Director profile - Rachel Sanders

Rachel Sanders - Operations Director

 I came into the organisation in 2000 as manager of the family assessment work we used to undertake in a couple of our services in the south west. I then became an Area Manager some 18 months later followed by Operations Director for the south west about 5 years after that. My background is in children's services, initially as a registered childminder and then in education in Devon as part of a specialist behaviour support team working with primary school children at risk of exclusion. During this time I attained an MSc in Psychology with the Open University and then went on to study for a Masters in social work at Exeter University and practised as a children & families' social worker in Somerset before joining Chapter 1.

 In 2002 I was privileged to be able to visit Kenya as part of a church group where we travelled around a number of projects working with disdvantaged communities both in the slums of Nairobi and the rural area of Masaai mara. After making a second visit in 2004 I was hooked and inspired to develop a charity here in the UK supporting the work in Kenya while also providing opportunities for disdvantaged young people from the UK to give something back through volunteering in our partner projects in Africa. We have made 3 such trips now through Chapter 1's sister charity TABS International and the young people who have come with us have been moved and inspired in equal measure. The impact upon them is transformational, triggering their motivation to improve their own lives.

 With the time left after that taken by my work with Chaper 1 and TABS International I enjoy nothing better than spending time with my family, walking or working in my garden where we are attempting to improve our self-sufficiency by growing our own vegetables and keeping a few rescued chickens!