£1m support programme for sector management development

news release

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NICVA has this week announced a major new £1m initiative to support the development of management skills in the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland. The funds have been made available by an independent trust fund to support this strategic work, and NICVA plans to use the money to enhance the skills of around 400 people over the next three years.

On making the announcement, the umbrella organisation’s Chief Executive, Seamus McAleavey, said: “This new venture is without precedent within our sector in Northern Ireland. In comparison with the public and private sectors ours has been the poor relation with regard to management development support ”.

“Many voluntary and community groups deliver valuable public services, support community development and strengthen society yet are left to their own devices in organisational development.Experience is invaluable but it can be enhanced through proper management development support.The days of government only supporting private sector skills development are gone but real resources for management development are still scarce .”

He added: “I'm delighted we have secured independent trust funding on a scale that will make a significant difference and blaze a trail for further development."

The programme will offer management training at four levels to candidates during the lifetime of the project. Each successful candidate will receive a bursary covering 75 per cent of their costs, the other 25 per cent to be met by their organisation. There will be four levels ranging from an introductory level right up to MBA.

Level One - First Line Management

Level Two - Supervisory Management

Level Three - Senior Management

Level Four - Leadership Management

Within each level NICVA will endorse specific programmes and training providers to deliver the chosen programme.

Commenting on the scale of financial support for the project, Seamus McAleavey said: “I would like to warmly thank our donors for this strategic investment in our sector’s skills development.Nothing like this has ever happened before for the sector nor has NICVA ever managed a single project of this size and scale before – it’s a first in every sense. It comes at an absolutely crucial time when many of the debates are about sustainability and development, when funders and others demand increased professionalism in project management.When financial accountability is demanded and expected but key skills are rarely resourced, this programme will fill a real gap, a real need. This programme will enhance management skills in our sector not leaving this important issue to chance .”

The project has been over two years in the making and its development was encouraged by NICVA research which highlighted the fact that while the voluntary and community sector employs well educated people, it is extremely poor in areas of management qualifications. NICVA will begin recruitment processes during this month to employ two staff to manage the programme. It is expected that courses will be advertised in the autumn in a rolling process and the MBA course will be recruited to commence in the autumn of 2004. A full programme announcement will take place at a later date.

For further information, please contact:

Lise Mc Greevy Communications Officer

028 9087 7777 (work)

0772 1746805 (mobile)

NOTES TO EDITORS

The tender notice inviting providers to bid for NICVA’s development of management skills initiative will be advertised in the Belfast Telegraph on Friday, 16 May 2003.

NICVA is also planning to enhance the experience of participants by organising specialised one off seminars with leading management experts for those on the programme. This is an ambitious project that expects to drive real change.The programme will be led by Úna McKernan, Director of Corporate Services at NICVA.

Application and selection will be by a publicly advertised competition but it is expected that both people and organisations at all stages of their development will benefit and criteria will be weighted to ensure that the most under resourced organisations are not further disadvantaged.

The specific programmes within each level of NICVA’s management skills initiative are as follows:

Level One
The current NICVA accredited Management Programme will be the programme endorsed for Level One. This programme will run three times a year with a minimum of 45 candidates per year.

Levels Two and Three
Within each of the levels there will be a range of programmes delivered by a variety of providers which may include professional qualifications for specialist disciplines like human resources, finance and project management.

Level Four
An MBA specially negotiated and tailored to suit voluntary and community sector management demands will be put in place and will be the course endorsed for Level Four.

Advice for organisations will also be available from NICVA programme staff to ensure everyone gets the best out of the potential opportunities. NICVA will expect full commitment from participants’ organisations recognising this programme is as much about organisational development as participants’ personal development.