The Charities HR Network
The Charities HR Network, a registered charity in its own right, was set up over 20 years ago, to promote improved standards of HR services within national organisations in the voluntary, charitable and not for profit sector.
It forwards its aims by providing meetings and networking that enables its members to increase their own knowledge and aid their own development whilst sharing information with other members.
The CHRN Network meets six times a year in Central London. Meetings are either addressed by a visiting speaker or comprise of workshops led by members in order to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information.
Meeting agendas are strategic and are put together by the membership and facilitated by the steering group. This is a safe, friendly place to learn and share and get insight and new ideas to issues and problems we face – we run by 'Chatham House Rules'.
There is an annual employment law update provided by a leading Employment Lawyer who specialises in the sector plus sessions on other topics relevant to senior HR players including total reward, strategic HR and mediation.
The organisation is managed by a Steering Group comprising six members. We aim to cover our costs and fees have been held for several years. Fees are between £124 and £366 per annum depending on the financial turnover of the charity by whom the member is employed.
We have arrangements to discounted services such as employment surveys and conferences. We have an online community on LinkedIn where members can take part in discussions and be kept informed of upcoming events.
We are a very diverse group of people across the third sector/not for profit spectrum.
Coffee available from 9.15
Formal meeting commences at 9.45 with a speaker (usually an interactive session) followed by an open forum for general exchange of ideas and networking
Buffet lunch available from 12.30 to 13.00 with the opportunity to network further.
The following meetings/dates are planned:-
Thursday 24 January
Employment Law Update hosted and led by Bates, Wells, Braithwaite
Wednesday 20 March
Hosted by ICAN, topic TBA
Tuesday 21 May
HR Summit hosted by British Heart Foundation. Key Note Speaker Peter Cheese, CIPD. Other speakers to be announced.
Tuesday 24 September
Hosted by Zoological Society of London, Topic TBA
Tuesday 19 November
AGM hosted by NCVO, Topic TBA
All CHRN members have primary responsibility for the development and management of Human Resources in a charitable, voluntary or not for profit organisation established to represent the interests of its members on a national or significant geographical basis and with over 100 employees. Members normally are responsible for (a) the provision of direct HR advice to the Chief Executive and/or Trustees on human resource matters; and (b) the operation, activity and performance of the HR function. All members support the concept of Continuous Professional Development and to seek to develop and update their knowledge of professional HR issues.
Current members, of which there are c70, include the senior HR person from the following organisations – Avenues Group, Crisis, Greenpeace, MNDA, NSPCC, Royal British Legion, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Sense, unicef and WWF.
Membership is not open to suppliers although carefully chosen suppliers sometimes make presentations.
Having worked in the third sector for a number of years, primarily in health and social care, I find that the diverse nature of the charities involved in the CHRN has enabled me to develop my thinking beyond health and social care and to stay in touch with clever thinking that extends to the wider third sector. The network meetings have informative, engaging presentations and speakers and are also an excellent place to network and share ideas with fellow HR professionals. Given the challenges we face the network is also a good place to test possible solutions before committing organisational resources; it is always helpful to have the views and experiences of colleagues in similar organisations to compare and contrast with.
Do you work in HR for a charity or voluntary organisation with national interests?
Are you the most senior HR professional within that organisation?
You do and you are? Then come and join us...