Trustee with legal expertise

Organisation Overview

Creative Support is recognised as one of the largest national not-for-profit providers of prevention and care services in England. We work in over 70 local authorities across the North West, North East, Yorkshire & Humberside, the Midlands, London and the South East.

Our mission is to promote the independence, inclusion and wellbeing of people with support needs. We do this by working with the people we support, their families and partner agencies to develop and deliver high quality services that meet individual needs and aspirations in a person-centred way. We also aim to provide added value to our purchasers and to contribute to communities by using our resources in efficient, flexible and creative ways.

Over the last 12 months we have supported 7,000 people with care and support needs to achieve their goals, grow in independence and take control over their lives. A further 1,400 tenants have benefitted from the provision of high quality housing with support.

Creative Support has a reputation for being dynamic, enterprising and customer-focused and for finding innovative ways to deliver services. We are committed to co-production with the people we support and to working in partnership with the local voluntary sector and other agencies to find creative solutions to individual and community needs.

Creative Support currently provides person-centred services for people with a learning disability, autism and mental health needs. We also support people with a physical disability and older people with care and support needs, including people living with dementia. Our range of services includes supported living, residential care, community support, respite services and domiciliary care. Creative Support is also a major provider of supported housing and we are proud of the quality of our accommodation schemes, many of which have been adapted to individual needs.

The supported living services we offer for people with a learning disability are recognised for enabling people to enjoy fulfilling lives. We have developed services for people who have very complex needs under the Transforming Care policy agenda. We provide creative day opportunities which enable personal development, social inclusion and pathways into work. We deliver individually tailored support for people with autistic spectrum conditions and physical disabilities.

Our supported housing and outreach services for people with mental health needs have a strong reputation for promoting recovery, rehabilitation and empowering service users to move on to greater independence. Our extra care and community support services enable older people to retain their independence and enjoy a good quality of life.

We currently employ over 5,000 staff and aim to be the employer of choice for people seeking a rewarding career in social care. We hold the Investors in People Gold Award as an organisation, and our Learning & Development and HR teams hold the Platinum accreditation. We have also achieved the Investing in Volunteers quality standard, and we are a proud Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident employer. Our Creative Academy provides excellent training and accredited diplomas, enabling staff to develop their skills and grow in confidence. We are proud to maintain the Skills for Care endorsement which is the quality badge for health and social care training.

Role Details

Time commitment: Board meetings are held every quarter on a Thursday evening, starting at 6:00pm and typically finishing at 8:30pm. Dates are provided in advance. The Board also has four committees of delegated authority including the Finance and Audit Committee, the Housing Committee, the People and Performance Committee and the Quality and Practice Development Committee. Trustees are encouraged to join a committee which aligns with their experience and/or interests. These committees meet bi-monthly on different days, with meetings typically lasting two to three hours. 

Attendance: Board meetings are to be attended in person, Committee meetings can be joined virtually. 

Role Description

You will contribute to the effective governance and oversight of our organisation and to developing our strategic direction. This will involve attending at least 6 evening Board meetings per annum (held bi-monthly), the Annual General Meeting and occasional planning days. You will be expected to contribute to a committee relevant to your area of interest and expertise (currently these are Finance & Audit, Housing, People & Performance and Quality & Practice Development). Committee Meetings are also held bi-monthly. Board meetings are held in our Head Office in Stockport, situated close to the mainline train station, whilst committee meetings currently take place on-line. You will be encouraged to attend events, visit services and to meet with our staff, our tenants and the people we support. In return for your valuable time and expertise we can offer you the opportunity to enjoy a rewarding role and to contribute to the future success of a thriving national charitable social care organisation with a strong person-centred purpose and ethos.

Required Skills and Experience

 We are seeking well motivated people who have an enthusiasm for our work and can offer a commitment to our charitable purpose, person-centred values and to co-production with the people we support. We require trustees who can demonstrate vision, knowledge, skills. We are keen to attract Legal talent to increase the legal knowledge of our Board. Experience working in regulatory/legal environments with a particular focus on supporting people who access social care support, is preferable. Prior experience in a trustee or governance role is not essential as we will provide personalised training as required. We are also pleased to receive applications from people with personal or family experience of using support services and we welcome applications from people with transferable skills and experience gained in the charitable, public or private sectors.

To apply for or express an interest in this position, please email bicenquiries@weareadvocate.org.uk