Management Development Programme Success

Since starting in October 2003 The Management Development Programme (MDP) has impacted on almost 300 organisations in the voluntary and community sector. The MDP has been able to address these organisations’ management development needs by providing appropriate training opportunities at four levels.

A variety of management courses have been provided at first line, supervisory, senior and master’s levels. Some of these courses were accredited through awarding bodies such as: Open College Network, City and Guilds, Institute of Leadership and Management, University of Ulster, Cass Business School. Other courses were not accredited but provided practical tools and techniques to help managers be more effective and improve their management skills. NICVA financially supported each participant by paying 75% of the cost of the programme.

In a relatively short time the MDP has made a significant impact on the sector in terms of its management capabilities and skills. Individuals and organisations are experiencing the benefits of participation in the programme in many ways such as: improved strategic planning, better supervision practices, more assertive staff and outcome focused projects. The programme has helped all types and sizes of organisation be become more efficient and effective. This in turn has affected the sector and enabled it to work more strategically and manage change. Through the courses managers have been able to network and build relationships which in some cases have resulted in new joint projects.

The impact:

• The Voluntary and community sector is now much more aware of the importance of management development and can see the value of investing in their staff
• The management capabilities of the sector have been greatly improved, as the interim report on the evaluations has shown:

61% believed their management skills had improved a lot or considerably

81% stated that their confidence had improved

73% felt their participation in the programme has improved their organisations’ performance

• Over a third of organisations that have been involved with the programme have had more than one member of staff participate, and some organisations have sent as many as eight staff on the MDP over the three years.
• By the end of 2006 652 places on MDP will have been allocated. The number of participants is a little lower than this as some people participated in more than one course throughout the life of the programme. In fact a number of people have progressed from one level to another which has been very positive.
• Each year the courses were oversubscribed. In total there have been 896 applications and we have allocated 652 places to 47 courses.
• Three hundred and one people have achieved accreditation ranging from OCN level 3 to MSc Voluntary Sector Management

Comments:

“Excellent training opportunities…overall the impact in terms of capacity building throughout the sector is growing all the time”

“Thanks to the course I feel I have achieved increased productivity and more insight into why I manage the way I manage and methods for improving”

“Anyone managing people should attend this course no matter how long they have been in management”

“The course gave me real insight and a good overview of the issues involved in management. I thought it was accessible yet pitched at a professional level”

“The course has enabled me personally to grow in confidence by equipping me with various methods and techniques that have helped me in my workplace”

The management development programme has exceeded the original objectives and expectations. It has become well-known, respected and valued in the sector. The feedback received has been a testimony to how it is impacting not only on management practice but on organisations’ performance and the sector as a whole.

All of the courses on the management development programme are now full. However NICVA is able to provide a wide range of one day workshops on management topics including strategic planning, project planning, time management and assertiveness.