In 2023, the Foyer Federation was delighted to welcome Louise Joseph and Leona McDermid to our Board of Trustees. Hear from Louise and Leona as they reflect on their motivations behind joining the Foyer Fed as Network Trustees and share their aspirations for the future of our network.
Louise Joseph, Swan Housing
Introduce yourself! Tell us about your experiences and career history – what drives you to do this kind of work?
Hi, I’m Louise Joseph, Head of Specialist Accommodation at Swan Housing. I oversee our Key Worker Living services. I have worked in supported housing for over 25 years. After completing a degree in dance and working abroad for some years, I ended up working for Newham youth Services. I qualified as a youth worker, which led me to work in Foyers in the early '90s, and the rest is history! I have always worked with people and I want everyone to receive the best services possible and to be the best version of themselves. This has led me to work with some amazing customers and teams over the years.
What made you choose to become a Trustee at the Foyer Federation?
I became a Trustee at the Foyer Federation because of my deep-seated belief in empowering young people. The Federation’s mission aligns perfectly with my values, offering opportunities for personal growth, education, and support for disadvantaged youth. Contributing to an organisation that fosters resilience and self-reliance among the younger generation is incredibly fulfilling to me.
What are your aspirations for the Foyer Federation and the network?
My aspirations for the Foyer Federation and its network are to witness expansion of the organisation. I envisage a future where the Federation grows stronger, reaching more young people in need and becoming a beacon of support and opportunity. It's crucial to establish a robust governing body to uphold the quality of services provided, ensuring excellence in the provision for young people. By expanding our reach and enhancing our governance, we can truly make a lasting, positive impact on the lives of countless young people, empowering them to thrive and succeed.
Leona McDermid, Aberdeen Foyer
Introduce yourself! Tell us about your experiences and career history – what drives you to do this kind of work?
I grew up in a small family business and worked in community mental health-related services supporting young people who were my peers at the time. Many were written off by the system due to their diagnosis and I felt this was deeply unfair and a waste of talent. I campaigned on welfare reform and helped set up Social Firms Scotland, supporting the creation of social enterprises that created employment opportunities and influenced policy around seeing people's strengths not their labels. A passion for social enterprise and people led me to Aberdeen Foyer. I love that everything we do is underpinned by our belief in a person's strengths and all our teams contribute to improving outcomes with young people and adults.
What made you choose to become a Trustee at the Foyer Federation?
Aberdeen Foyer has long-standing links with the Foyer Federation. Over the last few years, we’ve been nurturing our strengths-based approach through embedding Advantaged Thinking. The Foyer Fed is at an exciting point in time and I wanted to get behind the model and their purpose.
What are your aspirations for the Foyer Federation and the network?
The Foyer model and approach offers a supportive youth-informed solution to tackling challenges. With prevailing economic and social pressures, Foyers offer young people experiencing homelessness a space to heal and realise their potential. The Foyer Fed’s Advantaged Thinking training has great potential and I look forward to seeing the organisation influence improvement.
Our Chief Executive, Joel Lewis, said:
“It’s great to welcome Louise and Leona to our Board as Network Trustees. Their appointments expand our range of Foyer leadership experience around our table and bring new insights on the biggest challenges and opportunities at a local level. Our three Network Trustees now cover the north and south of England and Scotland which is important as we seek to ensure the Foyer approach remains relevant across the UK.”
Want to find out more about our Board of Trustees? You can do so by heading over to Our Team page.