Fully-funded leadership development programme for leaders of York’sVoluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations

Support from Joseph Rowntree Foundation has enabled Creating Space for You CIC in Partnership with York CVS to offer a limited number of fully funded places on a leadership development programme specifically for leaders of York’s Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations.

If you are interested, please complete the application form available on the York CVS website, and return to Richard Wells, Director of Creating Space for You, at: . The deadline for applications is 5pm on Wednesday 8 July.

Those taking part will:

  • Be a founder, Chief Executive,senior manageror equivalent of an organisation in the VCSE sector.
  • Lead an organisation with at least three employees in addition to volunteers.
  • Recognise that your leadership, and that of the whole sector, will be tested, called upon and challengedas never before over the next few years.
  • Be keen to invest some of your valuable time accessing a comprehensive range of leadership development support in the company of others who share your commitment to the sector and the prospect of leading towards an uncertain future.

The expectation is that you will use the programme as a vehicle to effect profound and sustainable change in your organisation, in your service, in your work with others and in your own leadership.

The programme comprises:nine full day sessions held on a monthly basis with three individual coaching sessions with an experienced Executive Coach.

Qualifications:there will be an opportunity to gain a Level 5 ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) qualification.

Time frame:the Programme will begin on 1 September2015and run until 31 May 2016.

Informationevent: there will be an information event on 30June, 4.30-6.30pm at York CVS. This is an opportunity for applicants to have the chance to meet those who are also considering committing to the programme and explore further what the experience will offer and entail.Book your place.

Next steps:visit the York CVS website and complete an application form. Or for an informal chat about the programme,contact Richard Wells, Director, Creating Space for You CIC: , 07941 274789 or Luke Barnett, Chief Executive of York CVS, , 01904 621133

The programme will include:

Ninemonthly learning events- to include opportunities for: self-assessment and reflection; exploring fundamental leadership principles; current thinking around leading and change and addressing specific topics as identified by the cohort. Once the cohort has been established, the content for future sessions will be informed and shaped by the group, determining their own needs, interests and priorities. We anticipate involvement from key stakeholders from both CYC and the local CCG by invitation. This may be either as subject specialists or even as co-participants in workshops around specific subjects of mutual interest (e.g. visioning alternative commissioning models or client pathways).

Action learning sets-participants will practice working as part of a facilitated action learning set where the group supports each individual to progress key challenges they want to address in real time within their role.

One to one executive coaching sessions- each participant will be able to choose and work with an executive coach having up to three x 90 minute sessions either face to face, by telephone or Skype to continue to work on their personal agenda.

Projects- participants will identify a specific project that they want to deliver within the time frame of the programme. This may be within a participant’s own organisation or may also involve more than one organisation with participants working together on a single project. Participants will be encouraged to work collaboratively on projects to meet the challenges of new commissioning frameworks. Projects may include engagement with CYC/CCG stakeholders either as part of project teams, scrutiny or sponsorship. Participants will be provided with guidelines to help identify a suitable project (any project would need to be within the spirit of the stated aim of the programme).

Final Presentations- at the end of the nine month period participants will invite their own key stakeholders (which may include, for example, trustees, funders, representatives from CYC and the CCG )along with those from JRF(the funder), to attend a presentation event where attendees will get the opportunity to learn more about the programme and what has been achieved, as well as hearing from the participants first-hand about the experience.

Institute of Leadership and Management Level 5 Accreditation option-whilst not core to the programme, as an accredited ILM centre we can offer participants the opportunity to achieve an ILM level 5 qualification in Leadership and management. The qualification costs £550 and the participants can apply to the York CVS York Award for a contribution of £150 towards the cost.