Chasing the Stigma is a national award-winning charity with a difference. We are normal people developing and providing innovative solutions to make it easier for people to access mental health support, while also tackling stigma and changing attitudes and behaviours towards mental health and mental illness.

Our charity is now six years old and we are looking to strengthen our governance to reflect the size and scope of the organisation. We are now the nation’s ‘go to’ signposting tool for all mental health crisis services and manage access to more than 9,000 wider services via our Hub of Hope app, along with providing important training to many thousands of people across the commercial and public sector services through our Ambassadors of Hope programmes.

We are experiencing a rapid period of growth, following a series of high-profile commissions and partnerships, including Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Mental Health First Aid England, Network Rail and Admiral Taverns.

 

Who we are looking for

We are looking to recruit enthusiastic and passionate people, with diverse experiences, from across the UK to develop our Board of Trustees and support this expansion. Applications are welcome from all sections of the community and we would really like to make our Board more diverse so that we are reflecting the communities that we are working with. We recognise the many inequalities, discrimination and challenges associated with people’s experience of mental health, and want to ensure we accurately reflect these in the appointments we make.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who are from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQA+ and disabled, as they are under-represented on our current board. Experience of being a Trustee or occupying other leadership roles is not required, in fact, this is a great first step for someone looking to expand their exposure on a Board.

We have a Board of experienced Trustees with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and all applications are welcome to strengthen the complement further. However, we are keen to address some specific gaps in our current Board, so would be interested to hear from you if you have the following skills/expertise:

  • TREASURER

An experienced finance professional/chartered accountant to provide advice to the Board and help maintain effective governance of Chasing the Stigma’s affairs, in terms of general financial oversight, budgeting and reporting.

 

  • CLINICAL PROFESSIONAL

A clinical professional with experience of working in the mental health sector (including NHS Trusts) will further enhance the reputation of the Charity in this space.

 

  • TECHNOLOGY/DATA ANALYST/SCIENTIST

Considering this is a significant aspect of the Charity’s future strategy, your insights and experience from the technology and data science sectors would be invaluable to help develop our strategic thinking and activity in this space.

 

In addition to the above experiences, our trustees need to:

  • Be committed to the mission, values and activities of Chasing the Stigma
  • Have a passion for improving access and eradicating the stigma associated with mental illness
  • Be able to communicate with different groups of people, on diverse and often sensitive subjects, and be willing to understand things from others’ points of view
  • Be willing to engage in supportive discussions and shared decision making to ensure the Charity’s mission and objectives are met
  • Be willing to contribute to all aspects of the Trustee role, including attending and preparing for quarterly meetings (offered in-person and online), and all other aspects of Board business.

 

To support them in the role, all our Trustees can expect to:

  • Engage in a fully supported induction and onboarding process
  • Engage in relevant professional development activities relevant to the role
  • Be allocated a mentor to support their first year in the role
  • Meet with the Chair of the Board of Trustees as needed to comment and/or raise questions
  • Engage in Board development away days and other learning events, including those with the CEO and staff
  • Claim reasonable expenses to fulfil their role

Trustees will normally be appointed for a period of three years in the first instance. Trustees may be reappointed for a maximum of two additional three-year periods, meaning they shall not normally be appointed for a period of more than nine years.

 

Advertising the roles

We are committed to recruiting trustees from diverse backgrounds and experiences, and are advertising for the above roles in various places and through various networks.

If you find it difficult to apply as outlined above due to disability or other reasons, please contact andy@chasingthestigma.co.uk to make alternative arrangements.

 

Applying for a role 

If you would like to apply for a role, please email andy@chasingthestigma.co.uk by 5pm on Friday 14th April 2023. You should include:

  1. A brief description of yourself and your commitment to the mission, values and objectives of Chasing the Stigma (max 250 words)
  2. An outline of your reasons for becoming a Trustee of Chasing the Stigma (max 250 words)
  3. A brief description of which Trustee role you wish to apply for and why (max 250 words)
  4. An outline of up to three areas where you think you can add value to the work of Chasing the Stigma (max 250 words)

 

Shortlisting and interviews

All applications will be reviewed by a panel consisting of the Chair and other members of the Board of Trustees and an interview shortlist is expected to be confirmed on 24 April 2023. We aim to inform all applicants of the outcome of the shortlisting process by 28 April 2023.

 

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to meet with a group of trustees, the CEO and other staff in May 2023. Applicants will be invited to discuss their interest in their chosen role in more detail, as well as their motivations for becoming a Trustee with Chasing the Stigma. We will also look to find out more about your experiences of mental health and provide you with an opportunity to ask any questions.

We will endeavour to be as flexible as possible to enable you to attend the interview, whether in person or online, and are able to cover reasonable expenses

Successful applicants will be invited to take up their positions from 1 September 2023 having engaged in our induction and onboarding processes.

Professor Andy Smith, Chair, Board of Trustees

 

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