Certificate in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance

Programme structure and approach to learning

The charity sector has faced  many challenges in recent times which have had particular impact on fundraising and service continuity.  Additionally, the establishment of the Charities Regulator, increasing regulatory and funding requirements  and the long-awaited enactment of the Charities (Amendment) Act 2024 herald a period of significant change for the sector in Ireland.

This course, delivered in collaboration between the Law Society of Ireland and The Wheel, Ireland’s national charity association, provides practitioners and those working in charitable, social enterprise and community organisations with a comprehensive overview of the law and best practice in the sector. With a strong practical  emphasis, the programme equips participants with the knowledge and skills needed to maintain integrity, ensure good governance, and meet evolving compliance and reporting standards.

Modules

Module 1: Introduction

• Recent trends in the charity sector in Ireland,
• Regulation of charities and the Charities (Amendment) Act 2024,
• The legal framework & legal structures for charities.

Module 2: Governance and Risk

• Charities Regulator’s Charities Governance Code,
• Implementation and related issues,
• Risk assessments and managing risk.

Module 3: Finance and Fundraising

• Legislative framework for fundraising,
• Regulation of and best practice for fundraising,
• Financial reporting: statutory requirements,
• Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP).

Module 4: Strategy and management

• Management, human resource and volunteer policies,
• Charities & corporate governance,
• Data protection issues,
• Employment law,
• Procurement and tendering.

Module 5: Procurement, Outcome Measurement and Sector Challenges

• Outcomes approach,
• Procurement and tendering,
• Challenges for the sector.

Our learning approach and the use of an online forum ensure that attendees can learn both from lecturers and from the knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer aspect that is encouraged in interactive sessions.

Workshops

Workshops are interactive sessions that focus on group problem-solving and are designed to encourage candidates to engage in problem-solving scenario questions with a tutor who has specialised knowledge of the subject area.

1. Charities Governance Code: Saturday, 21 March 2026, 10am
2. Undertaking Risk: Saturday 21 March 2026, 10am
3. Financial Reporting Requirements of the Charities Act, introducing Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP): Saturday, 18 April 2026, 10am
4. Data Protection Issues: Saturday 23 May 2026, 10am
5. Management of Volunteers: Saturday, 23 May 2026, 10am
6. Working for Outcomes and Panel Discussion: Saturday, 13 June 2026, 10am

Find out more and apply