Working Chance is delighted to announce that Lin Hinnigan has been appointed as its new Chair of Trustees, taking up post from September 1st 2020.
After spending her early career working as a teacher and social worker, Lin Hinnigan trained as an educational psychologist and spent many years working in that profession, including five years as principal educational psychologist at Coventry City Council.
Since then she has had a successful track record of strategic leadership, holding senior roles in government and public bodies including:
- Area Director, West Midlands, HM Courts Service
- Head of Legal Services Regulation and Redress, Ministry of Justice
- Director of Strategy, General Social Care Council
- Chief Executive, Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency
- Chief Executive, Teaching Agency
- Chief Executive, Youth Justice Board
Hinnigan is also Chair of Make-A-Wish UK and recently stepped down from the Board of Governors of De Montfort University.
Working Chance’s outgoing acting chair, Erica Handling, said: ‘Lin’s dedication to helping people develop their potential is a great match for our work helping women who have had contact with the criminal justice system to turn their lives around and find employment. We’re really delighted to have her on board at a time when women with convictions need our support more than ever.’
Lin Hinnigan said: ‘My own work in the criminal justice system and the published evidence demonstrates the positive effect that employment has in preventing reoffending and Working Chance has an excellent record of helping women find jobs. However, I am particularly thrilled to be joining the organisation because it does so much more in working with women on their journey to employment. It helps them to develop skills, confidence and resilience which will support their future success. I look forward to helping the charity to increase its impact and reach even more women.’
Working Chance, founded in 2009, helps women with criminal convictions - many of whom have been in prison - to develop their employability and self-belief. The charity works with employers of all sizes across all sectors, finding jobs with real career prospects for thousands of women for whom a job represents not just an income, but also hope for a future where she can flourish and contribute to society.
For more information please contact Leila Hagmann at leila@workingchance.org