Last Thursday 26th May, we were delighted to join the nominees for the Charity Governance Awards hosted by the Clothworkers Foundation.
Nominated for the category ‘Covid-19 Response: Embracing Opportunity and Harnessing Risk’, Khulisa were up against strong competition in I Choose Freedom and the Quo Vadis Trust. We didn’t win this year but were delighted to celebrate with the winners I Choose Freedom and to receive our runners up certificate and gift of £1,000. It was a tight competition, and we’re proud to have gotten so far in the awards.
We were recognised for our ability to respond rapidly to meet the increased demand from young people for support for their social and emotional wellbeing, all whilst adapting to the impact that Covid had on the organisation.
The judges particularly praised our board, whose guidance proved vital in overcoming the challenges that Covid-19 created, and our team for their ability to adapt so quickly.
The judges were impressed by the board for stepping up their already high engagement to support the charity in redesigning programmes for online delivery. They also recognised the way in which the board and senior leadership team assessed the risk and impact, and how we used the learnings from the pandemic to create a hybrid offer once we were able to return back into schools. Digital is not the solution for everything and we were quick to acknowledge that for the young people we work with, who are most in need, we need to build strong relationships and continue to offer in-person support.
Khulisa’s CEO Cara Cinnamon said:
“I want to thank our board for their unwavering support and belief in us throughout the pandemic.
“This recognises the commitment of our team to meeting the needs of young people, even in the most challenging of circumstances. I think it is also reflective of the team’s resilience and their ability to pull together and innovate, even in times of crisis.
“I would also like to thank all of Khulisa’s supporters who know that good life outcomes depend upon good emotional health. We have worked tirelessly over the last 15 years to protect more than 5,000 young people from the effects of trauma and adversity, and none of this would have been possible without you.”
The Clothworkers’ Company, who hosted the awards, were keen to emphasise the importance of diversity and inclusion within the governance of charities. Speaking at the event Sufina Ahmad, the Director of the John Ellerman Foundation, told of the important role of the board in furthering diversity and inclusion. She pointed out that 92% of trustees are white, and 2/3rds of them are male, adding:
“Our success as a sector depends on our embracing of equity, diversity and inclusion.
“Board trustees are drawn to charity by their values, ethics and experiences. They need to be Bold and brave.”
Khulisa are keen to make this a core part of our board too and we are currently recruiting for a new Chair of the Board, someone with a passion and understanding of the issues the young people we work with face and the ability to open our networks and drive support from a wider community. If you are interested in applying please see the job pack below.
Thank you to The Clothworkers’ Company for hosting the awards and their support of Khulisa, and congratulations to everyone who won!