• Welcome 
• Governance 
• History

Since 1993 USDT has been a community based organisation in the Springfield area: helping to develop many successful programmes to support the area’s social, economic, physical and cultural regeneration. Developing strong, inclusive communities is a key element in achieving sustainable community development; but who wants to sign-up to a society if they are made to feel second class?

A sustainable community requires not only economic development, but also provision of and access to education, health and community support services, amenities and leisure services and a good quality built environment. To achieve this outcome our projects work with a broad range of groups and individuals: young people with complex needs, those with a disability, dependants, the elderly, school children, unemployed, minority ethnic groups, the social economy et al.

We develop programmes that tackle crime, poor skills, economic poverty, poor social infrastructure, discrimination and area disadvantage. We continually develop new ideas for action that supports good practice in key areas of social inclusion policy and practice. We ensure our programme successes are effectively monitored, evaluated and effectively co-ordinated and integrated. We always seek to engage, develop, improve and transform people and our community.

Values

The values at the core of the organisation’s core are community development based, they are:

•  equality
• integrity
• passion
• excellence
• leadership and accountability
• needs led
• quality
• humility

Strategic Aims

USDT’s overarching goal is to ensure that the principles of community development, environmental sustainability and ensuring value for money pervade all our work and development.

 Specific Themes

·         Leadership

·         Reputation for Excellence

·         Financial Sustainability

·         Development of Social Enterprises

·         Social Impact

I hope the information throughout the website is interesting and of value, but if you require more help just call us or send us an email.

Le meas nach beag

Dónal McKinney
CEO

How do we govern? Good governance is essential for Upper Springfield Development Trust’s success. Our board members play a vital role in serving our organisation and the community:

• they bring passion and commitment as well as skills and experience for USDT’s development.
• they provide a long term vision and protect USDT’s  reputation and values;
• to make a difference our board ensures the proper procedures and policies are in place

Our board complies with six fundamental governance principles for charitable organisations.  The purpose of these principles is to assist board members to enhance their decision making, increase their accountability and enable them to provide strong leadership.

The  6  Principles

 An effective board will provide good governance and leadership by:

1. Understanding their role
2. Ensuring delivery of organisational purpose
3. Being effective as individuals and a team
4. Exercising control
5. Behaving with integrity and
6. Being open and accountable.

Principle 1

An effective board will provide good governance and leadership by understanding their role. Members of the board will understand their role and responsibilities collectively as a board and as individual trustees in relation to:

• their legal duties
• the provisions of the governing document
• the external environment
• the total structure of the organisation

and in terms of

• setting and safeguarding the vision, values and reputation of the organisation;
• overseeing  USDT’s 
• managing and supporting staff and volunteers

Principle 2

An effective board will provide good governance and leadership by ensuring delivery of organisational purpose. The board will ensure that the organisation delivers its stated purposes or aims by:

• ensuring organisational purposes remain relevant and valid
• developing and agreeing a long-term strategy
• agreeing operational plans and budgets
• monitoring progress and spending against plan and budget-evaluating results and
• reviewing and/or amending the plan and budget as appropriate

Principle 3

An effective board will provide good governance and leadership by working effectively both as individuals and as a team. The board will have a range of appropriate policies and procedures, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to enable both individuals and the board to work effectively. These will include:

• finding and recruiting new board members to meet the organisation’s changing needs in relation to skills, experience and diversity
• providing suitable induction for new board members
• providing all board members with opportunities for training and development according to their needs; and
• periodically reviewing their performance both as individuals and as a team.

Principle 4

An effective board will provide good governance and leadership by exercising effective control. As the accountable body, the board will ensure that:

• the organisation understands and complies with all legal and regulatory requirements that apply to it
• the organisation continues to have good internal financial, management controls
• the board regularly reviews and identifies the major risks to which the organisation is exposed and puts in place systems to manage those risks and
• delegation to sub-committees, staff and volunteers (as applicable) works effectively and the use of delegated authority is properly supervised.

Principle 5

An effective board will provide good governance and leadership by behaving with integrity. The board will:

• safeguard and promote the organisation’s reputation
• act according to high ethical standards
• understand and manage conflicts of interest and loyalty
• maintain independence of decision making and
• deliver impact that best meets the needs of beneficiaries.

Principle 6

An effective board will provide good governance and leadership by being open and accountable. The board will lead the organisation in being open and accountable, both internally and externally. This will include:

• open communications, informing people about the organisation and its work
• appropriate consultation on significant changes to the organisation’s services or policies
• listening and responding to the views of supporters, funders, beneficiaries, service users and others with an interest in the organisation’s work
• handling complaints constructively and effectively and
• considering the organisation’s responsibilities to the wider community, for example its environmental impact.

Membership

USDT makes an annual open call for new members. This ensures proper rotation of people and to fill any skills/experience gaps.

As well as the main board USDT has three delegated committees:

1. Finance, Audit and Risk;

2. Human Resources and Governance

3. Remuneration