Home Movers & Shakers “Vibrance welcomes social care stalwart Andrea as new CEO

“Vibrance welcomes social care stalwart Andrea as new CEO

by Kirsty Kirsty

One of the South East’s leading social care providers has appointed Andrea Wiggins as its new Chief Executive.

Andrea, who takes up the reins from the retiring CEO Paul Allen, will join the organisation on February 3.

She joins Vibrance having spent her entire career in social care, beginning as a support worker and progressing to take on senior roles across a number of Third Sector organisations. Most recently, she was CEO of Aurora Nexus, a charity based in South East London supporting people with learning disabilities.

In her new role at Vibrance, Andrea will oversee the strategic direction and operations of the organisation, working closely with the Chair and Trustees, as well as providing support to the Senior Leadership Team.

For more than 35 years, Vibrance has provided specialist services for adults with learning disabilities, mental health support needs, autism and Self-Directed Services. Vibrance supports around 550 adults across London and the South East of England in care homes, supported living services, day services, outreach and short break services, as well as another 3,000 people who receive personal budgets through its pioneering Self-Directed Services, which puts people in charge of their own budgets.

In recent years, Vibrance has acquired Haringey Association for Independent Living (HAIL), taking control of a number of care homes as well as a group of additional supported living services, and taken transfer of some excellent learning disability services from L&Q Living.

Andrea said: “Vibrance is a provider that is willing to be brave and has a track record to prove that through its recent merger with HAIL and other initiatives. It is an organisation that always wants to learn, evolve and change, and I am really comfortable in that space.

“I’m thrilled to be joining such a wonderful organisation with such a proud and impactful history. Vibrance is a complex organisation, but it’s not so big that I can’t get to know enough about people to ask the right questions at the right time.”

Paul, who has been at the helm of Vibrance since 2008, will retire on March 31, 2025. Andrea added: “The journey that Paul and I have been on is very similar, both starting out as support workers and then going on to fulfil other roles, which gives a full understanding of the operation work an organisation does. I bring experience from working in tiny charities to some of the biggest organisations in the sector, and that level of understanding will be invaluable in helping guide Vibrance through its next chapter.”

Paul said it has been “the privilege of a lifetime” to lead Vibrance, and he was enormously proud of the culture and values that had been established and which allowed the organisation to flourish.

Anne Lyons, the Chair of Vibrance, said: “Andrea brings with her a wealth of experience, a proven track record of leadership, and a shared passion for the values that make Vibrance the pioneering, inclusive and successful organisation where we are all proud to work. Having spent her entire career in social care, Andrea is uniquely positioned to guide our organisation into the next chapter of growth.

“We are fortunate to have a period of overlap where Paul and Andrea will work together to ensure a smooth transition. While Paul’s retirement brings a mix of emotions for all of us, Vibrance is an organisation that embraces evolution and change, and this is very much the beginning of the next stage in our journey.”

Image depicts Andrea Wiggins

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