Volunteer Chairperson - East of England

What will you be doing?

Thera East is a not-for-profit organisation, working in Essex and Suffolk, that supports people with a learning disability to live in their own homes or lead more fulfilling lives through community support and day opportunities. We are also part of the charitable Thera Group, led by a registered charity, Thera Trust. Founded as a single company in 1998, the group now provides a range of support across the UK for around 3,000 people with a learning disability through a group of 15 not-for-profit companies. The whole group shares a common Vision that we bring to life by ensuring that we have leaders with a learning disability in senior executive and non-executive roles. We help people to live the lives they choose:

By supporting people to be as independent as they can in their own homes; By providing help to learn new skills such as managing money and going shopping; By empowering people to make choices in their day-to-day lives and in the community; By assisting with finding paid employment, apprenticeships or volunteer placements; By helping people with a learning disability find the right home for them.

You can find out more about our Vision and what we do by looking at the Thera Trust website. We want to hear from you if you share our Vision and have the skills, dedication and time to help shape our organisation and develop its strategy for the future.  This role is for volunteers based in Essex and Suffolk.

What are we looking for?

Get in touch with us if you can:

Champion Thera’s Vision and our person-led approach Act as a critical friend to the executive team Promote the rights of people with a learning disability Give a strategic perspective and prioritise between competing demands Monitor and assess company performance and key risks Listen and communicate well and understand how to add constructively to discussions Challenge respectfully when necessary and embrace change when needed Build strong working relationships and develop an effective board team Shape a positive organisational culture

It is important that you’ve had previous experience of being on a board, not necessarily as chairperson but as a trustee or non-executive director.

What difference will you make?

In your chairperson role, you will complement the executive team, bringing skills that benefit the whole board. You’ll make sure that Thera East is proactive in offering more opportunities to more people with a learning disability. This is a unique chance to use your skills and experience to help design strategies that make a difference in the lives of people with a learning disability.