Trustee – with special responsibility for counselling and listening support

About the role

Off the Record exists to improve the emotional health and wellbeing of young people by providing them with a safe space to be themselves. We provide a range of free services including counselling, listening support/coaching, youth participation, advocacy and specialist groups, such as support for care leavers and a LGBTQ focused youth group. Supporting over 2000 young people each year we are looking to appoint a Trustee who will champion counselling and listening support activities on the board.

Main duties:

The purpose of the role is to ensure the Board of Trustees has appropriate information and oversight of counselling and listening support service standards and performance.

•               Supporting the Director to ensure:

§  relevant professional standards are properly considered in all decisions

§  appropriate professional supervision management procedures and controls are in place

•               Advising on appropriate training for staff, volunteers and trustees in relation to relevant professional service standards and performance

•               Supporting the Director and SMT in developing professional service standards and support systems to apply to staff, volunteers and contractors

What we are looking for:

We are looking for a Trustee who has experience overseeing or delivering counselling and/or listening support type services, and/or is a qualified counsellor/psychotherapist/psychologist; possibly with a track record of providing supervision. We hope you will have relevant experience of working with young people, for instance as a school governor. Previous experience of charity work is desirable but not essential.

We are open to candidates from all backgrounds, but we will prioritise those who will help us to continue to diversify the team. We are particularly keen to appoint Trustees with lived experience that reflects an aspect of the lives of the young people we serve and aspire to serve. Our new strategy has identified young people from socially and economically deprived backgrounds and boys and young men as currently being underserved by OTR. We are committed to creating an equitable environment where all can thrive. We will ensure that the recruitment process and decision making ensures representation of both age and other forms of diversity.

 

Person specification for role of Trustee

 

We are looking for someone who has a strong empathy with our mission. We want to hear from you if you have an interest in the health and wellbeing of children and young people as well as the motivation to make a difference to their lives.

 

We are particularly looking for Trustees who have lived experience of some of the issues facing the young people we are working with. This could include people who have had experience of receiving LGBTQ+ services or faced social injustice due to other factors in their lives. People who have a connection with the young people and work we do.

 

·          Experience of leading and/or delivering counselling and listening support type services

·          Demonstrable experience of building and sustaining relationships with key stakeholders and colleagues to achieve organisational objectives

·          A proven track record of sound judgement and effective decision making

·          A history of impartiality, fairness and the ability to respect confidences

·          A track record of commitment to promoting equality and diversity.

 

Knowledge, skills and understanding:

 

·          An ability to work effectively as a member of a team

·          Commitment to the organisation and a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

·          Preparedness to make unpopular recommendations to the board, and a willingness to speak their mind

·          Good, independent judgement and strategic vision

 

How to apply

To apply, you will need to send your CV with a short covering letter explaining why you would like to be a trustee and what you will bring to the role. Email : philwalters@offtherecord-banes.co.uk

16 September - deadline for applications

Week Commencing 3 October - interviews

If you would like to have a phone conversation before applying, please email Phil Walters, Director to arrange a conversation.

This position requires an enhanced DBS disclosure that we’ll carry out before appointment along with two references.