OXFORDSHIRE YOUTH SEEKS NEW CHAIR AND ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES
INTRODUCTION
Oxfordshire Youth (OY) is in a transitional phase that offers an opportunity for the new Chair, working closely with the Chief Executive, to forge a new direction for the Charity whilst leveraging the organisation’s great achievements over a 70 year history.
PURPOSES
Oxfordshire Youth has two principal purposes, both of them in Oxfordshire:
1 helping to improve the life opportunities of young people
2 advancing young people’s citizenship through supporting them to make a positive contribution to their communities
ACTIVITIES
OY provides a wide range of support services-notably guidance, information and training- designed to improve the effectiveness of youth and children’s work policy and practice across the county. OY’s membership, which currently numbers 90 organisations, comprises volunteer-run youth clubs, voluntary youth service providers, and voluntary children’s and family service providers.
The main current project, benefiting both front line practitioners and young people, is Sustainable Communities, which is largely financed as to £496k by the Big Lottery Fund in the four years to March 2020 and aims to sustain 19 volunteer-run youth clubs and support the opening of another six across Oxfordshire. OY is also funded by public bodies, charitable trusts, private individuals and a few corporates.
HISTORY
The organisation was founded in 1947 as the Oxfordshire Association of Boys’ Clubs. Its successor bodies have been the Oxfordshire Association of Young People (OAYP), from 1992, and OY, from 2014.
CONSTITUTION
OY is a registered charity (no. 1151723) in the form of a charitable incorporated organisation.
FINANCES
In the year to 31 March 2017, OY made a surplus of £19k on income of £323k. The year was a busy one for commissioned projects and benefited from a successful time for fund raising from charitable trusts and other private sources, including in connection with events.
PERSONNEL
OY has 7 employees (6 FTE), but these numbers are likely to increase shortly. Helen Boardman is Interim Chief Executive pending the return from maternity leave in September of the Chief Executive, Jodie Leftwich.
There are currently 11 Trustees. The current Chair, Sir Charles Ponsonby, wishes to retire in the final third of 2017 after more than six years in post. The other officers are the Vice Chair, Carl Anglim, and the Treasurer, Mike Watkinson, who for 30 years was the organisation’s Chief Executive.
OY benefits from some well-connected honorary officers. These are headed by the Patron, Tim Stevenson, the Lord Lieutenant, and by the President, Lady Henrietta Spencer- Churchill.
THE CHAIR’S MAIN DUTIES
1 Leadership of the Trustees, ensuring high standards of governance and overseeing the strategy, direction and affairs. Overseeing the development and implementation of a new strategy is likely to be of key importance.
2 Ensuring that the necessary business of the Board is carried out efficiently and effectively
3 Line management of the CEO, in the form of guidance, support and constructive challenge
THE CHAIR’S TIME COMMITMENT
This is unlikely to average less than 20 hours per month, notably:
1 Chairing a meeting of the Trustee Board every other month (2+ hours, early evening)
2 Attending the Finance Committee in alternate months (2 hours, in office hours)
3 Chairing perhaps 1.5 days of strategy sessions per annum
4 Meeting at least fortnightly with the CEO, supplemented by frequent telephonic and email contact
5 Assorted office work from home
6 Attending OY events (when convenient)
TRUSTEES’ TIME COMMITMENT
This might average roughly six hours per month, notably:
1 Attending a meeting of the Trustee Board every other month (2+ hours, early evening)
2 Attending a meeting of the Finance Committee or the Events Committee in alternate months (2+/1.5 hours, in office hours), membership of both committees being optional
3 Attending perhaps 1.5 days of strategy sessions per annum
DESIRABLE ATTRIBUTES IN THE CHAIR AND AN ADDITIONAL TRUSTEE
Together with a commitment towards improving the life opportunities of young people, these include:
1 Leadership skills (C)
2 Experience of strategic planning (especially C)
3 Influence in the public life of Oxfordshire (C)
4 Fund raising skills
5 Marketing and communications skills
6 Professional experience of youth work
FURTHER INFORMATION
1 OY Annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2017
2 The OY website, www.oxfordshireyouth.org
3 Helen Boardman on helen.boardman@oxfordshireyouth.org/ 01865-767 899 4 Charles Ponsonby on cponsonby88@gmail.com/ 01993-811 717
APPLICATIONS
A CV and a covering note explaining your interest in and suitability for in the Chair’s and/ or additional Trustee’s role should be emailed to Charles Ponsonby on cponsonby88@gmail.com, copied to Carl Anglim on carlanglim@gmail.com and Mike Watkinson on mike_watkinson1939@hotmail.com, by 30 June 2017. Interviews will take place in July 2017 at OY’s offices in Headington, Oxford OX3.
