The project
The Kids Network is a London-based charity dedicated to supporting children aged 8-11 through one-to-one mentoring during the crucial transition from primary to secondary school, a time that can present various challenges. The charity recognises the immense problems many children face, such as discrimination, poverty, loss, or exclusion, and works to address these by pairing children with volunteer mentors from their local communities. These mentors provide fun, stability, and a safe space for children to explore their identities and express themselves, with the charity’s work informed by trauma theory.
The organisation collaborates with primary schools across London to identify children who may benefit from additional support. By fostering these mentoring relationships, The Kids Network aims to improve children’s mental health, confidence, resilience, and overall happiness. The charity’s dedication to these values ensures that it provides meaningful and impactful support to the children it serves.
The Chair position for The Kids Network was appointed in December 2023 and the CEO in January 2024.
Our approach
Appointing these two positions was crucial for The Kids Network, as the founder had previously been the CEO, making this search new territory and their first formal recruitment process. Their priority was to ensure that the board of trustees had the right expertise to collaborate effectively with the new CEO in building the charity.
Following on from a search, a diverse group of candidates in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, background, and experience made it to the shortlist. This resulted in the appointment of Louise Johns-Shepherd, Chief Executive and Neil Hunt, Chair.
Placed Candidate – CEO
Louise Johns-Shepherd
Placed Candidate – Chair
Neil Hunt
”We needed to find the right candidate to take the charity to the next level. It was a challenging time with a lot of change and unknowns, and a lot was riding on finding the right person. These candidates stood out because they had the perfect level of experience we were after, as well as a passion for the ethos, vision, and objectives of the charity. They had the drive to get up in the morning and tackle challenges, along with the necessary skills. We were looking for experienced people who had been through similar challenges and could use their expertise. The combination of expertise and personal passion was key.
Naa AcquahVice Chair, The Kids Network
”The support from Charity People was absolutely fantastic. From the very beginning, it was clear what they could deliver. We interviewed other companies and chose them because of their passion. Their commitment to diversity and inclusion was also outstanding. I think, for me, their ability to drive on DEI was also super fantastic. Tiku, in particular, was fantastic, and the outgoing CEO who led the first part of the process also found working with them to be a great experience.
Naa AcquahVice Chair, The Kids Network
”Many children face significant challenges growing up, and we all have memories of difficult times in our own lives where a bit of support and encouragement would have made a difference. Seeing the positive experiences shared by both children and mentors further convinced me of the value of this program.
Neil HuntPlaced Candidate
”Tiku's response was straightforward, clear, and well-informed. She addressed all my questions, frankly, including my concern about being older for a youth-focused charity. She suggested that my experience might actually be beneficial given the charity's current situation.
Neil HuntPlaced Candidate
”I want to bring the work of The Kids Network to more children, in more places. All children should be able to live a happy life and have access to experiences which help them to secure positive futures. The Kids Network programme does this, and I want every child who needs a mentor to have one.
Louise Johns-ShepherdPlaced Candidate
”I’m so excited about the future. We have a brilliant staff and trustee team who are super talented, ambitious and positive about our potential. We are all looking forward to taking the programme to many more children.
Louise Johns-ShepherdPlaced Candidate
”Louise stood out as a candidate, and her supporting statement was one of the best I’ve seen. She had clearly done her research and provided a compelling account of the skills and experience she would bring to the role, articulating her responses with confidence and backing them up with solid examples. With a long and successful career in the education sector, coupled with an impressive non-executive career, Louise possesses all the qualities TKN were looking for.
Tiku van HoutemLead Consultant
