Your community needs you!

Chartered Accountants in the Community is a volunteer programme which offers chartered accountants in practice and in business an opportunity to assist with the work of one of the many UK voluntary organisations.

The scheme was established by the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and is run in conjunction with Business in the Community.

CAITC encourages direct involvement in the voluntary world by providing a briefing and brokerage service which introduces potential volunteers to the governing bodies of voluntary organisations operating in the local community.

Changes in legislation and funding structures, together with increasing pressure for management accountability, have put small grass roots organisations in an extremely vulnerable position. Help is needed to deal with these changes and develop effective management strategies that address these issues.

The growing need for additional professional experience and assistance is widely acknowledged. Yet access to expertise is often limited for many community groups and almost inaccessible for those small, local organisations whose networks do not extend beyond their immediate catchment areas.

The professional experience of chartered accountants is primarily corporate and commercial. Nevertheless, our professional training and experience can help voluntary organisations to identify issues and plan strategy, assist in the management of the organisation and focus on key areas of development.

Coopers & Lybrand’s Dee O’Hare sits on the board of the Ragged School Museum in Tower Hamlets. Situated in what was once the largest poor school in London, the museum is a unique educational resource offering the chance to experience the social history of the East End and the lives of children in particular. Dee values the new experiences that this involvement offers him.

‘The museum is located in an area that I had recently moved into and the committee is comprised of a range of people from the local community.

What attracted me to the Ragged School Museum is not only its location, but also the chance it gave me to have direct involvement in decision-making that affected the organisation, as opposed to the rather detached advisory role I have at work.’

Margaret Mabbett, from KPMG, has been involved with CCP Housing for a number of years. The organisation provides a range of housing and support services for young people who are homeless. She recognises that there is just as much to gain as there is to give through such an involvement: ‘My experience of dealing with people in the voluntary sector is that they are highly skilled, very experienced, professional people and the idea that I or anybody from the private sector could make all the difference is highly patronising. I consider myself to be part of a team. We work as equals with each of us bringing different expertise.

‘I particularly enjoy working with CCP as it gives me an opportunity to spend time with professionals in fields I would not normally have any contact with, such as social workers and community workers. As a consultant, the work I do with CCP is really my only chance to take direct responsibility as a trustee and line manager for the board’s decisions and this is very important for my professional growth, because it makes me a lot more appreciative of the sorts of pressures my clients are under every day.’

Price Waterhouse’s Tim Lloyd has become involved at a very local level with the Hoxton Trust, a community organisation developing a range of facilities for local residents in Hoxton.

He appreciates the complete contrast that his involvement offers him: ‘It’s a completely new area. At work I’m dealing with huge multi-nationals dealing with mind boggling numbers. Being involved with a community organisation makes you realise that a sum like u5,000 is important – it really brings you back down to earth. I get involved in dealing with completely different issues like improving the organisation’s procedures and recruitment of staff – it’s good to be doing something different and positive.’

At present, the scheme predominantly helps voluntary organisations in the most deprived areas of inner London and is largely reliant for its support on the Worshipful Company of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a number of the larger firms. The need, however, is for national and chartered accountants from all walks of life who have relevant experience to offer.

As chairman of the Chartered Accountants in the Community Steering Group I would strongly encourage every chartered accountant, wherever they live and whether they are in practice or in business, to support a local voluntary organisation. Chartered Accountants in the Community represents an excellent way of introducing chartereds to organisations which would value their input and participation.

For further information on how you can get involved please contact Ania Oprawska at Business in the Community on 0171-224 1600.

Graham Ward is also chairman of Price Waterhouse’s World Utilities Group.