Sixteen community leaders attended a celebration event to showcase their work to peers and partners following completion of a leadership programme.
Funded by PCC Rupert Matthews and the Violence Reduction Network (VRN), the 12-week Community Leadership Programme (CLP) is designed to provide local community leaders with access to a free high-quality course which enables them to develop their leadership style, knowledge and skills and apply this to their work with the purpose of building stronger and safer communities. It is the 4th time that the VRN and PCC has run the programme in partnership with Jones Consulting and with support from a range of partners including Leicestershire Police.
The programme also aims to establish and grow a network of local leaders who will provide peer support and work collaboratively with one another and with partners from the local Strategic Partnership Board towards a common purpose of making our communities safer. This led to the establishment of the Community Leaders Network, a self-formed and self-governed collective of local leaders who have previously completed the programme. This peer-support approach has been successful with 81% of CLP participants from previous cohorts starting new collaborative projects.
VRN Director Grace Strong said, “The Community Leadership Programme showcase event is a highlight in the VRN’s calendar. To be congratulating a 4th cohort on completing the programme is fantastic and shows that there is still an appetite and need for investment in our community leaders. Hearing about their work and how they have benefited from the programme is inspiring. Ultimately, we all benefit from their incredible work, not least the communities in which they live and work.”
Data from Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland’s CLP previous cohorts show 93% of community leaders have developed new projects since taking part and said they felt more confident about their work and role as a leader.
Deputy PCC Rani Mahal added, “This showcase was the perfect opportunity for the latest cohort of community leaders to show us the importance of collaboration. It was clear to see the impact this group have made by sharing their knowledge and experience towards a mutual goal highlighting issues that affect many, raising awareness and providing solutions.
I was in awe of the quality of presentations from these amazing community leaders and the newly acquired confidence not only in managing projects but also new skills such as public speaking and bid writing. I wish them all the best of luck as they move forward with their projects.”
The course was delivered by Jones Consulting over the 12-week programme which covered a vast range of topics such as:
Community empowerment
Project development
Operational management
Building, managing and motivating teams
Communication, influencing and using social media
Leadership and understanding yourself
Throughout the showcase, the community leaders shared information about themselves and their projects and presented their plans for the future using the learning from the programme.
The final showcase event provided guests with the opportunity to hear about how our community leaders are playing their role to prevent and reduce serious violence, explore collaborative opportunities with community partners, and network with a range of partners.
Director of Regul8 Mental Health & Well-Being CIC Lydia Rhodes said, “Because of the Community Leadership Programme I have learned so many wonderful skills and gained so much knowledge and confidence in my abilities as a leader, which is something I struggled with before.
I have now begun to make positive steps to expand our services, which means that more children and young people within Leicestershire are able to receive the mental health and Well-Being support that they deserve.
I am so grateful for the amazing opportunity to be a part of this programme and I would recommend it for anybody who has a passion to lead complex change within the community.”
Community Leader Zakariya Islam added: “I would like to start at the end, and I don’t want to talk about the effect it has on me but the DOMINO effect it will have on ALL the young people I encounter after this amazing programme. Anything I learn in life that holds weight and value; I always pass onto everyone I work with.”