Changing Futures appoints six independent chairs
We’re delighted to welcome Abdul Mulla, Veron Dowdy, Alison Comley, Ellie Placide, Darren Alexander and Jeremiah Dom-Ogbonna as our new independent chairs for Changing Futures’ three boards: The Programme Board, the Creative Solutions Board and The Changing Futures Collaborative.
As a partnership programme, we know from previous experience that collaboration is best achieved when our boards are chaired by people who are independent from any one organisation, profession or interest group.
In the spirit of coproduction, it was agreed that the Programme Board, the Creative Solutions Board, and the Collaborative would each have two independent chairs sharing the role. One chair brings substantial management and leadership experience while the other brings lived experience of the issues faced by people experiencing Multiple Disadvantage.
Alex Collins, our Lived Experience Lead, says: “Coproduction is one of Changing Futures key areas of focus. If we are serious about wanting to change the system, I firmly believe that coproduction needs to happen at every level and that includes governance and management. That is why it was important to us to have chairs with lived experience working alongside chairs with professional experience”.
All our independent chairs are employed through Bristol City Council as the accountable body for Changing Futures.
Programme board
Abdul Mulla and Veron Dowdy will chair the Programme board which exercises Changing Futures’ governance function and monitors the delivery of the programme.
Abdul (pictured right) has over 35 years’ experience of in working in community, health and social care settings. He is currently working as a Head of Locality with NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB. Formally a CEO of a health charity and a Healthwatch in Blackburn (Lancashire) for 12 years, he has worked in local government developing community development projects and involving the local communities in major regeneration schemes as well as a youth and community worker for 10 years.
He says: “I am passionate about giving people a voice, in particular those who are most vulnerable and on the margins of society.”
Veron brings over 20 years of leadership and management experience in the public and 3rd sector, combined with a wealth of lived experiences. He has particular insights into the problems people with multiple disadvantages may face when trying to access or interact with services.
He says: “I’m a firm believer that positive change can be achieved through a collaboration of empowered service users, like-minded partners, and a collective willingness from providers to evolve their services to meet the needs of those who may not fit the typical mould. My ambition is to achieve a sustainable version of Changing Futures’ vision in full. However, I know that embedding system change is not simple, so in the first instance, I want to create an environment within the board that is problem-sensitive and solution-focused.”
Creative Solutions Board
Alison Comley and Ellie Placide will chair the Creative Solutions Board which provides a creative thinking space to discuss individuals at risk where current responses are not working and to creatively look at alternative solutions.
Alison was already the chair of the Creative Solutions Board under Golden Key and as such, will provide continuity of learning for this board. Alison has a long history of working in the public sector as a practitioner, planner and senior manager in Bristol alongside national work on the substance misuse agenda.
Ellie is a Services Coordinator at Babbasa. She brings passion, authenticity and charisma to the Creative Solutions Board. She says: “My awareness of the broken system will bring a new perspective and deep understanding to influence change in a positive way. I hope to use my voice and my story to create hope, spread awareness and empower others to do the same.”
The Changing Futures Collaborative
Darren Alexander and Jeremiah Dom-Ogbonna will chair the Changing Futures Collaborative which provide a space where all organisations committed to our work can meet to contribute to policy formation, learning and evaluation, priority setting and resource allocation.
Darren (pictured left) is a born and bred Bristolian and has a a passion for equal opportunities and social justice. He is the co-founder and Managing Director of youth organisation Aspiration Creation Elevation and has grown from being an inner-city youth to become a recognised figure within Bristol's VCSE sector.
He says: “Through this role, I hope to contribute towards the Changing Futures programme making a positive sustained change to the social sector's service delivery in Bristol. I am also keen for the programme to harness on-the-ground learning to influence and shape the approach we take to how services are delivered as a nation. Finally, I aspire to learn, develop and grow as a professional myself, in order to better contribute towards social change in my own journey.”
Jeremiah is the Youth Mayor of Bristol. He brings youthfulness to the Collaborative and plans to hold people to account for their role in changing the system. He says: “I want to see change, it can and will be done. My hope for the Collaborative Board is to bring more organisations in Bristol on board with our goal of achieving system change. This can only truly be done, when every organisation who wants to see change happen works in unison, which is what I hope to see in the next two years.”
If you are interested in joining the Collaborative, please contact info@changingfuturesbristol.co.uk