For the second consecutive year, BCHA has acted as a Host Board through the Boardroom Apprenticeship scheme. The Boardroom Apprentice scheme is a unique 12-month board experience offering learning, development and a placement to those who would like to serve on a board to gain vital experience. This year our Board Apprentice is Jessica Miller who hopes her time with BCHA will allow her to pursue a career enacting real and lasting change.
“I was born and raised in Scotland. When I was a baby, my mum and I experienced homelessness and we stayed in a variety of shelters before finding solace with one of my mums’ friends. We were then able to get back on our feet thanks to the council and the supported housing on offer. When I was a teenager, I moved to England, living in Plymouth before moving to Exeter. I’ve worked in a variety of roles helping both children and adults but am now in a career with the civil service.
“I first came into contact with BCHA when I worked for children’s charity Barnados. As a family support worker, we had to support children and their families at their time of need and when they were most vulnerable, and part of this support was helping them move into council or supported housing. Being in the Southwest where BCHA operates meant I naturally interacted with them several times while supporting families. My partner is also from Bournemouth, so I heard a lot of good things.”
Being able to be a Board Apprentice has been such a big achievement for me. I have learned so many skills during my time here at BCHA. I am so much more self-aware of my own strengths now and have confidence in my decisions.
“After experiencing homelessness as a baby, as well as my support work experience, I knew how important organisations like BCHA were, so when I was applying for the Boardroom Apprenticeship they were my first choice. BCHA’s vision of helping people reclaim their lives is something that really resonates with me. I think to work on a Board you have to truly believe in the organisation and what they stand for and BCHA’s values align strongly with my own.
“Something I’ve found fascinating about BCHA is the breadth of work that is covered: BCHA aren’t just a Housing Association, they also support those with Mental Health needs, Modern Slavery victims and provide adult education through BCHA Learn. The Board organised for me to visit BCHA’s different services which was really useful to help get to know the teams and the work that they do. Everyone has always been so welcoming and have always made me feel like no question is too big or small.”
“My perspective has definitely changed since working as a Board Apprentice. In my current role, I am very focused on the day-to-day and even minute-by-minute processes but being on the Board has helped me to step back and see the bigger picture. I’ve also learned how to foresee and mitigate risks to an organisation, which has been beneficial. I’ve developed a lot of governance literacy and gained practical knowledge about board responsibilities and committee structures.
“Before I applied to be a Board Apprentice, I’d taken an interest in BCHA’s values, especially after having worked with customers they support in the past. I think all of the values are so important in their own ways, but the one that stands out to me is being passionate. I’ve always wanted to be able to advocate for people who are facing hardships, especially considering my own experiences. Having passion for helping others is at the crux of everything I want to do, both in my career and my personal life.
“Being able to be a Board Apprentice has been such a big achievement for me. I have learned so many skills during my time here at BCHA. I am so much more self-aware of my own strengths now and have confidence in my decisions. I was not someone who was comfortable speaking to strangers or being in large groups, so being able to now do that has been an achievement too.”
I have the confidence now to have my own input but also to say when I don’t understand things. I know what kind of leader I want to be in the future, and I’ve learned how to balance supporting people and supporting an organisational purpose.
“As part of the civil service, there is an annual staff learning conference called ‘Civil Service Live’, and this year I helped host a stall there. I spoke about my experience on BCHA’s Board and about the apprenticeship, which is something I wouldn’t have done before because I didn’t have the confidence!
“The Board members have helped contribute to my achievements more than they know. They have provided such a safe space to learn and grow and have really allowed me to have my own ideas and contributions. I don’t think I would have achieved all I have or feel as accomplished as I do without everyone on the Board supporting me.
“I would love to be able to stay on the BCHA Board, but if that doesn’t pan out for me I will apply for Boards that have the same goals and values that I do. I would love to be on a Board that is supporting the public, justice system, housing or education. BCHA is definitely my first point of call!”
“This experience has given me so much confidence and helped me feel like my contributions are valuable, even at a strategic level. I have the confidence now to have my own input but also to say when I don’t understand things. I know what kind of leader I want to be in the future, and I’ve learned how to balance supporting people and supporting an organisational purpose.
“If anyone has the opportunity to be a part of BCHA’s Board, I would really advise them to go for it. BCHA are really flexible with their Board, with most meetings being held online or out of working hours, so it means you can easily navigate having a full-time job or priorities at home. BCHA really facilitate the learning process for their teams and make time to talk through new or important information.
“BCHA aren’t looking for if you’ve got CEO experience. They look for the passion and commitment that comes with supporting those facing homelessness. If you can resonate with BCHA’s values and can contribute to the important conversations they are having, everyone has the opportunity for a seat at the table. I think all of us have the skills to be on a Board - it’s just having the confidence within yourself to explore that.”
About the Board Apprenticeship Scheme:
The Board Apprenticeship scheme was established as part of a programme to improve the diversity of people on the Boards of public bodies. The aim is to provide the training and experience to help those who are underrepresented on boards to be more likely to be appointed to Boards.
Diversity is looked at from a wide range of perspectives including gender, sexuality, ethnicity, age, class, disability and geography. Research consistently shows that more diverse boards are higher performing boards as they bring a wide range of different perspectives to board decision-making. The Board Apprenticeship programme lasts a year and involves 6 full day training courses on different aspects of the role of the Board. If you are interested in the scheme, visit the Board Apprenticeship website here.
Feeling inspired and want to take a look at our current vacancies? Click the button below to visit our recruitment page and see how you can work for us here at BCHA.
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