Job Description
Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities!
We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.
The Lewisham Autism Partnership is a fast paced and forward-thinking group of professionals who are on a quest to turn Lewisham into a flagship borough for autism wellbeing. We believe ..
Lewisham Council is looking for an independent lived experience co-chair to support the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board (LAPB). The Lewisham Autism Partnership Board has been established to ensure the implementation of the Lewisham All Age Autism Strategy (2023-2028) which presents the vision for the borough and describes the priority areas that will be worked on to make Lewisham a more autism-inclusive place to live and work. This is a strategic role, with a focus on championing the aims of the LAPB with system stakeholders and the community. You will play a role in influencing system partners to deliver change, and also making connections with the autistic community to support diverse and meaningful coproduction related to the LAPB’s work programme areas.
INTRODUCTION
- Are you interested in helping Lewisham become an Autism inclusive borough?
- Do you have experience of working with stakeholders to influence them to deliver change?
- Do you think you can represent the autistic voice when shaping new services?
If the answer is yes, please come join us as Expert Co-chair in the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board!
The Expert Co-Chair will be a key member of the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board and has a major role in ensuring all members act at all times in good faith, with integrity and making Best for People decisions.
What’s in it for you?
This role offers numerous opportunities – whether that is building networks across Lewisham, advancing your skill set or building confidence and knowledge in health and care improvement initiatives.
The role provides the opportunity to oversee work happening in Lewisham borough with the view of enhancing the lives of the autistic community and increasing autism awareness.
You will receive support and guidance from the Assistant Director for Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing and LAPB Co-ordinator. You will work collectively to design your work plan for the 12-month period and understand what support you need to enable you to fulfil your duties effectively.
You will gain or strengthen your leadership skills by working with senior stakeholders across Lewisham borough. This will include chairing and presenting at Board meetings and representing the work of the LAPB in other fora.
If you have professional training goals or experience that you want to achieve, we are open to exploring how you could achieve these through defined projects in support of the LAPB.
What we’re looking for?
We are looking for a person with lived experience of autism to be an expert co-chair of the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board and advocate the views of the autistic community fairly and confidently.
You will be a respected individual with experience of Board level roles and large collaboration initiatives to bring an independent, objective view to enable the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board to grow and develop.
You will have a passion for implementing the strategy that will enable sustainable change that improves the experience and outcomes of autistic people in the borough.
The applicant would be keen to contribute, report and present to others as necessary.
The Lewisham Autism Partnership Board is a collective of Lewisham professionals who work together to oversee, and are responsible for, the delivery of the Lewisham All Age Autism Strategy, in accordance with national guidance. It does this through the development and implementation of action plans and management of related working groups.
The Lewisham Autism Partnership Board launched in January 2023 and Lewisham Borough Council are seeking an enthusiastic Lewisham resident with a diagnosis of autism to take the role of Expert Co Chair, working alongside our professional co-chair to drive forward the vision and purpose of the Autism Partnership Board. Together, they will work to ensure the Board functions properly and that effective decisions are made and carried out.
Key responsibilities:
The role of the co-chair is to lead and support the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board in its aim of overseeing the implementation of the Lewisham All Age Autism Strategy (2023-2028) and by championing the voice of autistic people living in Lewisham
The Co-Chair will have a vital role in ensuring members make the best decisions for autistic people of Lewisham
The expert co-chair will be expected to:
- Co-Chair meetings of the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board ensuring that ultimately decisions are made in the best interests of autistic people in Lewisham.
- Work collaboratively with the Assistant Director and LAPB Co-ordinator, specifically on the development of the agreed programme of work for the Co-Chair to lead and champion throughout their tenure.
- Through agreed work programmes, canvass and champion the views of a diverse range of autistic people, their carers and families reflective of the populations residing in Lewisham to help determine best options for change and delivery that can realistically be achieved within available resource envelopes
- Support the LAPB to identify solutions that respond to the identified needs of communities, raised through agreed coproduction initiatives.
- Ensure good governance principles are applied at Lewisham Autism Partnership Board meetings (setting policies, setting and monitoring performance, ensuring appropriate resources are available)
- Promote good relationships and trust between all members of the LAPB, meeting with member organisations individually if appropriate
- To report on the progress of the LAPB to other Lewisham committees and boards.
- To champion the range of diverse views and experiences among our Autistic population.
- To effectively communicate the vision and purpose of the LAPB when engaging with wider stakeholders and communities in Lewisham.
- To advocate for and represent the LAPB at external meetings and events.
Experience
- Diagnosis of autism or self-identifying autistic
- Experience of chairing a senior board of a significant collaboration or partnership and/or of successfully driving change through effective partnership working
- Experience of undertaking meaningful and supportive community listening and coproduction exercises, including making adaptations/reasonable adjustments to secure engagement from individuals with a range of accessibility levels
- Experience of reporting on qualitative feedback
- Experience of operating in an arena where difficult and sometimes contentious decisions have to be taken
- Experience of social care, NHS and third sector preferred
- Understanding of NHS and Local Government strategic planning and an awareness of external drivers affecting local health and health services
Leadership and Values
- Strong commitment to diversity of perspectives and harnessing a range of views to achieve solutions
- Strong commitment to apply co-production, ensuring engagement and involvement of citizens and communities that represent Lewisham borough.
- Ability to engage visibly and effectively with a range of partners and stakeholders (including governing bodies, senior clinicians, patients/service users and citizens) and work comfortably across organisational boundaries
- Confident to raise difficult issues and provide appropriate challenge to facilitate and strengthen relationships between partners, overcoming conflict where necessary
- Bring a sound understanding of, and commitment to upholding the Nolan Principles of Public Life
- Embrace effective governance, accountability and stewardship of public money and demonstrate an understanding of the principles of good scrutiny.
Personal attributes
- Lived experience of accessing assessment and support services for autistic people.
- Able to canvass and represent the views of autistic people from a range of communities living within Lewisham to ensure all voices are heard and listened to.
- Passion for collaboration and partnership working, able to engage, influence and secure shared ownership of objectives/goals
- Ability to plan and chair collaborative meetings, and communicate complex and challenging issues clearly and effectively
- Able to facilitate and encourage active engagement and appropriate challenge
- Able to give an unbiased view on possible conflicts of interest
- Able to oversee all governance matters to ensure they are conducted in accordance with best practice
- Have the skills, knowledge and experience to assess and confirm that appropriate systems of internal control are in place for all aspects of governance, including financial and risk management
- Responsive to feedback
- Able to think conceptually in order to plan flexibly for the longer term and being continually alert to finding ways to improve.
Location
We operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work from home on a regular basis but travel to and attend face to face meeting as necessary. The option of working from Laurence House, Catford is also available. The recruitment process is anonymous. We do not accept CV’s.
Hours:
The hours for this role are flexible (approx. 3-16 hours a month) and will be influenced by requirements set and agreed via the LAPB and the Assistant Director. While hours for the role are generally flexible, as this role is required to Co-Chair the Lewisham Autism Partnership Board, this meeting date will be fixed.
Special Conditions:
DO NOT APPLY VIA THIS WEBSITE
If you are interested, we would encourage you to have an informal discussion about this job in the first instance;
Please contact -
Ellen McGale, Assistant Director, Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing
Email - [email protected]
Please click here to view the Job description and person specification
Salary:
£25 p/h - 3-16 hours per month - The time commitment is likely to be spilt over multiple days/attendance at various meetings
Diversity
Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply
The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works , which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email
[email protected] and an advisor will be in touch with you.
The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.
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