Positive Futures is delighted to welcome Chris Arnold as the new Chair of its Board of Trustees.
Chris joins the charity at an exciting time as Positive Futures continues to expand its work with young people across Liverpool, creating opportunities that build confidence, raise aspirations and help young people achieve their full potential.
Widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading social entrepreneurs, Chris brings almost 30 years of leadership experience, having founded Camp Leaders, an international organisation that has enabled thousands of young people from more than 70 countries to gain life-changing experiences working at summer camps across the United States.
Throughout his career, Chris has built organisations around a simple belief: that giving young people confidence and opportunities can transform lives.
It is a philosophy that aligns perfectly with the work already taking place every day at Positive Futures.
Speaking about his appointment, Chris said he was attracted not only by the charity’s vision, but also by the people leading it.
“I wanted to do more locally. I’d spent years focusing internationally, but I wanted to ask: what about young people here?”
Chris said he was impressed by the strength of the organisation and had no desire to change what was already working.
“The strategy was already there. It wasn’t about me creating something new.”
He also paid tribute to Chief Executive Hannah and the wider team.
“Mostly, it was Hannah (the CEO). I met Hannah and thought, ‘She’s really good.’ She’s incredibly strategic and I could see ways I could help something that was already brilliant.”
As Chair, Chris hopes to support the organisation as it enters its next phase of development, helping to strengthen partnerships, broaden opportunities for young people and raise the profile of Positive Futures nationally.
He believes the charity has enormous potential.
“Positive Futures doesn’t have to limit itself to Liverpool. I think it can become best practice nationally. Personally, I’d love to see it become a nationwide brand.”
While Chris has spent much of his career creating opportunities for young people around the world, he is particularly passionate about ensuring young people in Liverpool have access to experiences that build confidence and ambition.
“Confidence is perhaps the biggest barrier facing young people from tougher backgrounds. People grow up thinking, ‘That’s not for me.’”
He hopes his experience, networks and passion for youth development will help open even more doors for the young people supported by Positive Futures.
“I’d love to flood Liverpool with opportunities for young people. That would be a brilliant legacy.”
Everyone at Positive Futures is delighted to welcome Chris as Chair and looks forward to working together to build on the charity’s success and create even more opportunities for young people across Liverpool and beyond.
Over the coming months, we’ll also be sharing more about Chris’s remarkable personal journey, from growing up in Halewood to building an internationally recognised organisation, and the experiences that continue to shape his passion for giving young people the confidence to believe in themselves
