The Special Educational Needs Advice Centre is seeking to appoint a new Chair and a number of Trustees to join its Board of Directors.
This is a great opportunity to share your talents and expertise, and to help make a positive, long-lasting impact on the lives of children and young people with special educational needs in Northern Ireland.
SENAC is a charity that provides confidential, independent advice and advocacy for children and young people with disabilities and special educational needs (SEN) who attend schools in Northern Ireland up to the age of 19 years.
Since its inception in 2003, SENAC has helped thousands of children to receive a standard of education that would not otherwise have been available to them without intervention. The charity has been supporting and advising parents on how to access education support for children with additional needs through a range of regional services which include an Advice Line, Advocacy and Appeal services and Community workshops.
Demand for our services is extremely high. We receive referrals from over 100 different organisations, agencies, and professionals, and on average, we support over 850 families each year. Demand for all our services is growing and, given planned changes to SEN provision in Northern Ireland, we anticipate demand will continue to grow for all our services.
We are currently seeking additional volunteers to join our board.
Chair
As Chair, you will lead the Board in planning and delivering the strategic direction for SENAC as well as ensuring that governance best practice is being followed. The Chair also is the primary communications conduit between the Board and the Operating Staff.
Board Member
As a Board member, you will play a crucial role in the effective governance of the charity. Your responsibilities include ensuring the organization’s viability and sustainability, adhering to its mission, and continuously prioritizing the interests of children, young people, and their parents.
Background/experience in one or more of the following relevant areas would be desirable:
- Accounting
- Human Capital Development/HR
- Fundraising
- Statutory SEN system in NI
Previous experience as a Management Committee member or Chair would be useful but not essential.
Time Commitment
The Board meets online 10 times per annum (under review) and our meetings typically last 1.5 – 2.0 hours. There is also a requirement to do typically 2-3 hours of work per month to support ongoing initiatives.
To find out more, please visit www.senac.co.uk. If you feel you have skills and experience that would add value to SENAC’s work, please get in touch by emailing our Chair, Mark McCusker mccuskermark@hotmail.com.
