Our programme for Future VCSE Leaders was open to paid staff, volunteers and activists with the potential to grow into leadership roles and who are connected to a VCSE sector organisation or group in Greater Manchester.

One of the aims of this programme was to include people who may experience barriers to progressing into senior and leadership positions within organisations and are currently underrepresented in leadership roles. Places were offered to 20 participants.

The programme includes facilitated workshops, one-to-one coaching, and a contribution to costs for organisations. Participants met in January to co-design the programme with Claire Ebrey from On the Level and Ed Moss from The Space to Thrive. Participants meet monthly at facilitated in-person workshops, focused on the following areas:

 

What is leadership?

 

Bringing our ‘whole selves’ to work

 

Culture change, resistance and sector liberation

 

Facilitating conversations

 

The art of strategy and decision making

 

Co-evolving volunteers, paid staff, and sector to bring about cultural shifts

The one-to-one coaching offer for this programme is being delivered by Flourish Together CIC, giving participants access to coaches with specialist knowledge, from a diverse range of backgrounds. 

Participants in this programme are drawn from a diverse range of small and medium-sized VCSE organisations/groups, some with a Greater Manchester footprint and others from localities including Bolton, Manchester, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, and Trafford. This is the first time we have delivered this programme and we have been gathering learning and insight, to further increase the accessibility and inclusivity of our leadership learning programmes.

“I have started allowing my team members to utilize their abilities in their own unique ways, more often than I did before.”

“I’m really enjoying the programme, I feel I’m learning lots, not only about leadership but about myself and what kind of leader I want to become.”

The VCSE Future Leaders Programme comes to an end in June 2024. We’ll be putting together a report to publish our learnings about the programme soon after. 

 If you’re interested in learning more about Leadership, why not join one of our Open Workshops?