Joseph Hughes takes on role of chair at Includem.
A youth charity has welcomed three new members to its board.
Includem, which supports young people and their families across Scotland, introduced Joseph Hughes as its new chair, while Kevin O’Hare and Dave Brown also joined the charity as trustees.
Hughes has run a solicitors firm for the last 34 years and provides confidential, 24-hour legal advice to young people through the Young Scot LawLine.
He has previously held roles on the boards of Turning Point and Action for Children and has worked with the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration.
Hughes said: “I first experienced Includem as a defence solicitor, where I saw first-hand the dedication of Includem workers who steadfastly supported some of my own clients who were very challenging. Their support was amazing. They quite simply never gave up on any client.
“I know how important such focused support is in the lives of young people and their families. It is an enormous privilege to be appointed as the next Chair of Includem, especially as we enter our 20th year in 2020.”
Includem is currently supporting more than 15 young people and families in Aberdeen experiencing issues dealing with day-to-day living. The charity offers tailored intensive support to build confidence and social skills to help them progress towards better lives.
Other young people are supported in Glasgow, Fife, Dundee, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire.
Martin Dorchester, chief executive of the charity, said, “I’m thrilled to announce Joseph will be taking on the role as chair of our board of trustees. Joseph brings energy, enthusiasm and a wealth of experience from the world of justice and specifically youth justice that will prove invaluable to Includem as we embark on our next five-year strategy.”
Hughes will be taking over from Jim Gibson who served as chair for the last decade and is taking over as chair of the board at Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland.
Includem announced the appointments during Trustees Week, an annual event to showcase the work that trustees do across the UK.
Dorchester said: “Trustees play a vital role in the third sector, volunteering their time and working together to make important decisions about how charities work. I have no doubt that our three new Trustees will be valuable addition to the organisation.”
