Transformative Leadership Programme

The Transformative Leadership Programme (TLP) is a leadership training programme funded by the Peace IV programme through Belfast City Council (BCC). It runs from July 2019 until December 2021.

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Last chance to take part in TLP

The Transformative Leadership Programme (TLP) funded by Peace IV through Belfast City Council has been running since Autumn 2019 and ends in June 2022.

Hundreds of people have participated during this time from a wide range of organisations in the voluntary and community, political and public sectors.

Our very last TLP course will be delivered by our TLP partners, West Belfast Partnership Board (WBPB) on five consecutive Fridays from 27 May until 24 June 2022 from 9.30pm-4.00pm.

Whatever part of Belfast you are from we would love to have you join Joe and Lorraine from WBPB at Twin Spires Complex. Don't miss out on this chance to participate in a fabulous leadership course with the option of ILM accreditation.

This five-day course is completely FREE and is a great opportunity for meeting new people and learning together.

About the course:

  • Delivered in an interactive and engaging way
  • Covers a wide range of leadership topics including: Creating an inspiring vision, Transforming relationships, Leading and motivating, Innovation and change, Collaboration.
  • For individuals, groups, staff, volunteers, board members, members of the public
  • For community groups, political parties, public sector organisations
  • Option of achieving an Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) level 3 Award qualification.
  • Opportunity to be involved in a funded project
  • Option of study visits and networking events

How to sign up:

Please click here if you want to sign up 

Select option 2 Springfield Road

For more information contact Joe Duffy

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Transformational Leadership Programme Participant Story- Ciana Bradley West Belfast

Ciana Bradley from West Belfast Partnership Board participated in the West Belfast TLP course in June 2022. The participants were from the Springfield Road interface area.

 

Motivation

I am so glad that I went ahead and signed up for the course. I am only starting out in my career, and what motivated me was to learn about leadership and how I could develop my skills in this area as it was all new to me. What also appealed to me was the fact that this course was face-to-face and was on a Friday. I think it really helped to have the course at the end of the week, so that you finished on high and were ready for the next week's challenge again when Monday came back around. 

Learning

The main topics that stood out for me were the leadership styles and knowing that a good leader should change their style and approach, depending on the situation that they face or the person. I enjoyed learning that leadership can be learned and good leaders get to know their team members and have an interest in them personally. I also liked doing the leadership questionnaires and learning what sort of style my preference is at this early stage in my career, as well as learning about Goleman’s different leadership styles.

I have a better understanding of leadership and respect for people who lead and manage teams and the amount of work that goes on in the community sector. Also a realisation that with leadership comes a lot of responsibility, and that leadership when done right can have a very positive effect on people and organisations. 

Impact

The course has helped me learn about myself and others and has given me the confidence that I was lacking. I would now have the confidence to speak out in groups and give my opinions whereas before I would have just stayed quiet. 

In terms of engagement in my interface area, I look differently now at the interface and have more understanding of what people are going through. I have more compassion now for interface areas and understand the difficulties they face.

I think it will encourage greater understanding and more collaborative working. I like the idea of win-win scenarios that we talked about a lot during the course. This means both sides get something. I know life always doesn’t work like this, but that’s a great desire to have that everyone can feel like they have achieved and gained something. 

 

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TLP Participant Story: Sam Robb North Belfast 10 Spring 2022

Sam from Belfast Exposed participated in our North Belfast 10 course in Spring 2022.

Sam completed the course with others from a wide range of organisations including: Ulster University, Ashton Centre, Trinity Church Belfast, Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and Wellbeing Clinic Belfast.

Sam is an intern at Belfast Exposed. Belfast Exposed is Northern Ireland’s leading photography organisation. Their vision is to enrich people's lives through photography. Belfast Exposed provides a range of services including four public galleries, images from our 'Archive', and our ‘Futures’ programme for emerging artists. They also maintain an archive recording the political, cultural and social change in Northern Ireland and deliver outreach programme and bespoke training courses. 

Motivation

A colleague of mine from Belfast Exposed has previously taken the TLP training and told me of the benefits and suggested that I participate.

Applying learning

I have improved my leadership skills and now know what style of leadership to use in different situations. In team meetings I listen to people’s views and use that to inform decisions. I coordinate volunteers and have organised an exhibition involving 23 people. The course helped me to improve how I lead and organise events.

I enjoyed talking with the other groups members in the breakout rooms and sharing ideas and solutions.

Impact

I now have the confidence to put my ideas forward in team meetings and contribute to decisions and be more involved.

I have been working with both the Northern Trust and the Belfast Trust developing techniques using therapeutic photography to people whose lives are impacted with a wide range of mental health issues. Through a long-held interest and seeing the benefits this achieves within people, this has made me want to progress into the study of art therapy in the future.

I believe the programme has enabled and empowered participants people like me to become leaders in their community and champions for change, it has helped people connect and work together. 

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TLP Participant Story: David Simpson West Spring 2022

David Simpson, from Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, participated in the TLP delivered by West Belfast Partnership Board January-April 2022. The participants were from the Colin/Dunmurry interface area.

Motivation

I particularly liked the focus on leadership rather than management. As a manager in the community and voluntary sector for nearly 40 years I’ve been regularly reflective and quite self-critical about my leadership skills and qualities. I felt this programme seemed the right duration to be substantial but also manageable. Coming off the back of a very difficult two years associated with the Covid-19 pandemic, I also felt this was a good time to refocus and re-energise my leadership role through a training programme. The local (Colin/Dunmurry) makeup of the programme participants was also a plus. Finally, the joint role of NICVA and WBPB (both of whose committees/boards I’ve been a member of in the past, and organisations which I regard highly), as well as the promotion of the programme by Urban Villages (which funds one of the services I manage), acted as good recommendations for the programme.

Learning

Firstly, leadership styles. I’ve done a lot of stuff at work in the past around personality types – Myers Briggs etc. – so I know what my principal personality traits are, as well as the impact of different personalities on team development. I found it really useful to revisit this within a wider organisational management and leadership framework. The most useful part was the time to reflect on how different leadership styles can be used for different organisational needs and within different team contexts.

Secondly, I found the discussions on communication really helpful – such as the importance of utilising different communication modes at particular times, taking account of who the audience is and what type of communication will work best for them. Sometimes, in the email age, it’s easy to under-estimate the importance of individual and group face-to-face communications at the right time.

The combination of ‘teaching’, group discussion, smaller breakout groups, and questionnaires that we used during the course helped to develop and reinforce some of this learning.

Impact

I found myself thinking during the course about a major project with large numbers of staff that I managed a few years back, and the challenges that emerged between project requirements (targets, programme fidelity etc.), individual team members’ experience, and organisational culture. It was hard to manage, and although the project’s outcomes were relatively successful there are aspects that I regret we underachieved in.  I absolutely do feel that this course has given me information and resources to reflect on and employ if a similar situation arises in future.

In terms of how I engage in my interface area, I think it will make me more open, and possibly proactive, to developing a wider set of working relationships in future, and to seeing where this leads. Some of us on the course have already begun to look at a potential shared project, and I’m pretty sure others will find themselves working together in combinations that mightn’t have happened previously. I think though that courses like this, and relationship building generally, are often a ‘slow fuse’ and that this is a positive thing which shouldn’t be forced or hurried too much.

I think that this course has provided a timely re-energising for me after the challenges of Covid-19 on my working practice over the past two years.  I feel that this course was fast-paced and full of learning, and quite varied in how that learning was delivered. I do genuinely feel quite motivated to use the learning from this course in my work over the next couple of years.

 

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TLP Participant Story: Esther Ogunleye North Belfast 11 Spring 2022

Esther From Swift Hearers in Belfast participated in our North Belfast 11 course in Spring 2022.

Esther completed the course along with people from Ashton Centre, NI Hospice, Supporting Communities, Belfast City Council. North Belfast Housing, Salvation Army, The Parent Rooms and The Executive Office.

Esther works with young people in her organisation, Swift Hearers. Swift Hearers Ministries is a young people centred organisation. They enlighten and empower young people to grow to their full potential, help them to be better integrated into their communities and advance in life as relevant and useful citizens in their communities and in nation building.

Motivation

I joined the TLP because I wanted to connect with other people in my community and learn new things. I wanted to meet new people and build relationships.

Applying learning

The topics that stood out for me were: leadership style and innovation and change. I enjoyed learning how ideas can come to life and learning new ways to generate ideas. I learnt how to put the ideas into action and how to involve other people in the process.

Being a leader means using different styles of leadership for different situations. For example democratic leader or autocratic leader - the right style at right time. It is important not to be stuck in doing things just one way.

Networking with other organisations. Someone from my course is now going to provide yoga for the young people and this is planned for Girdwood centre. I have also made a connection with Community Restorative Justice for their training and courses on drug abuse etc.

Impact

I will take my learning into my work with young people on the interface from all different backgrounds, local and immigrants. I will use it as a leader and help them to improve their life in Northern Ireland.

The programme has been so engaging. It has gone beyond my expectations and I was so glad to have the opportunity to do one of the last courses available under this funding.

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TLP Participant Story: Grainne Gibson, North Belfast TLP Spring 2022

Grainne works for HERe NI and completed the course in North Belfast in Spring 2022

She completed the course alongside participants from PeasParkBelfast, Law Centre NI, Lighthouse, Vineyard Compassion and the Police Service of NI, as well as other people in the community.

Introduction and Motivation

1. Before signing up to the programme, were you aware of any other similar programmes in your area?

No, I wasn’t.

2. What motivated you to sign up to this particular programme over any others?

There were a few people in my organisation who had already completed the programme and one other was currently doing the course. My manager recommended it to me as well. I wanted to progress my career further and acquire skills along the way to benefit myself both professionally and personally.

Experience and Learning

3. What topics stood out for you?

Learning about the different types of leadership – Goleman styles. I learned how each could produce different results and show what kind of person you are through which leadership style you adopt. Leading and Motivating your Community stood out as well and I enjoyed listening to other people’s voices.

4. What are you likely to ‘take back’ to your life/work in the community?

I will take back skills that I have gained from the learning and the ideas given from peers in the group and the content of the programme. I have learned new methods of doing things and I hope they would be acceptable with the people I work with and service users.

5. How would you summarise your experience of the programme in 1 sentence or in 3 words?

The content of the programme led to fantastic discussions in the breakout rooms and the larger classroom. I found that it was a great ideas generator and we learned a lot from each other’s experiences.

 Impact

6. Is there anything you could or would do now that you wouldn’t have felt able to do before?

Learning how to delegate to other people. I was able to let go of trying to do everything by myself and not be afraid to ask for help. I became more confident in myself and in my approach to my work.

7. Are there people/agencies you feel able to talk to and work with now that you weren’t before?

NICVA. Making connections with other learners in my group.

8. What difference will this make to how you engage in your interface area?

Be open to seeing things from all perspectives and being able to work with anyone across different organisations, areas and backgrounds. It will enable everyone to come and work together to improve things for the better.

9. What difference will the course make to the interface area overall? Especially in terms of relationships, collaboration and increased understanding in the area?

Bringing people together, especially in terms of the project and encouraging people to take part in it. Help people to achieve something without any negativity.

   Behaviour

10. Which issues in particular do you think you might get involved in?

I want to get involved in mediation between communities. Helping people to realise a common goal and making sure that they feel like they’re being listened to. That their voices are being heard.

11. How will you apply new ways of working, ideas or approaches?

I will take forward the skills and ideas that I learned during the course with me. I will use them in planning and how I interact with other team members and service users we provide for.

Attribution

12. To what extent do you think these changes would have occurred in the absence of this course? i.e., would you have developed these skills and be motivated to do something new anyway?

No, I don’t think I would have. I felt in a bit of a rut before I started the course. It absolutely spurred me on to learn something new and encouraged me in my current role and in looking forward to the future.

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TLP Participant Story: Martina Strawbridge Klapkova, South Belfast TLP Spring 2022

Martina works with Harper's Yard community pop up café and did the TLP in the Lower Ormeau and Markets area of South Belfast in Spring 2022.

She completed the course alongside participants from: LORAG, NISCC, Extern, Vault Art Studios, Rosario Youth Club, GEMS Northern Ireland and Advice NI.

Introduction and Motivation

1. ​Before signing up to the programme, were you aware of any other similar programmes in your area?

I wasn't aware of any similar programmes.

2. What motivated you to sign up to this particular programme over any others?

I received information about the programme through NICVA newsletter. I went to the link and read about it in more details and I looked at some of the case studies. I liked the positive feedback about the course so it motivated it me to sign up.

Experience and Learning

  1. What topics stood out for you?

The topics that stood up for me were those about different types of leadership, leading and motivating community, collaboration, and social change. I found these the most relevant to what I do in the community. I liked the emphasis on keeping the community motivated and on board. I enjoyed the practical exercises; they were fun, and we learnt so much through the practical approach.

  1. What are you likely to ‘take back’ to your life/work in the community?

I will definitely bring my newly gained knowledge of how to lead and motivate community, and about effective collaboration. The community pop-up cafés are  community events; we set the date, provide coffee, the community come and bring cakes. Keeping them motivated is so important; we collaborated with anther group the second time and used a different venue and connected the two groups, and people in the community met new people.

  1. How would you summarise your experience of the programme in 1 sentence or in 3 words?

Everyone can lead.

 Impact

  1. Is there anything you could or would do now that you wouldn’t have felt able to do before?

I had no previous experience of working in the community before starting up our community café, so I learned everything while doing it, 'on the job'. It was so beneficial to learn some of the theory on the TLP, which I will now be able to apply when organising our events. I feel that the course filled the gaps in knowledge I had and put things in the right order. In particular when we were looking at how to motivate the community and our volunteers. We work with volunteers a lot, we ask people in the community to bake for us so it's great to know how to keep them motivated. I would also look at our vision and use it when planning events. Our first event took place in our next door neighbour's quirky back yard with hanging ladders and ancient tables. That was over five years ago. It started with an idea. We made coffees and baked some cakes, brought the babies and toddlers, invited other people and waited.

We were surprised when so many people turned up and the alleyway was full of life! It was a great success. We raised money for a local boy who needed a specialist treatment for neuroblastoma. We quickly realised people wanted to have somewhere to meet and chat. So we did another pop-up café, and before Covid we ran them once every three months, with a different charity supported each time. We then started asking people to bring cakes because we couldn't keep up, at the last pop up café, over sixty people brought cakes – brownies, ginger loafs, scones, a coconut sponge, German biscuits, Czech fruit cake, a vanilla sponge, shortbread, gluten free, sugar free, you name it, it was there! 

  1. Are there people/agencies you feel able to talk to and work with now that you weren’t before?

I will definitely be more confident talking to a wider range of stakeholders. I have a better understanding of stakeholder analysis, what kind they are, what is our current engagement, and how useful different stakeholders can be. For example, reaching out to other local community groups and organisations, and also Belfast City council. There are organisations out there such as Work West which help social enterprises, so I would approach them if I needed it. I will also connect with other participants I met on the course as I think we really bonded. I believe there will be opportunities to collaborate with some of the TLP participants; for example we are considering bringing the Friendship Club and the pop-up café together, with maybe some dancing.

  1. What difference will this make to how you engage in your interface area?

It will make our events better if we will be able to reach out further to get more stakeholders on board. I really enjoy making connections and networking and I have more confidence to do it now.

  1. What difference will the course make to the interface area overall? Especially in terms of relationships, collaboration and increased understanding in the area?

It was great to with similar minded people at the course, and from the same area. When we were discussing what kind of events our area needs, most of us agreed on the same events: outdoor, family, all-inclusive events, showing local talents, and sharing skills. In the future, I would definitely use my new network of TLP friends for a possible collaboration.

     Behaviour

  1. Which issues in particular do you think you might get involved in?

In South Belfast, where we live, it is so diverse. I know so many people of different nationalities and different cultures who came to Northern Ireland because of their jobs or other circumstances. I'm one of those people! There are also lots of families with young children, elderly neighbours, and teenagers, all of whom might feel isolated, especially after the pandemic when many people lost social contact they had through play groups, birthday parties or meet ups in the park. So I think focusing on family events at Christmas time, at Halloween and Easter, and in the summer, where people can come together to have fun, to share stories, showing talents, learning new skills, play music, and get involved in kids craft activities is what we need in this area. I also think that this area needs more indoor places in case of bad weather, where people of all ages can meet up on regular basis and have a chat, coffee, a homemade cake, where they can play table tennis, badminton, chess, knit, or dance. We need opportunities to reconnect when parents can chat together and children can play together.

  1. How will you apply new ways of working, ideas or approaches?

I really enjoyed the group activity where we had to design a community garden. Through this experience I learned that projects or events become so much easier when planning them with a team. At first it seemed impossible. I've never set up a garden before, especially not in fifteen minutes! But the ideas started coming, one person was drawing the plan, and we all contributed. After the allocated time in the Break Out Room we had a rough plan and were quite pleased with it. It was a fun way to learn about planning a community project. So the new approach I will be using is that nothing is impossible. If you break the task down into smaller chunks, involve a few people with different skills, knowledge, ideas, and enthusiasm, then the end result will be a success.

Attribution

  1. To what extent do you think these changes would have occurred in the absence of this course? i.e. would you have developed these skills and be motivated to do something new anyway?

This course has also given me confidence that what we have been doing – the Harper's Yard community pop up café - is beneficial to the community; it is the type of event that is really needed right now. When we organised it for the first time, it was amazing, people really welcomed it, and since than it has grown organically. Unfortunately, we had to take a break for two years, but are back now. We have more enthusiasm than ever to get back to bring the community together. The pop up café supports and promotes emotional wellbeing; for people who have been shielding it has been so hard, especially for those who do not have children.

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TLP Participant Story: Aodhfionn McCambridge-Geraghty, North Belfast TLP Winter 2021

Aodhfionn works for Inspire Wellbeing and completed the TLP course in December 2021.

He completed the course alongside participants from NB Housing Association, Green Party, Department of Justice, Open Door Project, Soul Space, The National Lottery Community Fund, Newington Housing Association,Multi-Ethnic Sports and Cultures NI (MSCNI) and Belfast Health & Social Care Trust

"Be bold and be brave. We all want to see Belfast being better, so why wouldn’t anyone want to help?"

 Introduction and Motivation

  1. Before signing up to the programme, were you aware of any other similar programmes in your area?

I wasn’t aware of any courses like this, but my mum had taken part in the same course previously and that’s when I found out about it. She reminded me that it was available, and I decided to take part in it. I didn’t have any idea of any courses which involved leadership prior to this.

  1. What motivated you to sign up to this particular programme over any others?

I was curious and to be honest, I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into. But I trusted my mum which told me that I should do something. I was also interested in the course, and the motivation for learning and growth.

Experience and Learning

  1. What topics stood out for you?

When you see something like a fence or a pile or rubbish and think someone should deal with that. Motivating you to find out who it is you should deal with to address the issue. Leadership roles and how to be a good leader. A good leader needs to be fluid and be sensitive to others and their differences. It is important to remember how you interact with people to ensure that you are a good leader, and that it can’t just be one role. Dynamic leadership is vital. I also liked the topic of different leadership styles and how you encompass them.

  1. What are you likely to ‘take back’ to your life/work in the community?

An inspiration to create events and also the knowledge that I can create events. Community resources, relationships and connections with other people. Who knows what will come out of us knowing each other? I feel like a previously unknown avenue is now accessible to me; I can be more involved and make things happen.

  1. How would you summarise your experience of the programme in 1 sentence or in 3 words?

Get involved!

    Impact

  1. Is there anything you could or would do now that you wouldn’t have felt able to do before?

You can get into a head-space where you see these organisations as others and feel like they're inaccessible. in the group conversation (for the event) when it came to asking for extra funding, we feel that can go to any organisation as individuals and just say we want to put this on. Be bold and be brave. We all want to see Belfast being better, so why wouldn’t anyone want to help?

I feel validated in my place in Belfast as a community leader. We are all community leaders. We just have to lead, create things and do things to make use of the power that we have. I think it is important to take action in our communities. We know what we want to see in the community and so do others within it. Also, it makes it richer for us and for other people because that’s when the world gets fleshed out when we’re doing things and meeting people.

  1. Are there people/agencies you feel able to talk to and work with now that you weren’t before?

NICVA, the Community Development department of Belfast City Council. I would like to get involved with them. I feel I can talk to other members of the group and create networking opportunities.

  1. What difference will this make to how you engage in your interface area?

It’s a whole new creative avenue and an art form because you can look at things and have this idea which could envision their potential. I am going to be looking out for things to do and events that I can create. Come up with ways to bring purpose and also have fun.

  1. What difference will the course make to the interface area overall? Especially in terms of relationships, collaboration and increased understanding in the area?

The event in Ligoniel will give us an opportunity to meet people that we have never had a chance to connect with before. I am going to flesh out North Belfast in my eyes. The people who attend the event are probably going to have nice memories and experience of that festival. They will hopefully make new friends and new connections. I hope the same for myself.

Another difference is that you might come to understand the people once you get to meet them. The people from that area may interact with others in their community but have never had the opportunity to meet before. They will also be able to meet those outsides of their own community.

     Behaviour

  1. Which issues in particular do you think you might get involved in?

One of the main issues I would like to address is the lack of free events for people to attend. I believe that we need little things to help us and to feel happy. I am also interested in looking at well-being. Building inspiration, energy, and happiness within the community.

The issue of a need for dynamic leadership.

  1. How will you apply new ways of working, ideas or approaches?
  • I liked the format of the experience when the group was planning the event and enjoyed the process of working together. We were bouncing ideas around and I liked the excitement it brought. The project workshop was a useful method for this. I will be more collaborative and creative in my approach; I believe you can be creative and that it is limitless.
  • The ideas of leadership styles. The inspiration and the knowledge that we can be creative with putting projects together.
  • Spaces activity – Implementation Space, Process Design Space, Problem Space, Vision Space, Solution Space under the Collaboration for Transformation learning. How this can help with the planning process.

Attribution

  1. To what extent do you think these changes would have occurred in the absence of this course? i.e., would you have developed these skills and be motivated to do something new anyway?

I can’t say no because if an idea comes, then I might have followed or pursued and created that idea. Or an idea might have come, and I might not have realised that I had the resources to do it. 'I might not have had that encouragement to actualise that idea otherwise.

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TLP Participant Story: Zoreena Ahmed, North Belfast TLP Autumn 2021

Zoreena is part of the Northern Ireland Islamic Community and completed the TLP course in North Belfast in November 2021.

She completed the course alongside participants from Belfast Metropolitan College, Radius Social Change Group, Linking Generations in NI, Sailortown Regeneration, Ligoniel Improvement Association, the Green Party,Start 360, the Progressive Unionist Party, Pearse GAC, HMRC, Ashton Community Trust, Maximum Impact, Mercy Primary School, and Health and Social Care Board.

"I connected with a group of incredible aspiring leaders. The delivery of the training supported this and was fruitful for everyone involved."

Introduction and Motivation

  1. Before signing up to the programme, were you aware of any other similar programmes in your area?

I was not aware of any other similar programmes before signing up. Peace programmes don’t want to duplicate the work being done in the area, but this course appealed to me.

  1. What motivated you to sign up to this particular programme over any others?

One of my motivations is that it was part of the overall peace programme and I have a personal stake in that. The objective was clear in the title of the course, and I wanted to have leadership in the community as well as develop my own leadership skills. Another motivation that prompted me to sign up was to contribute to the peace building process and to collaborate with other people across a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. I liked the idea of getting these kinds of people into the one room to discuss issues in the area.

Experience and Learning

  1. What topics stood out for you?

All the topics mattered to me, and I liked that the trainer put their trust into us into choosing topics. The trainer also considered what learning was important to help transform us into good leaders. The learning overall was very good and whatever topics covered were relevant and interesting, and engaged the whole group.

  1. What are you likely to ‘take back’ to your life/work in the community?

I will take back the topic of social innovation and the iceberg approach. It’s an approach that helps to identify the root causes of problems and looking at these from a different mindset. This could be applied to every part of your life. I will also take the learning from conflict resolution and apply it where I can. All of them are good messages to keep in mind.

The mini-case studies that we covered – the Jam Card also stands out for me. I liked the Martin Luther King speech and how visual learning/videos can provide real life examples of leadership and innovation. Inspiration was drawn from the tutor, guest speakers and looking at case studies.

  1. How would you summarise your experience of the programme in 1 sentence or in 3 words?

Enriching. Valuable. Inspiring. Worthwhile

I connected with a group of incredible aspiring leaders. The delivery of the training supported this and was fruitful for everyone involved.

Impact

  1. Is there anything you could or would do now that you wouldn’t have felt able to do before?

This course encouraged me to go for a career in community work or leadership. I was able to see how much I contributed to the class during the course, and it enabled me to take something back from the feedback of others. I felt motivated to take a more active/professional role in this world of work. I received encouragement from other leaders in the group and I felt equipped to have solid leadership guidance to do a job successfully.

  1. Are there people/agencies you feel able to talk to and work with now that you weren’t before?

Yes, I do. I now feel confident enough to speak to Belfast City Council and to build a conversation with other participants who did the course alongside me. I have already reached out to various people within our group and to work on things/ideas. It helped me to network with others and establish contacts I didn’t have before.

  1. What difference will this make to how you engage in your interface area?

I feel I am in a better position from a network point of view. Now, I have a group of people for advice and information. This programme has given me confidence after taking part and gives a better stance on PEACE IV and its objectives. The course also provided relevant tools that would help me to effectively collaborate with another person. I also feel more confident to either volunteer within my community/interface area or go into it as a career.

  1. What difference will the course make to the interface area overall? Especially in terms of relationships, collaboration and increased understanding in the area?

A difference that the course will make is that people have gathered to talk about issues in the area. If one relationship or network can be built because of this, then mission accomplished. The course could provide a catalyst for other things to happen and knowing that there are people who feel the same is great. It helps to up the ante and address the issues through those connections.

The breakout rooms provided a space where people could share their own experience and knowledge. They could understand where the problems are coming from, and this widens the scope of what work needs to be done. The people who live in the area ‘get it’ and are like minded.

I have made friends that I intend on doing lots of great work with!

  Behaviour

  1. Which issues in particular do you think you might get involved in?

I feel I will get involved into addressing poverty as it feeds into other issues. Mental health and education are two other issues in which I am interested. We have to tackle community issues at a grass root level.

  1. How will you apply new ways of working, ideas or approaches?

I will look to other members of the group and produce an action plan together. Using the PESTLER tool to kick off conversations and keep on track with discussions. I’ve also learned how to effectively chair a meeting and use the practical hints and tips in the course.

Attribution

  1. To what extent do you think these changes would have occurred in the absence of this course? i.e., would you have developed these skills and be motivated to do something new anyway?

I don’t think I would have done any other programme unless it was related to peace building and this one had a specific goal in mind. I think the course sells itself for me and other people in the area. I wouldn’t have taken any other action had it not been for this programme and the course in general.

If it wasn’t for the course and the tools introduced within it, I wouldn’t have applied for a community job. The course reinvigorated me, and I was interested in networking with the other people who had also signed up for the course. It meant a lot to me personally to be able to do that and I enjoyed the content.I cannot thank Helen, Mary and all my course friends enough. More of this please!

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Case Study

TLP Case Study East Belfast - Group 3

This group did the Transformative Leadership Programme in Autumn 2021 in East Belfast.

Before signing up to the programme, were you aware of any other similar programmes in your area?

Yes.

What motivated you to sign up to this particular programme over any others?

Similar programmes have been run in the East - recommended by past participants. • Networking - to meet others working in the area.

Experience and Learning: What topics stood out for you?

Collaboration, Power and systems  and Vision.

What are you likely to ‘take back’ to your life/work in the community?

 Relationships and networking as we move, resources and be better equipped regarding how to interact with community.

How would you summarise your experience of the programme in 1 sentence or in 3 words?

Informative and enjoyable, knowledge, inspiration, ideas,  collaborate, and impact.

Is there anything you could or would do now that you wouldn’t have felt able to do before?

Able to plan a project from start to end and gaining of confidence.

Are there people/agencies you feel able to talk to and work with now that you weren’t before?

Feel like we could approach anyone else on the programme to collaborate in the future.

What difference will this make to how you engage in your interface area?

Deeper understanding of the challenges and the different factors which must be considered when working in interface area.

What difference will the course make to the interface area overall? Especially in terms of relationships, collaboration and increased understanding in the area?

Strengthened relationships of those working within the area and the project will help to bring together both sides of the community.

Which issues in particular do you think you might get involved in?

Strengthening of and more opportunities for the arts, Community Development, green space, health and well-being.

How will you apply new ways of working, ideas or approaches?

 Implementation of PESTLE(R) in our decision making and approach with long term outcomes in mind. More attention given to visioning.

To what extent do you think these changes would have occurred in the absence of this course? I.e. would you have developed these skills and be motivated to do something new anyway?

Yes, however this programme has sped things up as we have been allowed a space for networking, learning together and building relationships. A lot more thought has been given to the ‘why’ of how we’re doing things - but this programme has afforded the opportunity for more informed and collaborated approach. 

Which of these bullet points do you feel taking part in the course has most helped with the overall (you can pick as many as you want!) and say how you think the course has helped: A city equipped to promote community cohesion, reconciliation and deliver partnership shared services:

Enable, engage and empower participants from the targeted areas to become leaders in their community and champions for change. We feel let down by the lack of attendance of representatives from the council. We would also like to comment our trainers (Linda, Ashleigh, Jim and Marie Ann) who have been excellent throughout. 

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