership prices. If you are unsure whether you want to join ACEVO, you can ‘try before you buy’ and book on to a free online member meeting or read some member testimonials. If you have any questions please get in touch by emailing membership@acevo.org.uk.