UK Charity Governance Award win for Your Voice Counts

We have won a national award for our commitment to having a diverse and inclusive board at the UK Charity Governance Awards 2022. There were six winning charities, all taking home the grand prize of a £5,000 unrestricted grant and we were proud to be joint winners of the Board Equity, Diversity and Inclusion category along with the charity Manchester Action on Street Health.

What does Board Equity, Diversity and Inclusion mean?

We won this category because of the work we do to make sure we have an inclusive and accessible Board of Directors. We do this by creating opportunities for people with learning disabilities and autistic people to be part of our Board and providing ongoing support so they can play an active part in how our Your Voice Counts is run. Experts by Experience are at the heart of our organisation and this Award recognises and raises awareness of the importance of giving people a voice and sharing power and how this is so important for organisations and they people they work with.

Lisa Kelly, Co-Chair of our Board and Expert by Experience, accepted the Award at the ceremony in London. Lisa said:

“I can’t believe Your Voice Counts has won this award. How amazing is that?

People with learning disabilities have a right to have a say on the Board. We have worked really hard to make sure our Board is accessible. We have given training and support to help people carry out their roles as Directors and achieve their goals.

“We are very proud of our Board and how we work together as a team. It’s a huge achievement and I would like to see and help more Boards include people with learning disabilities. We’re all worth it.”

Awards judge Jackie Driver OBE, Chair of Signhealth and Breakthrough UK, said:

“This year, judging this award gave us considerable food for thought. We think this is because the tide is turning, and boards across our sector are at last recognising the power of diverse leadership and taking concrete action to make this a reality for themselves. The competition is pleasingly fierce.”

Watch Lisa’s acceptance speech in full and see photos from the ceremony below. Visit Your Voice Counts - The Charity Governance Awards to find out more about the Awards.