Mental Health & Wellbeing trustee

What will you be doing?

Dyspraxic Me is seeking a trustee with knowledge and experience of mental health, wellbeing, and support services to help strengthen our board.

Many members of our community experience anxiety, depression, low confidence, social isolation, and difficulties accessing appropriate support. We are looking for someone who can help Dyspraxic Me develop a strong understanding of wellbeing needs and ensure that members are appropriately supported and signposted to relevant services when needed.

As a trustee, you will contribute to the strategic direction of the organisation and help ensure that wellbeing remains a key consideration in our activities, communications, and member support.

As a team of trustees, we are required to:

• Ensure Dyspraxic Me works towards its objectives as defined in its governing document
• Ensure that Dyspraxic Me has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is focused on achieving these
• Ensure Dyspraxic Me uses its resources wisely and to protect the financial stability of Dyspraxic Me
• Ensure Dyspraxic Me complies with all legal requirements
• Contribute to the Board of Trustees' role in giving strategic direction to, writing, and reviewing policies, defining goals, and setting targets and evaluating performance
• Maintain the values of Dyspraxic Me
• Support the day-to-day administration
• Safeguard all members of Dyspraxic Me
• Protect Dyspraxic Me’s property and assets (e.g. our laptop/projector)
• If Dyspraxic Me eventually employs staff, to appoint the member of staff and monitor their performance

Time commitment: at least 1 hour a week actively supporting the charity and 4 Board meetings per year

What are we looking for?

Key Tasks:

• Advise the board on mental health and wellbeing matters.
• Help ensure members can be signposted to appropriate support services.
• Support the development of wellbeing and safeguarding practices.
• Ensure member wellbeing is considered in organisational decision-making.
• Advocate for dyspraxic people - Offering useful advice to parents/young people.
• Attend trustee meetings and contribute to board discussions.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• 3 years or more of working within the mental health sector.
• Understanding and knowledge of dyspraxia.
• Understanding of the social model of disability and the importance of using the right words.
• Understanding of support services and referral/signposting pathways.
• Experience in mental health, wellbeing, social care, counselling, psychology, occupational therapy, or a related field.
• Ability to think strategically and work collaboratively as part of a board.
• Passionate about Dyspraxic Me and its aims.
• Willingness to commit time to supporting Dyspraxic Me.

What difference will you make?

Dyspraxic Me is looking for a new trustee in the area of Mental Health & Wellbeing to develop and grow the charity.

Dyspraxic Me offers dyspraxic young people the chance to take part in a series of workshops that help them develop useful skills for adulthood for example cooking, sports and social skills. Participants help to inform the sessions by having opportunities to suggest what sessions they would like to attend and would find beneficial. Sessions have included cooking, cycling, social skills, employability skills and art; we usually organise a social picnic each year. Every year we organise events for Dyspraxia Awareness Week to raise awareness of dyspraxia.

Dyspraxic Me started in June 2013 and has been delivering workshops since February 2014. Dyspraxic Me is a volunteer run registered charity with 5 trustees including the founder of the group. Trustees and volunteers play an active role in the daily running of the charity. Dyspraxic Me has plans to grow to support more dyspraxic people.

Before you apply

Please apply by answering the following questions and sending your responses via Reach. Your responses can be answered in any format you find most accessible for example this could be a pre-recorded presentation, a film, audio, text, mind-map, bullet points, collage… 1. Why are you interested in becoming a trustee for Dyspraxic Me? 2. What previous experience can you bring to the trustee role?