A unique opportunity to lead and work with a user-led Board of Directors

 

The people who use our services are at the heart of everything we do and at Your Voice Counts this begins with our Board. We are seeking a new Co-Chair of the Board to work alongside a Co-Chair who has lived experience of the services we offer. This is a unique shared leadership model that reflects our commitment to inclusion, empowerment and co-production and offers an exciting opportunity for an individual who shares these values.

 

• Role: Co-Chair of the Board of Directors

• Location: Gateshead

• Time commitment: Six Board meetings per year, plus work in between with the Executive team

 

Who are we?

Your Voice Counts exists to make sure every voice is heard, and that those who have often been overlooked can lead change in their own lives. We offer advocacy and community-based support designed and delivered by people with lived experience. We work with communities to amplify their voices and explore new ideas that contribute towards building a more inclusive and equitable society.

 

Our new 5-year strategy sets out our ambitions for the future:

• Our growth – to creatively address unmet need by using our expertise

• Our approach - to build resilience and purpose by co-producing solutions and enabling connection

• Our people - to be an inclusive and sought after employer

• Our influence – to create impactful change through our positive activism

 

Our values guide and shape the way we work:

• Being accountable – We are honest and take responsibility for our actions

• Being person-centred – We put people's needs first

• Learning and growing - We challenge ourselves and each other to help us get better at what we do

• Promoting equality – We work to get equal opportunities for everyone

• Working together – We achieve more by working as a team than by acting alone

 

Why join our Board?

We our proud of our inclusive Board; half our members are people who have experience of using services like those we provide, and we are committed to sharing power and making sure everyone has a voice.

 

Our Board has been recognised nationally as an example of person-centred governance. We are looking for a Co-Chair to continue embracing this ethos and help us to build further on our governance practices.

 

Who are we looking for?

Our new Co-Chair will be someone who:

• Understands what strong, inclusive governance feels like in practice

• Brings creativity and adaptability to support a unique Board model

• Can lead strategically while honouring co-produced decision-making

• Has excellent people skills and emotional intelligence

• Is comfortable challenging and supporting a team to grow

• Can partner effectively with the Co-Chair with lived experience

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Your sector background doesn’t matter — your values, integrity and commitment to our mission do. Previous Board experience is welcomed but not essential.

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More information

Download an information pack below for more information. For an informal discussion or to express an interest in this role, please contact jobs@yvc.org.uk. 

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• Co-Chair Information Pack (pdf)​

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Hear from our outgoing Co-Chair Christina Gates about this opportunity:

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