Welsh Refugee Council Chair of Trustees

The organisation:

With over 34 years’ experience, The Welsh Refugee Council is trusted by the communities we serve and we are seen as the lead organisation in Wales for sanctuary seekers and refugees. We improve the lives of these individuals through specialised support and by influencing policy and practice. Our work supports sanctuary seekers and refugees at the most critical points in their lives, helping them find stability and start building a new life in Wales.

We help people find a place to stay, work to support themselves, access English classes, legal advice, and community networks. We provide safe spaces for young people to play with our Play Project. Our work aims to help people to feel less isolated, more informed, upskilled, integrated and empower people to speak up on the issues that affect them.

Based in the heart of our communities we deliver specialist support across Wales, from our community hubs in Cardiff, Newport, Swansea, Carmarthenshire, and Wrexham.

We partner with a wide range of community, voluntary and statutory sector bodies to increase our impact and ensure our clients can flourish.

The role:

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the Board of an ambitious organisation, dedicated to enhancing the support for refugees and people seeking safety. With healthy governance, a dedicated executive team, committed trustees and a continued passion to support our service users, we have a strong platform from which to operate and effect change in the communities we serve.

We are looking to appoint a Chair to lead and inspire, as well as to act as an ambassador for the organisation. The Chair will bring:

• Prior experience as a charity trustee and solid understanding of good governance practices
• Experience of operating at strategic leadership level
• Skills to influence positive change at a senior level
• Knowledge of refugee and asylum policy in Wales and UK
• Experience of acting as ambassador and raising the profile of an organisation, leading to positive outcomes

We are seeking a Chair who shares our values as well as our passion and commitment to the communities of Wales.

We are actively seeking to bring more diversity of perspectives and experience to our Board and welcome applications from currently underrepresented groups at board level.

Recruitment Timetable

• Closing Date: 10 September 2024

A full induction will be provided to the incoming Chair.