Chief Executive
Appointment Brief
February 2016
Company limited by guarantee in England No. 2888960 Registered Charity No. 1033626
Introduction
Dear Candidate,
I am extremely pleased that you are interested in becoming the next Chief Executive of Action4Youth. We are the pre-eminent charity working across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes for the benefit of children and young people.
We have a long history of working with young people, originally founded in our work with youth clubs, and have gained an unrivalled reputation for achievement of results.
We now need a new Chief Executive who can provide strong leadership and direction, who shares our passion for developing the potential of young people and will continue to expand the work of Action4Youth. The successful applicant will create new partnerships with business and communities and develop further those that already exist. Expanding the income streams to ensure the continuing sustainability of the Charity will be vital.
Action4Youth has a strong and committed Board of Trustees who will support the Chief Executive. Are you up to the task of leading Action4Youth into the future?
I look forward to meeting you. Kind Regards
Ken Birkby
Chairman, Action4Youth
Action4Youth is the leading delivery and infrastructure charity for children and young people in Buckinghamshire and
Milton Keynes.
We have offices in Chesham, as well as two outdoor education centres, one in Simpson, Milton Keynes and the other in Sedbergh, Cumbria. Many thousands of young people each year experience the opportunity to learn outside the classroom at the two centres.
Our Vision
A thriving and sustainable youth sector that helps children and young people to fulfil their potential
Our Mission
To inspire and encourage all children and young people to fulfil their potential and gain enjoyment through: -
· Development of the children’s and youth sector
· Outdoor education and development
· Direct delivery of programmes and services, including training and development, to young people and adult volunteers and our member organisations
Our Values
· Excellence
We strive to ensure that all our activities and relationships are of the highest possible standards. We operate with integrity, fairness, openness and honesty. We promote a similar ethos in the activities of all groups that we can
influence.
· Diversity
We understand that each individual is unique, and recognise, value and take account of people’s different backgrounds, knowledge, skills, needs and experiences. We treat all people equally, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.
· Youth focus and engagement
We have respect for children and young people and aim to fully include them and the wider views of their peers in our decision-making and activities. We provide a platform for these views to be promoted to people and
organisations making decisions that impact on children and young people. We value meaningful participation of
young people and nurturing opportunities for youth leadership, creating responsible and caring future citizens.
· Inspirational
We want children and young people to be inspired by activities and adult role models to believe that they can achieve more for themselves and fulfil their potential. We want them to experience the benefits of working in effective teams, where individual skills and experience are recognised and utilised to achieve amazing results, in which the whole
team can take pride and satisfaction. We will publicise the achievements of young people, in order to show the wider community the huge value in investing time and money in young people and the value of their achievements.
· Innovation
We value innovation and creativity in all our ways of working and the encouragement of these values in young people and youth sector organisations.
(Continued)
Our Corporate Strands
· Outdoor Education
· Contract Delivery
· Infrastructure Support
Our Corporate Goals
· To provide outdoor education to enable young people to grow and develop
· To provide fit-for-purpose, demand-led infrastructure support that strengthens the capacity of youth organisations across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes and enhances their voice and influence
· To deliver, in addition to outdoor education, a range of frontline services which contribute directly to the
Action4Youth mission
Our Strategic Priorities
· To consolidate, develop and expand the two existing outdoor education centres
· To develop a third outdoor education centre
· To lead on the establishment of a consortium of VCSE organisations. This consortium will be designed to bid for, and manage, typically larger scale, broader ranging and more complex public service contracts, which are beyond the scale and scope of individual frontline organisations operating independently.
· To acquire a hub facility
· To develop and trial a youth enterprise offer.
Action4Youth takes the strategic lead for the voluntary organisations supporting children and young people,
aged 5 – 25 years in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. This includes a range of locally based children and young people’s voluntary sector projects and agencies, as well as the local associations of national voluntary youth organisations.
It is the recognised interface between the Buckinghamshire Children and Young People’s Trust (CYPT), the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) and the voluntary youth sector. It has representation on the CYP Board, the three Local Trust Partnership Boards and the BSCB.
Action4Youth is a member of National Council for Voluntary Youth Services and is the county association for
Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes, for Ambition and UK Youth.
Action4Youth has a membership of county organisations. These are voluntary organisations, with their own National organisation. There are also approximately 100 statutory and volunteer-led youth clubs and organisations in membership. Action4Youth delivers a range of hands-on support, access to activities for young people and direct delivery to support volunteers within the sector. Action4Youth continues to work with all young people regardless of their background and acknowledges the valuable contribution of young people, youth clubs/projects and other national youth voluntary organisations within a local community.
Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher is our Patron. The Countess Howe is our President and we have a committed Board of
Trustees, as well as a number of vice-presidents, who all work hard to support the charity.
What We Do
Our History
The Charity was founded in 1946 as the Buckinghamshire county organisation for the National Association of Boys’ Clubs. In 2004 the charity merged with the Buckinghamshire Association of Youth Clubs and the name Action4Youth was adopted. The work with youth clubs and projects across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes is still a core part of our work. In 2010 a further merger with Youth Focus in Buckinghamshire created a stronger organisation which now provides a wider infrastructure and delivery role.
Our Team
Action4Youth currently employs 30 enthusiastic and highly trained staff across the three sites. We have a highly motivated Senior Management Team comprising of the two Heads of Centre, a Sector Development Manager, a Business Development Manager and a HR and Admin Manager.
A selection of our current delivery contracts and partners: Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC)
Action4Youth supports and monitors a number of youth clubs, which are based in BCC buildings, on a quarterly basis, as well as offering general support to people wishing to start or continue running a club. We represent the wider sector on a number of different committees and strategic partnerships within the county. Action4Youth delivers an extensive training scheme for volunteers supporting youth clubs and, each year, we run a Young Leader Award Scheme. This is an opportunity for clubs to nominate active members, 14-16 years of age, who demonstrate leadership potential. Annually, we run a conference and two evening forums to raise, discuss and address current issues affecting the sector.
Milton Keynes Council
Milton Keynes Council and Action4Youth worked, as partners, for 20 years to develop outdoor education at Caldecotte. The Council decided that it could no longer subsidise Caldecotte and its other centre, Longrigg, and it transferred the ownership of both centres to Action4Youth, in April 2012. Both centres are now delivering to more young people throughout the year and, moving into the fourth year under the management of Action4Youth.
The Challenge
The Challenge was founded in 2009 and is one of the national charities who act as prime delivery organisations for the National Citizen Service (NCS). Action4Youth is a Local Delivery Partner for The Challenge within the Aylesbury Vale. NCS is a government programme for 16 and 17 year-olds, which helps them to build skills for work and life, whilst taking on new challenges and meeting new friends. It runs in the spring, summer and autumn. There are two residential weeks. The first is all about meeting new people and making new friends and the second is to
understand the idea of social action and how to make a difference. Finally, each group plans and delivers a team project that will help the local community. NCS brings together young people from different backgrounds and helps them develop greater confidence, self-awareness and responsibility. It encourages personal and social development by working on the skills of leadership, teamwork and communication.
Our Finances
Statement of Financial Activities (incorporating Income and Expenditure Account) For the year ended 31 March 2015
Unrestrictedfunds
2015
£ / Restricted
funds
2015
£ / Total
funds
2015
£ / Total
funds
2014
£
INCOMING RESOURCES
Incoming resources from generated funds:
Voluntary income / 193,899 / 506,743 / 700,642 / 526,438
Activities for generating funds / 8,015 / - / 8,015 / 7,884
Investment income / 1,013 / - / 1,013 / 5,081
Incoming resources from charitable activities / 661,399 / 1,951 / 663,350 / 499,632
Other incoming resources / 6,331 / - / 6,331 / 2,000
TOTAL INCOMING RESOURCES / 870,657 / 508,694 / 1,379,351 / 1,041,035
RESOURCES EXPENDED
Costs of generating funds:
Fundraising expenses and other costs / 3,448 / - / 3,448 / 4,327
Charitable activities / 831,789 / 297,206 / 1,128,995 / 1,036,192
Governance costs / 49,235 / - / 49,235 / 42,990
TOTAL RESOURCES EXPENDED / 884,472 / 297,206 / 1,181,678 / 1,083,509
NET INCOME/ (OUTGOING) RESOURCES BEFORE TRANSFERS / (13,815) / 211,488 / 197,673 / (42,474)
Transfers between Funds / (4,564) / 4,564 / - / -
NET MOVEMENT IN FUNDS FOR THE YEAR / (18,379) / 216,052 / 197,673 / (42,474)
Total funds at 1 April 2014 / 403,049 / 313,525 / 716,574 / 759,048
TOTAL FUNDS AT 31 MARCH 2015 / 384, 670 / 529, 577 / 914, 247 / 716, 574
The Job
Remuneration
£45,000 - £52.000 dependent on qualifications and experience.
Location
The Chief Executive will be based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, with regular travel throughout Buckinghamshire and
Milton Keynes and occasionally to other locations in the UK.
Context of the Role
Action4Youth has developed in the last three years in response to the huge financial challenges faced by statutory partners in the youth sector. We are seeking an inspiring and committed new Chief Executive to lead on our strategic and operational development.
In this role, you need to be happy to get involved in all aspects of the work to develop, not only Action4Youth, but also the voluntary youth sector in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
You will be leading a strong workforce which is respected for the quality and variety of work delivered to support our strategic aims. The Charity has built partnerships at many levels and your skill will be needed to both continue and develop these further.
You will be fully committed to the growth and success of Action4Youth and passionate about the opportunity to make a difference to young people in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
General Responsibilities
Provide leadership to Action4Youth and take responsibility for its management and administration within the strategic and accountability frameworks established by the Board of Trustees.
With the Chair, enable the Board of Trustees to fulfil its duties and responsibilities for the proper governance of the organisation and to ensure that the Board receives advice and information in a timely, thorough and appropriate manner.
Specific Duties
Working with the Board
· With the Chair, ensure that the Board of Trustees formulates and regularly reviews the organisation’s vision, mission and values
· In partnership with Trustees, develop the long-term strategy for the organisation within the vision, mission and values established by the Board
· With the Chair, ensure that the Board can adequately monitor annual plans, targets and performance
· Report to the Board on progress against the strategic plan, provide information, answer for organisational performance and provide timely written reports and financial information for Board meetings
· With the Chair, develop policy proposals for Board discussion and decision
· With the Chair, establish the annual calendar for Board and any subcommittee meetings
· Support the Chair, by suggesting development opportunities, as appropriate
· Enable the Board to broaden its capabilities and develop its leadership potential
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The Job
Leading and managing the organisation
· Ensure that a long-term strategy is in place to guide the organisation in achieving its objectives
· Be responsible to Trustees for the overall financial health of the organisation
· Ensure that the organisation has the human, material and financial resources it needs to operate effectively, achieve objectives and cope with continuing change
· Seek out and develop new strategies for obtaining and sustaining future resources
· Take appropriate steps to protect the organisation from risk
· Ensure that the organisation fulfils its constitutional, regulatory and legal obligations
· Ensure that the organisation has the appropriate management systems and structures to carry out its work effectively, accountably and safely
· Provide inspirational leadership to the management team to all staff
· Ensure that staff and volunteers working in the organisation are focussed on achieving the mission and strategic priorities and that their development, to be able to do this, is a priority
Promoting the organisation
· Protect and enhance the reputation of the organisation
· Seek opportunities to expand and promote awareness of the organisation’s work
· Build and develop the organisation’s external networks and contacts