Charity CEO hands over leadership baton after 20 years of service
Richard Beard will be handing over the reins as chief executive of charity JERICHO at the end of this month after 20 years at the helm.
JERICHO is an award-winning charity that provides supported work opportunities for people facing extreme challenges in getting a job.
The organisation primarily supports marginalised young people and survivors of modern slavery.
After a career in engineering, Richard joined the JERICHO staff team in October 2004 to lead a project training people with lived experience of substance misuse, homelessness or offending in construction skills.
In 2005, he was appointed deputy CEO and then taking on the role of chief executive in 2006.
His aspiration was to scale and grow the charity, further develop the social impact and to increase the proportion of income that came from trading rather than grants.
In Richard’s first year, JERICHO’s trading income was less than 10 per cent of its £420,000 annual income.
As Richard steps away from JERICHO, group income is above £4 million with 80 per cent trading income.
He will be succeeded by incoming chief executive, Katie Webb, who said: “My aspiration for my term leading JERICHO is to build on Richard’s amazing legacy, continue innovating and to keep trying to build a fairer society.
“We are already developing new employability-focused projects and programmes that will help us support more people with barriers to entering the workforce.
“Going forwards, as well as focusing on training and supporting people to progress to roles in foundational sectors, we would love to create new supported work opportunities that equip and upskill people for the ‘jobs of tomorrow’ as well enable routes into mainstream work in key areas where we are already seeing labour shortages such as health and social care, childcare and manufacturing.”
JERICHO employment outcomes currently range from 84 per cent to 100 per cent annually for people progressing into employment, education or other positive outcomes.
The charity generated £2 million of added social value in 2023-24.
Richard says: “I’m truly delighted to be handing the chief executive baton onto an incredibly talented and capable successor who I’m confident will lead JERICHO to the next level.”
“What am I proud of, aside from all those people who have been involved with JERICHO over the last 20 years, is that JERICHO is now known as leaders in the fields of supported employment and modern slavery.”
Colin Marsh, chair of trustees, said: “Huge thanks to Richard for his many years of excellent service to JERICHO. I am looking forward to working with Katie Webb in the months ahead.”
Pictured (L-R) Katie Webb, incoming JERICHO CEO, and Richard Beard, outgoing CEO
