Jo Ash has been Chief Executive of Southampton Voluntary Services since 1992. SVS provides independent advice and support for the local voluntary sector on all aspects of volunteering and organisational development and has a representational role in strategic partnerships on behalf of the over 400 community and voluntary organisations in membership.

In additional to its voluntary sector support role SVS also provides high quality services directly to local people including currently SVS Family Projects, Shopmobility Service, Street Homeless Prevention team , Young Carers project , Safe in Sound drugs awareness work as well as MORPH an ex users self help project

Jo has been a senior manager and consultant in the voluntary sector for 30 years and has worked on issues including housing and homelessness, advice services for disabled people, poverty, women and health. She has been a member of national voluntary sector working parties on Funding, Financial management, Womens issues and Constitutional change and is a board member of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations

Jo has a BA (Hons) in Social Studies and an MA in State Policy and Social Change. She is also an accredited practice teacher for Social work. In a voluntary capacity Jo is Vice Chair of a local neighbourhood group. For nine years she was a Non Executive Director of Southampton City Primary Care Trust.

A Sotonian by birth, Jo has also lived in Norwich and Leeds but returned to Southampton where she now lives happily with her family who all support the Saints.