The Drive Forward Foundation specialises in supporting care-experienced children and young people aged 16 – 26 in London into sustainable and fulfilling employment, education, and training.
Through a mix of tailored 1-2-1 support, intensive employability skills training, exclusive opportunities provided by employer partners, a bespoke counselling service, and in-work mentoring support, they empower young people to take control of their lives through meaningful careers.
Their vision is a society where care-experienced people enjoy opportunity, empathy and respect; their goal is not just to help young people find a job but to work with them to be aspirational and pursue sustainable employment avenues.
Context.
Following the departure of a long-standing CEO, this recruitment was a crucial one in leading the charity into the next phase of growth and strategic development. With plans to expand its reach across London and eventually beyond, it was crucial to find a leader who could navigate the complexities of scaling up while maintaining the charity’s core values. The new CEO needed to possess exceptional leadership skills, with experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and driving organisational change. As the charity sought to enhance its impact and secure additional funding, it was important that the candidate brought a strong commercial acumen, along with the ability to advocate for care-experienced young people to policymakers and funders. Moreover, they required a leader capable of evolving the charity’s culture, fostering an environment of inclusivity and collaboration, and ensuring continued support for young people in the charity’s growing network.
Brief.
Our brief was to find a CEO with strong leadership, strategic vision and expertise in leading a charitable organisation through periods of growth and development. A strong understanding of the challenges faced by care-experienced young people was key, so our search focused on candidates with experience in youth services, social impact, or similar sectors.
The charity sought a leader who could bring fresh, innovative ideas to the organisation, driving its vision forward while also maintaining continuity in leadership and preserving the strong, values-driven culture that had already been established.
Outcome.
We had an incredible response to this opportunity, with over 80 applications from candidates with a diverse range of experience and expertise. We were delighted to design a process that included an opportunity for some of the care-experienced young people to interview the shortlisted candidates and contribute to the final decision-making.
The appointed candidate has extensive experience in the charity sector, having held senior leadership roles where they led cross-functional teams, secured significant funding, and developed strategic initiatives. Their leadership style emphasises coaching and empowering staff, ensuring alignment with organisational goals. With a strong background in education and youth services, they had worked closely with government departments and stakeholders, advocating for policy change and securing funding, making them a perfect fit to lead and expand the impact of the Drive Forward Foundation.
Communication is crucial, and the communication throughout from Clare was fantastic. Each stage of the process was communicated clearly, and relevant information and areas of focus were highlighted in advance, making for a richer experience with the limited time you have with the recruiting organisation. The process was just incredibly smooth.
Successful candidate
Peridot, and Clare Chesworth in particular, did a great job for us in helping with the crucial appointment of the right CEO for our needs and mission. Clare was with us every step of the way, from designing the brief to all stages of delivery up to and including final interview and appointment. This was an excellent service, and I won’t hesitate to recommend Peridot in future and to work with Clare again if given the chance.
Sir Max Hill, Chair
Clare Chesworth is a Managing Consultant for our Not for Profit Practice. Clare is passionate about recruiting executive and board leaders for organisations tackling social justice. With an empathetic and driven approach, Clare can find the right leaders to suit your mission. If you’d like to get in touch with her, you can connect with Clare on Linkedin or send her an email.
