999 Club

Welcome

We are delighted that you are considering joining the board of 999 Club as our new Chair.

We are very proud of our charity, our 30 year heritage and the vital role we play in our local community.

Our vision is to ensure that no one will sleep on the streets in Lewisham. Our goal is to provide a friendly, open door for anyone that is sleeping on the streets, or at risk of sleeping on the streets, so that we can help people to help themselves escape from homelessness.

Between 1st September 2023 and 31st August 2024 we anticipate that 1,600 different people will use our services and that we will support 300 people to find a new home or stay in their current home, and 300 people to start a job, training or volunteer.

We employ 27 staff all based at our centre in Deptford, South East London. The senior management team comprises the Chief Executive, the Head of Operations, and the Head of Fundraising. Additionally, there is an Office Manager and a skilled and passionate team of staff delivering high quality, personalised support to people who are experiencing homelessness, or at risk of experiencing homelessness.

Gordon McCullough, our current Chair, is stepping down by December 2023, so we are looking to recruit a new Chair to not only lead and inspire the board but to act as an ambassador for the organisation.

Our board currently consists of ten members with a wide range of skills who are all committed to 999 Club.

We look forward to receiving your application.

About us

Deptford has a long and varied history, notably links to the docks and shipping.

The area has often faced hardships and over many years, people have organised to relieve some of these. One such person was Lady Florence Josephine Pelham-Clinton (1868–1935) who was known to support the local community. After her death, a trust was established to continue her work and much of this work took place from 21 Deptford Broadway, which, despite war damage, was a base for a variety of activities to support the local community.

The 999 Club was started by Iris French and Patricia Wyndham in 1992 after seeing people experiencing homelessness in their local churchyard.

Back then it was just the two of them with a toaster, a kettle and a typewriter, making cups of tea and sandwiches. Soon after its founding, the 999 Club moved to 21 Deptford Broadway. Over the years, the 999 Club responded to the changing needs of the neighbourhood. A year round night shelter was established to respond to the increasing number of people sleeping rough. During the pandemic, the night shelter was closed, and new forms of work started, including supporting people living in temporary accommodation. Following the end of lockdown, the 999 Club’s Day-centre (called Gateway) was re-opened, proving a friendly welcome to people experiencing homelessness.

We now provide services 365 days a year, supporting people to escape homelessness.

Our strategy

999 Club’s is committed to being a locally rooted charity, providing high quality services to the community.

999 Club’s 3-year plan runs from 2022-25 setting out the ambition to offer a warm welcome to anyone that wants to escape homelessness for good, working with the people that use our services and specialist organisations, making sure people are fully supported to find and stay in a permanent home.

Our strategy“Inside out and outside in”

Over the next three years we will bring more of the outside into the 999 Club, welcoming the people that most need our support, with volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, in partnership with other charities, statutory authorities, local organisations and the people that use our services.

We will build on our solid foundations to do more outside of our building, supporting people to stay in their homes (or move on from temporary accommodation), to not just get a job but to stay in work. We will contribute to local partnerships that improve our area and share the experiences of the people that use our services.

Our objectives 2023-2024

We will be a resilient organisation that responds quickly to those who need us most.

OBJECTIVE

1 2 3 4

Build and maintain excellent fundraising relationships with trusts, donors, statutory partners and local companies.

KEY ACTIVITIES

We will maintain excellent relationships with our supporters by producing targeted communications, promoting challenge events and running a variety performance.

Our communications will be produced with the people that use our services, to assert our position as a local charity that provides services that support people to escape homelessness for good.

We will produce regular content for our key audiences including communicating the nature of our service to referral organisation so that we keep our supporters up to date with our work and engaged in a conversation about our future.

We will work with people that use our services to either tell their stories or to ensure that, when we speak on their behalf, we speak with their voice.

Ensure our property feels welcoming and safe.

We will create a financially viable plan for redevelopment of the site so that we can provide the best possible level of support.

Support our people by investing in their learning and development and giving them clear direction.

All teams and individuals have a work plan and development plans in addition to reflective practice sessions and a comprehensive organisation wide training programme.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion statement

999 Club is committed to recognising and valuing difference and recognising and redressing inequality and disadvantage.

While current UK Equality legislation refers to 9 protected characteristics (i.e. specific demographic groups) which have legal protection against discrimination, our intention is to address equality, diversity and inclusion in its broadest sense.

999 Club’s strategy is not limited to only meeting legal compliance; we cover all unfair discrimination and promote the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

1. OUR PLAN

• To live up to our commitments, we take action under 4 headings: governance, our team, people that use our service and marketing and communications

2. WORK TO DATE

• Establish Client Committee so that clients can coproduce 999 Club’s overall strategy and approach

• Recruitment of volunteers from East and South East Asian backgrounds

• Use language and imagery in our external communications that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the people that use our services

3. REPORTING AND MONITORING

• The board reviews an annual monitoring report that brings together information from each of the four headings of our plan.

Finances

We are budgeting for a deficit of £57k on our business-as-usual costs compared to a forecast surplus of £67k for 2022/23.

This is a realistic worst case scenario lower income from individuals. A realistic best case scenario, whereby donations from individuals and corporates match 2022/23, would mean a surplus of £59k.

We will maintain reserves of 3-9 months of expenditure.

INCOME 2023/24

EXPENDITURE 2023/24

The final decisions around cost-of-living payments, wage increases and creating a new triage role, will be made by the board based on specific cost benefit analysis for each case.

We aim to secure planning permission to redevelop our building. The Development Committee will create and propose an approach to raising the required funds for this process and for the development of the building.

Organisation chart

Board of Trustees

Client Committee

Finance

subcommittee

Role Description

Remuneration: The role of Chair is unremunerated but expenses are paid such as childcare and travel in order to support attendance at board meetings. If you are interested in this role but face barriers in applying, please get in touch to discuss how we can support you.

Location: South East London, United Kingdom

Time commitment: At least four Board meetings per year and one away day. The Chair is also expected to have regular meetings and be in regular contact with the CEO and liaise with other Board members and Board Sub-Committees in between full Board meetings.

Reporting to: 999 Club Board

Background: A commitment to the community of South East London and previous experience as a Chair or trustee of a charity would be welcomed. A general background in strategy, finance, fundraising or business development would also be desirable.

OBJECTIVE

The Chair will act as an ambassador for 999 Club, representing and promoting it to external stakeholders.

The Chair will hold the Board and Executive Team to account for the organisation’s mission and vision, providing inclusive leadership to the 999 Club’s Board, ensuring that each Board member fulfils their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the organisation.

The Chair will also support, and, where appropriate, challenge the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and ensure that the Board functions as a team and works closely with the entire Senior Management Team of the organisation to achieve agreed objectives.

Key responsibilities

External relations

• Act as an ambassador for the cause and the organisation

• In conjunction with the CEO, act as a spokesperson for the organisation

• Represent the 999 Club at external functions, meetings and events

• Facilitate change and address any potential conflict with external stakeholders

Strategic leadership

• Provide leadership to 999 Club and its Board, ensuring that the organisation has maximum impact for its beneficiaries

• Ensure that Board members fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the organisation

• Ensure that 999 Club pursues its objects as defined in its governing document, company law and other relevant legislation/ regulations

• Ensure that the Board provides a clear strategic direction for the organisation and seeks out opportunities and makes decisions which lead to action furthering the aims and objectives of the 999 Club

• Ensure that the Board is able to regularly review major risks and associated opportunities, and satisfy itself that systems are in place to take advantage of opportunities, and manage and mitigate the risks

• Ensure that the Board puts in place systems for monitoring both the quality of 999 Club’s work and the sound financial health of the organisation including financial accountability and transparency

Governance

• Ensure that the governance arrangements are working in the most effective way for 999 Club

• Develop the knowledge and capability of the Board through leading and mentoring other Board members and enable access to training/coaching/information to enhance the overall contribution of the Board.

• Encourage positive change where appropriate, addressing and resolving any conflicts within the Board

• Ensure the Board undergoes a regular appraisal process

• Ensure that the Board is regularly refreshed and incorporates the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience needed to govern and lead the organisation effectively, and which also reflects the wider population

• Approve the annual cycle of the board meetings, meeting agendas, chair and facilitate meetings, monitor decisions taken at meetings and ensure they are implemented

• Work within any agreed policies adopted by the 999 Club

Relationship with the CEO and the wider management team

• Establish and build a strong, effective and a constructive working relationship with the CEO, ensuring that they are held to account for achieving agreed strategic objectives

• Conduct an annual appraisal and remuneration review for the CEO in consultation with other Board members

Additional information

• The above list is indicative only and not exhaustive. The Chair of the Board will be expected to perform all such additional duties as are reasonably commensurate with the role

Person Specification

Personal qualities

• A strong and visible passion and commitment to the 999 Club, its strategic objectives and cause

• Excellent connections in the civic or community life of Lewisham and Greenwich

• Personal gravitas to provide strategic leadership whilst adhering to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership

• Demonstrate tact and diplomacy, with the ability and willingness to listen but also to challenge and criticise constructively

• Ability & willingness to commit time to conduct the role well, including travel and attending events out of office hours

• Good independent judgement, political impartiality and the ability to think creatively in the context of 999 Club and the external environment

• Strong networking capabilities that can be utilised for the benefit of 999 Club

• Ability to foster and promote a collaborative team environment and respect the confidences of colleagues

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of chairing meetings and events

• Experience of operating at a senior strategic leadership level within an organisation

• Experience of external representation, delivering presentations and managing stakeholders

Desirable

• Experience of non-profit governance and working as Chair or as a member of a Board of Directors/Trustees/Governors etc.

• Experience of successful team building

• Experience of performance management

• Experience of successful fundraising and income generation

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Broad knowledge and understanding of the Civil Society sector and current issues affecting it

• Strong leadership skills, ability to motivate Board members, staff, and volunteers –bringing people together

• Financial management expertise and a broad understanding of finance issues affecting a charity

Desirable

• Good understanding of legal issues affecting charities and their environment

How to apply

To apply for the role please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website via the link. Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable. If you wish to apply using an alternative format please contact Prospectus on 020 7691 1920 or email: executive.admin@prospect-us.co.uk

Applications via the Prospectus website should be made at: https://jobs.prospect-us.co.uk/jobs/185614-chair

At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. Please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments as part of this process.

Recruitment Timetable

Deadline for applications:

8 October

Interviews with Prospectus: w/c 16 October

Interviews with 999 Club: w/c 30 October

Queries

If you wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact our retained advisors Linda Griffiths, Lottie Wihl or Sam Badenoch at Prospectus on 020 7691 1920, or email:

linda.griffiths@prospect-us.co.uk

lottie.wihl@prospect-us.co.uk

sam.badenoch@prospect-us.co.uk

Making

change count for homeless people