IoD Jersey and Gold Sponsor, Appleby, recently announced the winners of the Director of the Year Awards 2020. Jane Moy, CEO, Centre Point Trust, won the award for the Third Sector. The judges commended Jane’s strong leadership skills in transforming Centre point. She was heralded for taking all key stakeholder voices, including the children, into consideration and maintaining a strong vision and strategy for the future.
The Awards were also made possible due to sponsorship from HSBC, and it’s hoped there will be an official presentation in December, Covid restrictions allowing.
Tell us about your background?
I started my career with Thorn EMI which was a major British company involved in consumer electronics, music, defence and retail. During my ten years, I worked my way up from Clerk to Senior Contracts Officer, whilst studying at college (day release).
My next role was a Finance and Contracts Assistant in the Social Services Department within Staffordshire County Council. Whilst this was a step-down in my career, Thorn EMI was beginning to struggle and had started making redundancies and, apart from job security, I felt that it offered more opportunity for career progression. I also wanted a career which involved working with people and enriching their lives, rather than winning contracts to send defence equipment all over the world.
After two years I stepped into a Finance and Contracts Officer role, eventually heading up the newly-formed Specialist Team at the Staffordshire County Council Headquarters. In 2007 I became the Business Manager in the Education Department (also within Staffordshire County Council), where I remained for two years before moving to Jersey to join Centre Point Trust.
Throughout my time at Staffordshire County Council, I studied at college and university, gaining (amongst other qualifications) a Level 7 Post Graduate Diploma in Professional Management.
Tell us about Centre Point Trust?
Centre Point Trust is one of the largest children’s charities in the Island, and was founded in 1984 by a remarkable lady called Chris Wakeham, who realised that there was a lack of after-school and holiday care for school-aged children as more and more mothers went out to work, leaving children in vulnerable situations. Initially she collated facts and figures from local primary schools and then approached the Education Department to help financially. Unfortunately Mrs Wakeham was told that there was no spare money available in their budget, and she ended up sourcing the funding herself. With the help of various local people and charities, Centre Point Trust eventually opened its doors to a small group of children in 1985, and has never looked back since. We now provide a broad range of childcare services for families of children aged 0 to 14 years across two nursery settings and our main childcare centre at La Pouquelaye: nursery and baby care, breakfast club, after school club, mainstream holiday club, graffiti and street dance club, supported holiday club, supported respite club and a handover service for separated families.
We currently have over 120 staff and around 500 children on our registers.
As a charity, we are not focussed on profit. Our focus is on providing the best possible experience for the children in our care, and providing parents with the reassurance of knowing that their children are being well cared for by passionate and innovative practitioners, in a stimulating, fun and happy environment.
How did you come to be a director?
I have always enjoyed being a Manager and watching staff achieve and exceed their aspirations and ambitions. As soon as I started working at Centre Point Trust, I knew that I wanted to take over the helm because I loved the fact that I was helping to make a difference to people’s lives and I knew that we had the aptitude to become better and stronger. When my predecessor left three months after I joined Centre Point Trust, I gladly embraced the chance of stepping up.
What do you feel are the important qualities of being a good director?
Working in the third sector is completely different to any other organisation (private or public) that I’ve worked in before. As such, the qualities of being a good director are also different. You have to have a clear vision of where you want to be and when, a clear plan of how to achieve these goals, the ability to motivate and inspire, have boundless positivity, and when things become difficult, as Covid-19 has demonstrated, flexibility and agility.
Where do you see yourself and Centre Point Trust going and how has the IoD helped you?
This is the second time I have been recognised by the IoD. My achievements were originally acknowledged in 2013, when Centre Point Trust was just getting back on its feet after operating at a significant loss for at least seven years. Winning such a prestigious award is such a huge achievement and it reminded me that we are all capable of achieving, if we really commit. Such recognition builds self-confidence and encourages you not to be afraid of working outside your comfort zone.
With help from my management team, I am constantly looking for ways in which Centre Point Trust can improve the experience that our children and our parents have with us – a child-first approach. We have a strong focus on ensuring that the staff across all settings are well-trained and aware of contemporary approaches in childcare; we continually strive to move things forward.
The year after I won the first IoD award, my daughter was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour which left her with life-changing side effects. This inspired me to diversify our services into caring for children with special needs, and in October 2014 Centre Point Trust secured a contract to provide respite breaks under the “Short Breaks” scheme funded by the Government of Jersey. Initially care was provided in the After School Club, but this has since expanded to include a “Weekend Club” and “Supported Holiday Club”. We currently have over 40 children accessing these services, which not only provide a safe and stimulating environment for the children, but much-needed respite for their parents, carers and siblings.
Ultimately, as highlighted by Covid-19, it doesn’t matter how successful you or your business are, there will always be times when the environment becomes difficult or challenging. Whilst it is easy to become disheartened, you have to find strength, draw on your past experiences and above all maintain a positive outlook – your optimism is what will keep your team motivated and inspired in adversity!