In this week’s blog, Chloe Joyner (Founder) and Emma King (CEO) from Usher Kids UK share their experiences of the recruitment process.
Emma was hired, by Chloe, as CEO of the charity in early 2024.
Read to gain insights from both perspectives, and useful advice on making successful hiring decisions.
Usher Kids UK is the only UK charity dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by around 2,000 children, young people (aged 0-25yrs) and their families living in the UK with Usher syndrome, a rare genetic cause of progressive deafblindness. Their vision is a world in which every child and young person living with Usher syndrome can thrive.
Usher Kids UK
We empower children, young people and families by giving access to the tailored information, support and connections they need to build knowledge, skills and confidence for the path ahead. We use insight from our community engagement to drive our advocacy work and champion their needs within and beyond the sector.
We are committed to working collaboratively with children, young people and their families, and associated professionals in education, research, health and social care, to ensure access to knowledge, resources and services.
We offer peer support to families from diagnosis onwards, and we create and share information and resources which address the specific and unique challenges associated with progressive dual sensory loss.
Every year we bring our community together in our programme of events focused on the specific needs of families and children at different stages of their journey.
Recruitment insights:
Chloe, what were the key motivators behind your decision to hire a new CEO at this stage of the charity’s development?
“Having successfully built our network and engagement over the years through voluntary input, we could see that demand for our services was increasing at a rate which required us to scale up capacity quickly.
Our ‘newly diagnosed’ information pack was being shared by clinicians at point of diagnosis, and our work with professionals was leading to quicker and greater numbers of referrals.
The depth and breadth of unmet need meant a sustainable solution was required, one which ensured these needs could be met on long term basis. Therefore, we recognised the need to switch from volunteer-run, to employing a small team of paid staff.”
Emma, what initially attracted you to the role at Usher Kids UK?
“As soon as I saw the advert, I clicked on to the Usher Kids UK website. Seeing their impact videos of summer camp and the support services they offer made me really want to be a part of the team: I knew it would make my heart sing and I’d feel like I was helping a whole community of families.
The way the advert and person specification were written suggested that the governance team at Usher Kids UK was clear on their purpose, friendly and valued creative thinking, which drew me to them straight away. This impression was cemented through the informal follow-up zoom call that they offered, when I met the founder and a trustee.
These first impressions, given through a well-considered recruitment process, were a true reflection of the organisation and team.”
Chloe, what advantages did you see in bringing in fresh perspectives from someone outside the organisation, without lived experience of a rare disease?
How did you feel about hiring externally?
“Sustainability was a key factor in deciding to recruit externally. Lived experience has a crucial role to play in rare disease organisations, but that doesn’t mean they have to lead every function, nor that they automatically have the right experience or skills for the charity at that stage of its development.
Having a skilled team of charity professionals to run our charity and deliver our core services was the right model for us. We ensure they access a broad range of lived experiences so that our services respond to the needs, experiences and priorities of our community.
This model enables us to draw upon lived experience where it adds the most value, without placing undue burden on those who live with the condition.”
Emma, what impact do you hope to have on Usher Kids UK and the rare disease community as a whole?
“I hope to ensure that we continue to be guided by the voice of our community when developing our services, and that we are able to continue supporting our families from diagnosis to adulthood. I would like to help to amplify their voices in the health and education sectors to bring about change.
Once I have gained more experience, I would like to coach and support other rare disease charity leaders in the governance and strategic development aspects of the role, in order to free up their time and focus.”
Chloe, what were the main practical considerations when preparing to hire?
“Fundraising was the first step, and in particular finding a funder that would be willing to discuss funding on multi-year basis. I knew that I wouldn’t have capacity to undertake the recruitment process in addition to continuing to run the charity while also piecing together multiple short term and small pots of funding.
In order to attract the right candidates and undertake a thorough handover process, having a two year funding commitment was really important. We are incredibly thankful that our funder recognised the importance of this. The amount of time and capacity needed to undertake the recruitment process properly shouldn’t be underestimated.
If this is the first paid role (or any paid role for that matter) it is so important to get the right person, so it is important to organise the recruitment period for when you can actually devote time to it – if the funding period deadline is approaching,
I’d recommend speaking to the funder to get an extension – better to get the right person than rush and regret your choice.”
Emma, how have you found being immersed in the rare disease community?
Have you had any particular experiences that have deepened your connection to the rare community?
“I am the first employee of the charity, after many years of Chloe running the organisation as Founder and now Chair of Trustees. Chloe ensured that my induction was in-depth and gave plenty of time for me to learn from those with lived experience in our community, which gave me an excellent basis to start my role.
An ongoing close relationship with Chloe, who is generous with her time and willingness to share her knowledge and experience, has been at the core of my deepening connection with the community, and something which we now replicate with new employees.
Our in-person events and contact with families via social media have also been incredibly impactful experiences, as they give me the opportunity to listen and learn about the journeys our families are on and to ensure that their voice is always front and centre as I work.”
Finally Chloe, do you have any other reflections on the recruitment process?
Were there any unexpected challenges or shifts in what you valued?
“Recruitment was a great way to make the most of varied skills within our Trustee Board. The trustees’ input in preparing to recruit, and then the interview and selection process was vital. It allowed us to really reflect at each stage, and consider the best fit candidate from all perspectives.
We did not expect to receive so many applications, and were thrilled by the genuine interest and range of skills and experience in those we met. I’d say don’t underestimate the power of your story as a rare and passionate community .
Whilst the salary may not compete with other larger organisations, many candidates are keen to work for an organisation where they can make a tangible and meaningful impact.”
We haven’t looked back since recruiting our CEO – it has been an absolute pleasure to work through the handover process with Emma, and under her leadership we are on track to become fully sustainable, which is exactly what our community needs and deserves.
Are you looking to recruit?
Join our upcoming webinar!
Get ready to recruit: How to prepare your charity for growth
From hiring best practices, to identifying the skills you need. Join our webinar to learn how expanding your team can amplify your impact.
11th October 2024, 11:00am – 12:30pm
Join our upcoming masterclass!
Hire with impact: Recruitment training for rare disease patient groups
Join this masterclass for a step-by-step guide on how to recruit the best people to your rare disease patient group.
17th October – 14th November 2024, 11:00am – 12:30pm
Thank you for reading this week’s blog!
A huge thank you to Emma and Chloe for taking the time to share their knowledge and personal experiences with the recruitment process.
We hope you found their insights as valuable and enlightening as we did!
