Chris Underhill
Encyclopedia
Chris Underhill MBE is a social entrepreneur working with marginalised people.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science
from the University of London
and later with an Master of Science
in International Policy from the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol
. He worked for Voluntary Service Overseas
in Zambia, an experience which led him into a career in development
where he has specialised in leadership
, disability
, mental health
and appropriate technology
.
With regard to disability and mental health, Underhill has founded a number of organisations including Thrive
(formerly known as Horticultural Therapy), a UK based charity working with disabled people and medical professionals in horticulture, gardening and agriculture, Action on Disability and Development
, a development agency targeting disabled people in the third world, and BasicNeeds
, which works with people with mental disorders and their carers in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
He has also served as chief executive of the Intermediate Technology Development Group (now Practical Action
), the charity founded by E.F. Schumacher, author of Small is Beautiful
. He went on to found the UK member organization of International Development Enterprises
known as IDE UK and he is currently Chair of the Ashden Awards
for Sustainable Energy.
Regarding leadership notably in the Third Sector he is Member of the Board of Impetus
a leader in venture philanthropy in the UK and is the founding Chair and trustee of the Leaders' Quest Foundation, from 2004-2011. Formerly he was a board member of Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health in Ireland, the Chair of Action Health which amalgamated with Skillshare International in 2000, Digital Links (retired July 2007), Friends of APD (founder Chair) and Oxfam
Chair of Committee for Africa, Staff (HR), and Trustee Role and Council Structure working party whose task was the reorganisation of the Board of Trustees.
He is the joint author with Audrey Cloet of the 1982 book Gardening is for Everyone (ISBN 9780285649545). and is an author and contributor to a number of works which include:
"Barriers to improving mental health services in low and middle income countries", and "Mental Health and Development" in Selected Readings in Community Based Rehabilitation: Disability and Rehabilitation Issues in South Asia.
In 1999 he was awarded an MBE
for his work with international and UK disability.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
from the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
and later with an Master of Science
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in International Policy from the School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol
University of Bristol
The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
. He worked for Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas
Voluntary Service Overseas is an international development charity that works through experienced volunteers living and working as equals alongside local partners. It is the largest independent volunteer-sending organization in the world...
in Zambia, an experience which led him into a career in development
International development
International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans...
where he has specialised in leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
, disability
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
and appropriate technology
Appropriate technology
Appropriate technology is an ideological movement originally articulated as "intermediate technology" by the economist Dr...
.
With regard to disability and mental health, Underhill has founded a number of organisations including Thrive
Thrive (charity)
Thrive is a small national charity, founded in 1978 by Chris Underhill, that uses gardening to change the lives of disabled people....
(formerly known as Horticultural Therapy), a UK based charity working with disabled people and medical professionals in horticulture, gardening and agriculture, Action on Disability and Development
Action on Disability and Development
ADD International , is a UK based international development agency with eight offices, working in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, India, Mali, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia...
, a development agency targeting disabled people in the third world, and BasicNeeds
BasicNeeds
BasicNeeds is a global mental health organisation, which works with people with mental illness or epilepsy in the developing world to alleviate their poverty and help them secure their basic rights....
, which works with people with mental disorders and their carers in Ghana, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Lao PDR and Vietnam.
He has also served as chief executive of the Intermediate Technology Development Group (now Practical Action
Practical Action
Practical Action is a development charity registered in the United Kingdom which works directly in four regions of the developing world – Latin America, East Africa, Southern Africa and South Asia, with particular concentration on Peru, Kenya, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and Nepal.In these countries,...
), the charity founded by E.F. Schumacher, author of Small is Beautiful
Small Is Beautiful
Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered is a collection of essays by British economist E. F. Schumacher. The phrase "Small Is Beautiful" came from a phrase by his teacher Leopold Kohr...
. He went on to found the UK member organization of International Development Enterprises
International Development Enterprises
IDE - International Development Enterprises, founded in 1981 by Paul Polak, is an international not-for-profit corporation devoted to the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of affordable, scalable micro-irrigation and other low-cost water recovery systems throughout the developing world...
known as IDE UK and he is currently Chair of the Ashden Awards
Ashden Awards
The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy are annual awards given by a charity of the same name that is based in London. They reward local sustainable energy projects in the UK and developing countries that protect the environment, and improve quality of life....
for Sustainable Energy.
Regarding leadership notably in the Third Sector he is Member of the Board of Impetus
Impetus
Impetus may refer to:* Impetus , a re-release of the EP Passive Restraints* Impetus , a concept very similar to momentum* Jean Buridan#Impetus Theory, middle-ages treatment on impetus and its originator Jean Buridan...
a leader in venture philanthropy in the UK and is the founding Chair and trustee of the Leaders' Quest Foundation, from 2004-2011. Formerly he was a board member of Headstrong, the National Centre for Youth Mental Health in Ireland, the Chair of Action Health which amalgamated with Skillshare International in 2000, Digital Links (retired July 2007), Friends of APD (founder Chair) and Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
Chair of Committee for Africa, Staff (HR), and Trustee Role and Council Structure working party whose task was the reorganisation of the Board of Trustees.
He is the joint author with Audrey Cloet of the 1982 book Gardening is for Everyone (ISBN 9780285649545). and is an author and contributor to a number of works which include:
"Barriers to improving mental health services in low and middle income countries", and "Mental Health and Development" in Selected Readings in Community Based Rehabilitation: Disability and Rehabilitation Issues in South Asia.
In 1999 he was awarded an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
for his work with international and UK disability.
External links
- BasicNeeds
- BasicNeeds, Mental health and development: A model in practice http://www.basicneeds.org/download/PUB%20-%20Mental%20Health%20and%20Development%20A%20Model%20in%20Practice.pdf
- ADD International
- Practical Action
- Ashden Awards for sustainable energy
- Leaders' Quest Foundation
- Bond, Interview with Chris Underhill, BasicNeeds http://www.bond.org.uk/data/files/interview_with_chris_underhill_basicneeds.pdf
- London School of Economics and Political Science, High level meeting on global mental health hosted by the HCD Group at the LSE http://www.psych.lse.ac.uk/socialpsychology/research/hcd/events/2009-2010/globalhealth_meeting/index.php