Senior leaders from charities and community groups, coming together to share insights and inform and enhance how we best deliver our mission to serve and champion Dorset’s voluntary and community sector.

CAN are all about networking, connecting and collaborating within the sector and with our colleagues in the public and private sectors. We champion and represent the sector and engage with communities across Dorset through a variety of mechanisms. We also lead a National Lottery-funded, collaborative project to build capacity in ethnically diverse groups.

Our Board of Trustees bring their expertise and knowledge of the sector and beyond, to provide leadership, governance, set our strategic direction and provide scrutiny, accountability and support to the staff team led by our Chief Executive.

The Advisory Council has a vital role in strengthening our strategic understanding of issues facing charities and community groups, which then inform our work and plans.  We wish to work with the VCS Assembly and, as such, look forward to sharing insights with them.

The Advisory Council does not have governance responsibilities at CAN but:

• represent and share their charity or community group’s mission
• advise on the development of CAN’s strategy
• offer insights and identify new opportunities and trends
• create strong connections within the voluntary and community sector
• create deeper links into the community
• ensure our team is kept informed of any new major developments
• increase networking and collaboration
• act as advocates for our work.

The Advisory Council meet virtually quarterly, plus an annual in-person session.

There is a standing agenda item at the CAN Board meeting to listen to insights/feedback from the Advisory Council.

This is a voluntary role and no remuneration is possible at this time, but out-of-pocket expenses are paid if requested.

If you’re interested in joining the Advisory Council, please contact hello@can100.org

The Advisory Council have been instrumental in the following new developments:

• Bespoke training from the Directory for Social Change on ‘Creating an Elevator Pitch’
• ‘Income Diversification’ event to support the sustainability of local groups
• New Teams channel for groups to interact
• Open letter about commissioning and the Civil Society Covenant to senior NHS and Council leaders.

Current members of the Advisory Council are:

Mindy Bartlett, CEO at EDAS

Martin Board, Chair of CAN

Martin Edwards, CEO, Julia’s House

Alistair Doxat-Purser, CEO at Faithworks

Rebecca Fell, CEO at International Care Network

Tim Goodson Board Member, Lewis Manning Hospice and GP Alliance CEO

Paul Gosling, Head of Business and Development, Citizens Advice, East Dorset and Purbeck

Mike Graham, CEO at The Lantern Trust

Terri Lewis, CEO at Age UK North, South and West Dorset

Marianne Storey, Chair, Dorset Women CIC

Helen Walsh, CEO at Space Youth Project