Our Chairman (Muhammad Mustafa Khan), Head of Volunteer & Fundraising Data Analyst (Nuur Atieqah Hanafi) and one of our volunteer support team member (Nurul Izzatie Zaidin) recently attended a workshop held by the Charity Commission of England and Wales workshop on “Working Overseas: Risks, Responsibilities, and Legal Duties” at The Birmingham Conference and Events Centre on February 8, 2024. The session provided crucial insights into trustee legal duties, risk assessment, due diligence, fund management, and international safeguarding practices.

Key topics covered during the workshop included:

1. 1. Trustee Legal Duties: Understanding the legal obligations and responsibilities of trustees, ensuring that our charity team is well-equipped to navigate legal frameworks both at home and abroad.
2. Assessing Risk When Working Internationally: A comprehensive exploration of the risks associated with international charitable activities, empowering our team to make informed decisions while working in diverse and sometimes challenging environments.
3. Due Diligence and Monitoring the End Use of Funds: Highlighting the importance of thorough due diligence processes to guarantee that funds are utilized for their intended purposes, and providing effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability.
4. Holding, Moving, and Receiving Funds Safely: Practical insights into the secure handling, transportation, and reception of funds, addressing potential challenges and offering strategies to mitigate risks associated with financial transactions in an international context.
5. Safeguarding in an International Context: Focusing on safeguarding measures in a global setting, ensuring that our charity team is well-versed in creating and maintaining a safe environment for beneficiaries, volunteers, and staff involved in overseas projects.

This workshop was instrumental in enhancing our understanding of the complexities involved in international charity work. By gaining insights into trustee legal duties, risk assessment, due diligence, fund management, and international safeguarding practices, our team is better prepared to navigate the challenges of working overseas responsibly and ethically.

We are committed to applying the knowledge gained from this workshop to strengthen our charity’s impact and uphold the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and effectiveness in our international endeavors. Stay tuned for updates on how we integrate these learnings into our ongoing and future projects.