March 2015
Introduction from Gill Morbey – Chief Executive
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for showing an interest in working for Sense.
This is an exciting time for Sense as we refresh our corporate strategy ‘Growing Stronger Together’(2013-16)so we can set the scene for the organisation for the next 3-5 years.
The two Director roles that we are recruiting for (Director of Operational Services and Director of Business Development and Marketing) are critical, as they along with the rest of the Executive team, will enable us to grow and develop our services for the future. As such, the posts represent great opportunitiesfor someone to join anexpanding and innovativeorganisation. As well as being at the heart of driving our strategy forward you will also have the opportunity to be central to the development of a new £14m build, exemplar resourcecentre based in Birmingham, which is due to open in 2017.
Sense is a national and international charity that helps support and campaign for people who are deafblind and have sensory impairments, to enable them to enjoy more independent lives. Our history is critical to our values as we were founded in 1955 as a support group for parents of children with congenital rubella syndrome. The group began with 10 founder families and assets of £2.25. The initial goal was to share information and press for services to meet the needs of deafblind pre-school and young children and their parents.
Now, we are a large, successful and influential charity that supports people of all ages, from children through to older people, with a wide range of sight and hearing difficulties and associated communication needs or additional learning disabilities. We provide tailored support, advice and information as well as specialist services individuals, their families, carers and the professionals who work with them.
We believe we are special because we work with people of all ages from babies through to older people; we have a wide range of flexible services, a highly respected reputation in public policy, well developed fundraising and trading functions as well as working internationally.
People who are deafblind and have sensory impairments can face real practical and personal challenges. Everyday things like having a conversation, moving around safely and living independently can be a challenge. However, with the right support and information people can and do achieve great things. We don’t just celebrate the big successes, we also recognise the everyday achievements that enable people to be part of their family, local communities and to do ordinary things that too often others take for granted.
We believe that every person should be able to choose the lifestyle that is right for them; one that takes into account their long term hopes and aspirations. We are continually learning and will go on listening and exploring new ways to increase opportunity and choice for the people we support.
I look forward to receiving your application and your views on how you can help us make our vision a reality.
Gill Morbey OBE - Chief Executive
The Sense Charter and Vision
‘A world in which all deafblind children and adults can be full and active members of society’.
Our Purpose: To support and promote the interests of people who are deafblind, multi- sensory impaired, or who have a single sensory impairment with additional needs.
Our Values and the ‘I’ statements:
Our values underpin our vision and purpose, as they guide us in all that we do:
- Honesty in how we behave
- Aspirational in our approach
- Accountability for our actions
- Recognition of peoples contribution and worth
- Trust in each other
The ‘I’ statements put these values into effect and describe our behaviours and expectations. They are inclusive and apply to us all, staff, trustees, deafblind people, families, and our behaviour to colleagues in other agencies. They are set out below.
- I will listen to others
By whatever means something is communicated to me: by gesture, facial expression, body tension or posture, sign language, objects of reference, in writing or voice, I actively listen. - I will understand and respond
I try to the best of my ability to understand what is being communicated to me and I always respond in a timely and respectful way. - I will respect others
I respect and treat others as I would wish to be respected and treated myself. - I will be honest and open
I am open about the reasons for my actions and I give my honest opinion knowing that it will be respected. - I will participate and contribute
I participate to the best of my ability and contribute willingly and freely. - I will take informed risk
I consider the benefits of taking a risk as well as what might happen if things go wrong. Where possible I seek to manage risk rather than avoid it. - I will find things to celebrate
I recognise that all achievements, no matter how small they might seem to me, are cause for celebration. - No decision about me, without me
I always seek to involve individuals in coming to decisions that affect them
Sense
At Sense we have been helping people who are deafblind and with sensory impairments to enjoy more independent lives for over 60 years. We support and campaign for people of all ages, from children through to older people, with a wide range of sight and hearing difficulties and associated communication needs or additional learning disabilities. We provide tailored support, advice and information as well as specialist services individuals, their families, carers and the professionals who work with them.
Our services are high-quality and flexible using skilled staff and a dedicated network of volunteers. We take pride in offering specialist servicesbuilt around the wishes of each person we support and enabling them to be as independent as possible
We work with children, young people, adults and older people with a progressive sight and hearing loss, offering a range of housing, educational and leisure opportunities. We also offer support to all deafblind people in both the congenital and acquired deafblind communities, not just those who receive direct support and services from us.
Sense International
Sense International is the part of our organisation that works overseas. We work across the world supporting deafblind people in Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Peru, Romania and Uganda. We are one of the world’s leading international organisations working for deafblind people and their families. Deafblind children in these countries desperately need to receive education and healthcare. Without this, many will lead short, lonely lives.
Although Sense International is a fairly small charity, we have a big impact. For over 19 years we have been working in partnership with local organsations to provide expert support and services to deafblind people. Demonstrating to governments that deafblind people are worth investing in, we aim to put support in place so that we can walk away and leave solid expertise behind.
With this support, deafblind children can finally receive the medical and educational support they need. They can learn to communicate, to develop self-care skills, receive an education and perhaps find a job. Rather than being excluded they can thrive and live as valued human beings.
How we are organised
With headquarters in London, we provide services in England, Northern Ireland and Cymru. We have over 2,200 employees delivering our services and have a great level of support from the hundreds of volunteers we have supporting our services, on holidays and in our shops.
Under the direction of Gill Morbey the Chief Executive, Sense is organised into 7Directorates: Operational Services;Policy & Communications; Business Development & Marketing; Human Resources; Finance & Resources, Sense International and Fundraising. In addition a small number of functions are located in the Chief Executive’s office.
The Council
Sense is governed by a Board of Trustees, known as Council, whose role is to oversee the management of and administration of Sense. The Council is responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation and ensuring charitable funds and property are used in accordance with the objectives of Sense and that all funds not immediately required are vested wisely. It also ensures all activities are within the law and meet public benefit requirements. Trustees are volunteers and are not paid for the work they do.
For more information and our annual report, please refer to the Sense website at
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