MindOut
Shortlist – Board Diversity and Inclusivity
Who they are
MindOut is a charity run by and for lesbians, gay men, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) people with a lived experience of mental health issues.
What they’ve achieved
MindOut has worked hard to build a diverse board with lived experience of issues affecting LGBTQ communities, from homelessness to living with HIV.
Forward-thinking initiatives like diversity audits, in-house board training and open and accessible meetings have ensured a broad range of voices are heard throughout the organisation. By recruiting trustees that reflect LGBTQ experiences, they powerfully reflect and communicate MindOut’s core values.
The charity has achieved and evidenced a strongly diverse board, within the remit of the organisation. It has created a “safe space” for inclusion that reflects the charity’s practice and user groups, and that acknowledges the role of intersectionality in diversity.
MindOut has clearly implemented very good practice in its approach to board diversity, including open recruitment, training, buddying, audits and team building. The judges also thought the Equality and Diversity Panel was a strength.
The board has increased trustees’ confidence and impact by making changes that improve the way information is presented, for example, simplifying management accounts.
MindOut’s service users feel services are more accessible and supportive after an increase in Black and Minority Ethnic representation at board level. Marginalised people have a space and a voice in MindOut’s services – and this is equally true of the board.
