Inspire North is the parent organisation of Community Links and Foundation.
At Inspire North we’re here to create a world where everyone matters. Our values are simple, yet drive and motivate us to excellence every day: People, Integrity, Passion and Collaboration. We are the parent organisation of 2 amazing charities.
Community Links is an award-winning non-profit provider of mental health and wellbeing services in Yorkshire and the Humber. We offer support for people with a wide range of mental health issues including anxiety and depression, psychosis, alcohol and substance misuse, complex needs and personality disorder. We also provide Dementia services with our Young Dementia Leeds day service and 2 dementia support hubs.
Our Training team offers award winning mental health awareness and personal development training, including our flagship courses;Mental Health First Aid, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training and safeTALK.
90% of Community Links services are commissioned by the NHS and local authorities in the region. Our partners include voluntary sector organisations and NHS Foundation Trusts.
Foundation has been working for over 30 years in the North of England building better lives. We believe in social justice, fairness and the right to belong. We support adults, young people and families, building on their strengths to make a lasting difference, empowering change and social inclusion.
We work in partnership to deliver a broad range of innovative and professional services for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness;whether through complex needs, offender history, family breakdown, domestic abuse, addiction or mental health issues.
The Inspire North Group has been named a Top50 Inclusive Company, we are a Real Living Wage employer and have accreditations from Investors in People, Mindful Employer and as a Disability Confident Leader.
We have committed as an organisation to become an anti-racist and inclusive organisation and this is reflected from floor to board. We have an active action plan to ensure we can see the change we strive for. We want our employees and trustees to be reflective of the communities we serve. We encourage our trustees to visit our services and see first-hand the work we do and meet the clients we support.
Why Inspire North is supporting Boardroom Apprentice
The first step as a trustee can be daunting but it is important to bring in new, fresh perspectives and ensure we have a diverse board in terms skills, work experience and lived experience and this is why we want to act as a host.
We will ensure you have support from an established trustee as a buddy to allow you to ask questions and have meaningful conversations. We also ensure at each meeting there is a trustee only reflection space to ensure trustees have the opportunity to properly connect and ensure they feel assured as trustees.
We have a trustee induction pack which is a great resource and includes information on roles, code of conduct, conflict of interest, governance and contact details. Helen Isabella Ferguson, the Strategic Governance Lead also acts as a first point of contact for trustees queries and support.
We have invested in an online Board portal so we feel this is a leaner and more environmentally friendly approach however we will of course adapt if a trustee has specific access needs. We have hybrid meetings meaning we can have trustees who are not based in the local geography. This reduces travel, supporting the environment and reducing costs as well as giving trustees a better work/life balance to be able to give back.
Location of Board and Committee Meetings
All Board and Sub-Committee Meetings can be attended virtually. As a third sector organisation we have to keep travel expenses to a minimum so have enabled the use of Microsoft Teams for virtual attendance. We have 2 Board Away Days in person per year and we will support expenses to attend these.
Frequency and timing of board/committee meetings
Board Meetings take place in March, June, September and December (alternative Thursdays and Fridays 9:00am – 11:30am)
Sub-Committee Meetings take place in February, May, September and November. The days alternate depending on the meetings. I have included the dates for Q4 (2023-24) below.
Date of Board Meetings (January 2024 – December 2024)
21st March 2024 9:00am – 11:00 – Board Q4 / June 2024 – Board Q1 / September 2024 – Board Q2 / December 2024 – Board Q4 / Board Away Days 5th April 2024 & October 2024
Committee of the Boards and meeting dates (January 2024 – December 2024)
21st February 2024 9:00am – 11:00am – People & Culture Sub-Committee
Dates TBC:
May 2024 – Ops & Development
September 2024 – Resources & Risk Assurance
October 2024 – Nominations
