A community Interest Company
CIC’s are limited companies created for the use of people who want to run their business for the benefit of the community, not for private gain. This is achieved by the ‘community interest test’ and ‘asset lock’ which ensure that the CIC is established for community purposes and the assets and profits are dedicated to these purposes. The CIC Regulator approves the registration and is responsible for the monitoring of the CIC. Find out more about CIC’s
“Our vision is that those people who are under-represented in employment, and disadvantaged in our society, are valued as equals. They will share the same opportunities to fulfil their potential and lead full and varied lives following the path they choose.”
How we behave.
Our values define how we act as a company and are a core part of our belief system.
- Person-Centred: You as a customer will be at the centre of all that we plan and deliver. Our service is responsive to the choices you make.
- Empowerment: We respect your choices and you will be in control and have responsibility for decision making
- Respectful: We welcome and encourage everyone regardless of age, gender, transgender, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or religion.
- Challenging: We challenge unfairness, inequality and discrimination by working with you to be your advocate intervening as and when necessary, and using education to break down barriers.
- Responsive, innovative, creative: We offer a bespoke service taking account of your wishes, helping you to face challenges and stretch boundaries.
How we deliver our vision.
Tess is a Community Interest Company (CIC). CIC are created for the use of people who want to run their business for the benefit of the community and not for private gain.
- To directly support the individual to maintain stability and independence in their own home
- To directly support the individual to contribute to and be a valued member of the community
- To directly support the individual to develop skills, to gain and maintain employment
- To work with schools, colleges and training organisations to ensure inclusion
- To work with employers to embrace diversity
Some of the partners and donors who
help us make a difference.
We are the directors of Tess CIC and together we have over 40 years experience of working with vulnerable people within Lincolnshire County Council. We have gained extensive experience working in the fields of learning and physical disability and mental health.
Carol Vasey
Founder
Ingrid Lyon
Founder
I moved with my partner from Essex to south Lincolnshire 25 years ago. We have two children who have benefited from excellent schooling and the close community that we found here in Lincolnshire. We have recently become grandparents, starting a whole new, exciting phase of life! I have had a variety of jobs much of them within customer service and have spent many years in business with my partner before taking a leap into the unknown and working for Lincolnshire County Councils Adult Social Care directorate. I absolutely loved it! During an inevitable reshuffle at LCC I was fortunate to be able to take voluntary redundancy and along with a like-minded colleague, and now friend, we set up our own ‘not for profit’ organisation – TESS – to use our combined knowledge and passion to provide an holistic service that promotes true independence and unlocks the potential of all those we work with.
I am a true yellow belly having been born and bred in Lincolnshire. I live with my husband, 3 dogs, a cat and numerous chickens and fish! Between us we are the proud parents of 7 grown up children. We are also grandparents to 4 amazing grandkids. We enjoy being outdoors with nature, whether at home working in our garden, walking our 3 Labradors in the local woods and parks or further afield in our caravan exploring the great British countryside.
I gained a teaching degree in the late 70s with the intention of teaching special needs. However there was a shortage of teaching posts locally so I started work as a teacher/instructor in an Adult Training Centre in 1978 (sorry folks-showing my age!). These establishments went on to become Social Education Centres and I can honestly say that the years I spent working within these centres were some of the happiest of my career with the exception of Tess cic of course.
Through working within Adult Social Care I have gained extensive experience working in the fields of learning and physical disability. I also worked for 7 years within a day facility aimed at the re-enablement of people recovering from mental health illnesses. I worked within a Skills Unit and Garden Project developing training programmes for learning disabled service users, assisting them to reach their full potential and overseeing work placements. I met Carol, the co-director of Tess, whilst working for Public Health within the field of supported employment. We soon found that we had shared ideas, common goals and a passion for fairness and equality. The result was…Tess cic.
We would love to hear from you.
Tess CIC is always looking for new volunteers and businesses who can offer their services to the project. So far it’s received lots of help from the local community who have helped to complete work to clear weeds and maintain the site’s perimeter. If you would like to use the service, volunteer to help or donate unwanted tools.