The Isle of Wight Youth Trust has begun its search for a new Director following the announcement that current post holder Eileen Monks is to step down.
Eileen, who has been Trust Director since 2001 and who in 2011 was awarded an OBE for services to young people, will continue to play a support role within the organisation after leaving the Director’s post in February next year. She is reducing her role within the Trust in order to allow her to spend more time with her family including her grandchildren who are currently living as far away as the Czech Republic, Australia and Dubai, as well as on the Island.
In order to attract a candidate of similarly high standard as Eileen, the Trust has begun its recruitment campaign which will see advertisements placed in local, regional and specialist media.
The successful candidate will join the Trust at a time when both the total number of counselling sessions offered – and thus the corresponding costs of providing those – has risen steadily. In addition, the amount of funding received from statutory agencies has fallen as a fraction of income received from two thirds in 2001 to just a third today.
As Director, Eileen has built up the Trust’s excellent reputation for providing a reliable, responsive, caring, confidential and effective service for children and young people under the age of 25. She has also helped develop strong community links, part of which has involved working closely with the organisation’s trustees and its sponsors including the three ‘gold’ supporters Wightlink Ferries, The Royal at Ventnor and Bestival who all provided crucial funding.
Eileen said the growing caseload – 815 young people between them received 3,051 counselling sessions in 2015/16 – coupled with the changing way in which services were now delivered on the Island – meant the new Director would be joining at a challenging time.
Eileen commented:
“It is an extremely rewarding role and the new Director will have the benefit of the fantastic support I have received from the trustees, the Trust’s excellent staff, our supporters and the wider Island community.
Article continues below this advertisement “Ever since I joined 28 years ago, the Trust has remained true to its aim of providing a service that is not only greatly used by young people but one that is truly independent, trusted and highly respected.
“Being a Director is a full time role and a demanding one at that. But it has been a passion for me and because of the wonderful people who work here and who support the organisation there is no doubt that is has been like my other family.
“But now is the right time to spend more time with my own family – I have seven grandchildren spread far and wide across the world and I am looking forward to spending more time with them, my husband Barrie and our children.”
Ken Dueck, chairman of trustees, said:
“Eileen has made a huge contribution to the success of the Youth Trust and we are delighted that she will remain active within the organisation after she steps down as Director.
“We are determined to find the very best candidate to build on Eileen’s excellent work and to ensure the Trust continues and develops its work providing caring and confidential counselling services for local children, young people and their families.”
