Deborah Bridger-Elerick Email and Phone Number

Bithiah’s House is a short-term residential treatment center for infants and toddlers in the foster care system. They specialize in medically-fragile cases and strive to offer a loving home-like environment for each child who comes through the doors.

I was appointed initially in an interim contract during a time of upheaval. I provided vision, leadership and inspiration, along with a complete restructure to ensure the future for the Charity. I represented the organisation at the highest levels, whilst overseeing the organisational effectiveness, influence and impact. I was responsible for the management and overseeing the administration, in particular financial oversight and enabling compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. I managed the restructure, focusing on sustainability, continuity and growth for the Charity. I developed and secured further services and contracts whilst establishing the vision for the future. Change management was required in the role with both staff and volunteers to adopt data management systems and new proactive ways of working. The foundations for an outcomes frameworks across the organisation were also established whilst in post.

I was brought on board to restructure the organization, building on the work of the current Director. Despite being an established international NGO I was needed to capacity build and ensure continuation of the work, following the retirement of the current Director. I established strategic direction, overhauled the website and created a social media campaign, wrote and implemented policy, recruited and managed a new staff team, agreed new accounting practices, established budgets and initiated new projects and identified funding sources. I also firmed up partner contacts, provided reports and agendas for the trustees meetings and advised the board due to the progress of the work. I successfully organized a panel event, with partners coming from around the world for the End Sexual Violence in Conflict Global Summit. I commissioned a theatre play especially written for the event and this then played for a week in an exclusive London theatre following the summit. It featured the real life testimonies of widows who had suffered in conflict. I attended the pre-NGO forum in Geneva in November. In this role I was responsible for the staff team, and all the volunteers. I also managed donor funded contracts with reporting and financial oversight.

Sitting on the Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) I was the voice of the victim putting forward their views and feelings regarding their situation, whilst being ever mindful of managing risk. One-on-one with victims, I offered: information and support, crisis intervention, safety planning, advocacy, practical and emotional support, all to enable survivors to make positive changes. This in turn reduced risk and minimized the possibility of repeat victimization.

I had overall responsibility for campaigns and advocacy undertaken by the Fund. This included: providing strategies, coordinating campaigns with the 5 international offices and the overall running of the UK branch. I represented Barnabas Fund in the media, giving radio and TV interviews when required, I also participated in UN events and spoke at political briefings, churches and conferences.

Wrote the National Plan to address gender-based violence in Belize 2006-2009. This took into account National and International commitments which needed to be met. Also worked as a facilitator in Global Development Fund Workshops covering HIV/AIDs, held countrywide in Belize. Assisted in the Women’s Department on a daily basis with women who required legal help. Helped to train staff to deal with legal issues. Also worked part-time at the Department of Public Prosecution, assisting Crown Counsel in child rape and incest cases. Guest lecturer at Belize University, focusing on the English Legal System.

Starting as a Para-planner to the senior advisor, I also cultivated my own clients and wrote my own business plan. I was responsible for the back-office systems for the whole business, which included developing a new computer based data-system. I specialised in pensions alongside investment planning.