The Trustees are the people who have ultimate responsibility for the general control and management of engage in their future and ensuring that it is solvent, well run and delivers its charitable outcomes for the benefit of members.
They have a duty of prudence and a duty of care to ensure that they as individuals and the organisation itself complies with all relevant guidance and legislation.
A founder member of engage in their future, Steve has served as a committee member, officer or trustee since 1999.
He is deeply committed to the work of the organisation, in particular, supporting SEMH leaders, providing a ‘national voice’ for the sector and recognising and celebrating student achievement. As a trustee Steve sees his role as helping ensure the engage in their future strategy remains clear, work and aims are in line with philosophy and that its assets, both in terms of finance and reputation, are safeguarded.
Steve’s forty-year career in Special Education saw him working in London, Geneva, Norfolk, Dorset and Hampshire (with half of that time serving as a school leader). He was also the founder and chair of the Cicely Foundation, a charity that supported vulnerable children in the UK and Tanzania.
Although now retired, Steve is still the Executive Director of an outdoor centre in Wales and likes to travel, paddle, ski, walk (mainly with dog), cycle, watch sport and cook as well as producing cider and honey.
Brendan is the former Principal of The William Henry Smith School, a Non-Maintained Residential Special SEMH School for boys aged 8 to 19, in Brighouse, West Yorkshire.
Brendan has worked in the field of SEMH since 1984 and remains passionate about supporting the development of pupils with SEMH. He is also particularly keen on the key concepts of engage in their future, namely, sharing good practice, offering peer support, and influencing policy and debate at a national level.
A founder member of engage in their future, Brendan worked hard to develop the North East Region in his capacity as Regional Representative on the National Committee, a position he held from 1998 until 2018. He also held the office of National Secretary from 2003 until 2019.
Brendan regularly represents engage in their future at the National SEND Forum, which is hosted by FLSE, an organisation he was involved in starting some years ago. He was previously a Trustee of the Cicely Foundation and since his retirement has maintained his links with WHSS also as a Trustee. In addition he is a Governor at a large Secondary age Special School in Calderdale.
Brendan was awarded an OBE for service to Special Educational Needs in the 2019 New Year’s Honours List.
