Transformative Leadership Programme

Introduction and Motivation

What motivated you to sign up to the course?

I had done a senior leadership programme in the past – but it was not as practical and pragmatic as this course. And I had trained at the Supervisory Management Course. I was looking for something to allow me to sit down and engage with people on ground. I saw what the course was offering and I can’t believe how close the course was to what was promised. It delivered exactly what you said.  I couldn’t find anything else akin to it.

Experience and Learning

What topics stood out for you?

All the course together made it what it is. It really was interactive and collaborative, you will meet people on the ground, and reflect on your own leadership style. I loved the reflective aspect, taking time out to look at me - this was brilliant – the leadership styles model and the leadership questionnaire – it made me more aware of those I lead, their potential, and the situational aspect of leadership. And the information pack that went with the course was exactly what I was looking for.

I also have more of an understanding of social innovation rather than social enterprise. And for me as a public sector worker to see what’s going on for the community in the pandemic was very important – that’s what I got from it. And yet the way it was delivered made it seem light, and a lift from a normal working day.

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

I have passed the leadership questionnaire on to my team. You could reflect back across the whole course and it made me think “how am I doing this?” The other thing I’ll take back is to think about communication – I’m in the public sector and we have lots of acronyms, so it was brilliant to sit down with other participants who bring you down to earth – it brought me back to the community and makes things more real. At NIHE, we have numerous patch managers who would benefit from the course.

How would you summarise your experience of the programme?

I watched people blossoming over the 10 sessions of the course. And I learned to retreat a bit at times and to listen a bit better. It was very transformative from one end of it to the other.

 Impact

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

Yes – our course group was fantastic bunch. We have a What’s App group set up. I’ll definitely work with Tracey from Supporting Communities – we have already emailed – I can see that I need to connect with them for what I do in my role. And it was also great to meet the people on the Futures Project as NIHE are part of the lead for that. It was also good to network with people living in North Belfast.

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

The first thing will be the collaborative project which we’ll now develop. The pragmatic side of this programme – developing a project after completing the course - is brilliant. The timing is good because after you’ve done the course, you’ve had a whole view of North Belfast. For example one participant suggested a historical tour, there’s also the possibility of something around tree planting – I like the idea of developing a project which will have a legacy and could help North Belfast for years and years to come. North Belfast is blossoming and we can contribute to it.

What difference will the course make to the interface area overall?

The programme definitely will make a difference. The projects are the icing on the cake – but it’s the collaboration aspect that will make the most difference - bringing people together to look at North Belfast. Once this programme is over there’s 300 - 400 people that have connected. I saw people blossoming and changing through the programme. It is easy to start with a little bit of apathy and some degree of “you’ll never make a difference” to now, people coming up with ideas and looking beyond the interface – at the end people were thinking of whole North Belfast community.

It was also noticeable that people’s religion didn’t come into this – our group had a unified approach. People started as individuals, but when you hear other people talking about the work they do with older people, younger people, etc. there was a lot of empathy, and learning about and seeing the importance of what each other does. It helps that it’s 2020 and the world has changed a bit – but also it may have helped that the COVID situation meant we were all vulnerable together. I thought the barriers were really broken down, there was no divide “I’m from this area, you’re from that area”.

 Behaviour

Are there any other ways you would bring what you’ve learned into your work?

I’m working on a huge Schools Energy Awareness programme, aimed at reaching children in 1400 schools. Doing the course and meeting the other participants has made me think much more carefully about families who do not have tablets, broadband and other considerations such as language barriers and support available for children at home. Now it is a real consideration for our project to see how we can help with the digital side of things. Without that awareness I might have whizzed on to target a certain number of children, whereas now I am aware they can only access our project if they have access to the tablets, broadband and support.

Attribution

To what extent do you think these changes would have occurred in the absence of this course?

I might have thought about these issues at some point, but it would not have been as emotive, it might have been a tick box before – now I will be looking to reach the % of children that do not have access. The course has changed my emotional response to a problem.  

Final comments

What are your final comments on the course?

The course was fantastic – it’s brilliant that it’s Council-led. I was involved in Community Planning for our division in NIHE and I sit with policy makers all the time, but for someone on the ground to get the opportunity to sit down with Council and make those connections is really good – it’s an inroad to Council for people. They may not have ever engaged with the Council before, beyond bins and grants, so it is great to say this is what the Council is about – benefiting you and your community. The other benefit is that there is no financial cost to the course or the accreditation. And you get so much out of it.  

Participants

The Autumn 2020 TLP in South Belfast was delivered online to eighteen participants through the Zoom digital platform. There was a diverse range of participants from organisations including: TIDES Training, South Belfast Alternatives, Chinese Welfare Association, Multi-Cultural Sport NI, Groundwork, Belfast Asian Women, Pride of Lagan Valley Flute Band, Ethnic Minority Sports, CO3, Belfast City Council, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, and a Queen’s University student. The group made connections with each other by sharing email addresses and a number also set up a What’s App group and are now working with Belfast City Council to develop their joint project.

1. How will you use what you have learned on TLP?

Not surprisingly, different aspects of the course content stood out for different people, including: Leading and Motivating Your Community, Visioning. Social Innovation and How to Measure Impact. Participants said:

• One participant from a political party said: “I only joined a party during lockdown and so haven't done much in regard to politics (yet!). I found the course taking a really different approach to any leadership training I've had previously. My retail management experience was very business oriented and not at all about looking inward at yourself and your relationships with other people. Especially as I'm a newcomer into politics, the course has given me an amazing foundation in which to start establishing myself as a member of the community. The biggest impact I feel it had on me was learning that everyone has the power to change things and having the confidence in myself to try and do so - you don't have to be a big name in order to do so!”  

• A participant from Advice NI said: “I didn’t know what to expect from the course, as it was facilitated via Zoom. I think one of my favourite parts was working in the breakaway groups and getting to see how others thought, analysed, and the ideas thought up. It was a great way to meet people from other organisations during a pandemic, and I feel the groups worked so well together. I would hope that the contacts I've made will be utilised in the future and some future partnerships forged”.

•  I embraced the way in which people can bring a community together. I noticed that these ideas are focusing on bringing people together to create something useful for them… We have very different challenges, now we are focusing on getting local people engaged with activities and to share our culture and cuisine, show how we can contribute to the community. We can use a Social Innovation model as a way to gather people together and show how they can contribute.

• I enjoyed every slide in the Leading and Motivating your Community presentation, it was very realistic, touches on ‘real life’.

• This was very relatable, and applies to our private lives as well as organisations, especially when it comes to encouraging people (even when there is failure).

• Encourage people to be involved to create a sense of local community, which might be about learning new skills, something people become passionate about, or making a difference by solving a community issue.

2. Will you connect more with others as a result of the course?

Throughout the TLP, participants were saying that through these new connections they plan to continue to work together to make life better at South Belfast interfaces in the future, and also to support BAME communities engage more and feel empowered within the community. They felt that these new relationships will make an overall difference to South Belfast.

This had already started to happen even while the course was ongoing. For example, Radius Housing made contact with Forward South Partnership (FSP) in relation to the Summer Hunger Programme – not only was this delivered, but conversations about a second project led to Radius Housing approving a bid for Reconnecting Programmes, made by the FSP led Seamless Transition through Education Project (funded by DE). This additional funding enabled delivery of a programme for children and parents prior to returning to School after Covid-19 closures, which went on to win the Belfast Healthy Cities Families and Young People Mental Wellbeing Award in December 2020.

Participants were asked further questions about these connections as follows.

3. Can you tell us about any useful conversations you have had with another TLP participant, and any outcomes?

It was clear that a number of useful conversations had been held between participants throughout the course. Participants said:

• I have had conversations with a couple of people on the team and one of the outcomes of such a conversation was when a participant expressed their interest in getting back to a particular kind of sports which we (EMSONI) were coincidentally working on before the pandemic. We have been able to identify this particular person and her team as potential collaborators with EMSONI” (participant from the Ethnic Minority Sports Organisation). 

• “I had useful conversations with both two of the participants from the course. They have been helpful in sharing information with their local groups regarding the current Belfast Youth Forum recruitment drive. Both of their areas and groups are currently under-represented in the Belfast Youth Forum, so we are trying to ensure it is more balanced” (participant from Belfast City Council).

• “I have had a conversation with Alternative Lincs South Belfast and agreed to meet up to discuss on programs that we can work together. I have also been talking to the student from Queens University, she wanted to know more about BAWA and may join us as a member” (participant from Belfast Asian Women’s Network).

• “During a lunch break, I met with the participant from the Health Trust. She explained what her work entailed, issues she was having and ask if I could assist her in making contacts within my organisation to help her to overcome those problems. I referred her details to two project managers who I believe are making contact with her to set up some form of the referral process. This work is mainly to assist EU citizens who need to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme and those who need immigration/benefits advice” (participant from Advice NI).

• “It was amazing and inspiring to attend the course. I had the opportunity to speak with the participant who runs the Asian Network, speak with another who runs the sports initiative, and the representatives of the Sudanese network” (participant from the Chinese Welfare Association).

• “I have had many useful conversations that will be of benefit to me in my work. To date I have contacted one of the participants to ask if he will engage with us in relation to research, we are carrying out on a young men’s leadership programme (because of his Marching Band network of young men). This is happening. I also worked with a second participant to ask about delivering ‘Unconscious Bias’ training for the Men’s Shed network that we support. This is being actioned” (participant from Groundwork).

4. Do you have any plans to continue to network and link with one or more TLP participants and if so, in what way?

Many participants had plans to continue to connect with each other after the course, as follows:

• “There are absolutely plans to continue to network and link with more TLP participants. Involving the participant mentioned above (about getting back into sports) is one of such plans. Also, strengthening the collaborative relationship we currently have with another participant” (participant from the Ethnic Minority Sports Organisation).

•  “I hope we get to arrange a face to face meeting in the new year as there are several people I would like to network with or at least keep in contact with to possibly engage with in the future” (participant from Belfast City Council).

• “I hope that now the lines of communication have been opened between the TLP participants and me, that I could always be seen a point of contact in Advice NI for anyone who feels there could be partnership or collaborations in the future. I hope that the referral processes are set up with the Health Trust, which could lead to future referrals and in turn, ensuring the most vulnerable receive the advice they need” (participant from Advice NI).

• “I intend to speak to the ethnic minority representatives on the course to explore their networks’ engagement in a future leadership programme. The objective would be self-development and integration” (participant from Groundwork NI).

5. What do you think is the benefit of the TLP in relation to making new contacts?

Participants listed many benefits of the programme in this regard:

• “TLP is a platform that brings people and organisations – which one may not have ordinarily met around – together. It opens an avenue for collaborative relationship with new contacts (participant from Ethnic Minority Sports Organisation).

• “It is extremely beneficial.  It gives a chance to meet with people from other organisations I have not worked with before, but who work in the same geographical area as me” (participant from Belfast City Council).

• “Making new contacts allows us to broaden our network, get connected to different groups and potentially collaborate to achieve common goals” (participant from Belfast Asian Women).

• “Through TLP I have met people that I otherwise would not have encountered. The nature of the course is that you also learn about people’s background, what they are doing to change lives and the aspirations of their communities. This has given me insight into the needs of other communities and how my organisation can work with them to improve quality of life for all” (participant from Groundwork).

More about the programme

NICVA was awarded the contract to deliver the programme in July 2019, co-ordinates the programme and works with partners across the city to deliver it: Falls Community Council, West Belfast Partnership Board, East Belfast Community Development Agency and Forward South Partnership.

The programme is a 10-module leadership training course which draws on leadership practices and approaches drawn from a range of internationally recognised models, including Collaboration Skills, Leadership Styles, Leading and Motivating Communities, and Social Innovation.

The course aims to attract participants from the voluntary and community sector, the public sector and the political sector to learn skills which will enable them to collaborate more effectively together in order to make life better in interface areas in Belfast. To this end the course particularly focuses on leadership development and relationship building, through the lens of local issues. Once participants complete their TLP course with NICVA and partners, the aim is for TLP participants to progress to develop a collaborative project in their areas with the support of Belfast City Council, and to attend area-based and Belfast-wide events as well as site visits in order to continue learning and build networks and connections.

This report contains Participant Stories from the programme which began in October 2019 and has included the delivery of 19 TLP courses across 11 interface areas of Belfast – with many more to follow. For ease of reference, the report is set out in areas: North, West, South and East Belfast.

Many thanks to all our fantastic participants for sharing their stories!

North Belfast Participant Stories

• Duncairn Gardens

Shannon Downey, Groundwork NI (Autumn 2019 participant)

• Limestone Road

Lesley Doherty, Tourguide (Spring 2020 participant)

Karen Pateman, DFE (Spring 2020 participant)

• Crumlin/Ardoyne/Glenbryn

Zoe Ferguson, Cliftonville Integrated Primary School PTA (Spring 2020 participant)

• Ligoniel

Ciaran McNeill, Ligoniel Improvement Association (Spring-Summer 2020 participant)

• Lower Oldpark/Manor Street

North Talks Too and IFI Peace Walls Group (Autumn 2019)

• North Belfast TLP Course 1

Jahswill Emmanuel, MSCNI (Autumn 2020 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 2

Gemma Cowles, Housing Executive (Autumn 2020 participant)

Dean McCullough, DUP (Autumn 2020 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 3

Ronnie Black, Concerned Residents of Upper Ardoyne (Spring 2021 participant)

Mal O'Hara, Green Party (Spring 2021 participant)

Conor Maskey, Sinn Fein (Spring 2021 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 4

Amanda Laird, Progressive Unionist Party (Spring 2021 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 5

Julie Carson, The Executive Office (Spring 2021 participant)

Tiwa, Storehouse NI & Anaka women's group (Spring 2021 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 6

Brian Caskey, Limestone United (Spring 2021 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 7

Zoreena Ahmed, NI Islamic Community (Autumn 2021 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 8

Aodhfionn McCambridge-Geraghty (Winter 2021 participant)

• North Belfast TLP Course 9

Grainne Gibson, HERe Ni (Spring 2022 participant)

West Belfast Participant Stories

• Falls/Shankill

Group Case Study, Autumn 2019

Terry McCallum, Belfast City Council (Spring 2020 participant)

Laura Marley, Springboard (Autumn 2020 participant)

• Suffolk/Lenadoon

Group Case Study, Autumn 2019

Michael O'Hara, local resident and volunteer (Spring to Autumn 2020 participant)

Paul Doherty, SDLP (Autumn 2020 participant)

Meabh Harvey, Local resident (Autumn 2020 participant)

• Village/Westlink

David Murphy, Southcity Resource and Development Centre (Spring 2020 participant)

PSNI West Belfast (Autumn 2021)

• Colin - Dunmurry - Seymour Hill - Milltown

Margaret McDonald, Lagmore Youth Project (Spring 2021 participant)

Geraldine Telford (Summer 2021 participant)

• Springfield Road

Irene Boada Montagut, The Museum of The Troubles Initiative (Spring 2021 participant)

Christine McNally, Upper Springfield Development Trust (Spring 2021 participant)

South Belfast Participant Stories

• Lower Ormeau and Markets

Group Case Study, Autumn 2019

Group Case Study, Spring 2020

Group Case Study, Autumn 2020

Martina Strawbridge Klapkova, Spring 2022

• Belvoir- Taughmonagh - Finaghy - Annadale - Ballynafeigh

East Belfast Participant Stories

• Short Strand/Inner East

John Williamson, Community Worker (Autumn 2019 Participant)

Anne Fleming, Northern Ireland Assembly (Autumn 2020 Participant)

TLP Case Study East Belfast (Autumn 2021)

Michael retired from the Aerospace Industry last year after 40 years of service. He has been involved for a number of years in matters relating to community policing, justice and prisons.

Motivation

What motivated you to sign up for the course?

I was on the Belfast Policing and Community Safety Partnership and one of my colleagues on that was independent member Debbie Hamill. Debbie was from Alternatives, a community restorative justice organisation and she sent me a note about it. She said she was thinking of doing the course in South Belfast and wanted to know if I would I be interested. I was interested and I applied for it!

I worked in the Aerospace Industry from 1979, so last year I completed 40 years’ service and I decided to take early retirement. Prior to that I had become involved in the Policing and Community Safety Partnerships, I was also an independent custody visitor with the Policing Board and a member of the Independent Monitoring Board of prisons. Last year I joined the board of Community Restorative Justice after I retired. I did a bit of mentoring on the Stars programme. So I had some knowledge of the kinds of things that were going on in the community in terms of projects. Now that I have retired I have the time to do a bit more.”

Experience and Learning

What did you like about the course – especially since it was interrupted by lockdown and had to be completed online?

I enjoyed meeting different people from different backgrounds and having face to face conversations and learning from other people but to be fair after we had the gap, and it went to Zoom, we all adapted to it and it kept that team spirit going.

What topics stood out for you?

Leadership styles. I was a purchasing manager in the Aerospace industry which was quite challenging. I was thinking I might have done things back-to-front because when I was going through some of the questions on the accreditation booklet on defining styles I wish I had been using that in my professional role - I might have got on a bit better.

It gave me a good perspective because instead of being in the thick of the action I was actually able to take a step back and examine different styles which I would not have recognised in the past. Sometimes when you are just getting on with the job you don’t realise the style you are adopting. I had been doing the job for a long time and perhaps I was not feeling the need to look at new styles or different styles in leadership.

The course delivered an effective and structured approach. It opened my eyes to a different environment, one which was more relaxed and not in the front line as it was in my professional role. The tools used to determine leadership styles were effective. I did a self-assessment on my own leadership styles and there maybe was 3-4 different styles where there would be a point of a difference. I kind of knew the one which would reflect me the most but I was surprised with the closeness between the styles.

I couldn’t have told you which style I was using in my professional role but I could now. Maybe by default I got some things right but I could have done things a lot better. I think the democratic style and affiliative style were most used in my voluntary roles but in the private sector I would admit to being over reliant on the commanding style – probably due to the pressures of the aerospace industry. When I was acting on corporate directives it was generally timebound and not suitable for a collaborative approach. Continual crisis management in the private sector meant that commanding and pacesetting styles were prevalent; this had a negative impact on the overall environment and team morale.

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

I could certainly see a difference in the voluntary roles particularly when I was doing the custody visiting. I did that for about 7 years and I ended up leading a south-east team which covered Belfast, Armagh, Antrim and Down and even then it was all about bringing people along. It was about collaboration, working as a team and building relationships with the extended team which was the PSNI, custody staff and the policing board. It is a common-sense approach, the tools are effective and can be deployed in a community or business context.

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

Yes, I would have the confidence to use the leadership skills and the design structures to deliver a community project within the Suffolk/Lenadoon interface area.

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

In the PCSPs I formed excellent relationships with statutory agencies including the Probation Board, Youth Justice Agency, PSNI, NIFRS, elected representatives and Council officials. This year I am on the West Belfast PCSP as an independent member. What I found about this course is that it brought me closer to the PSNI. Selwyn who attended the course is familiar with the area and has participated in West Belfast PCSP meetings. I had not met him before, however I was able to make a connection in terms of the Suffolk/Lenadoon interface. He is knowledgeable about the issues in the area and has some suggestions for improvements in the area. I believe we would be able to work well together and share ideas and best practice in terms of implementing project improvements in West Belfast.

Amanda was another participant on the course who I met for the first time. Amanda is a great advocate for LGBT rights. Through our conversations and discussions, I became very aware of the challenges that face the LGBT community. For example, when I considered the fact that hate crime is the fastest growing crime in NI, I began to understand the magnitude of this situation and it made me think harder about what the challenges are and how they could be tackled.

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

There are 3 or 4 of us who were willing to give our phone numbers for a WhatsApp group. I’ve been checking in with the guys who are doing the accreditation course to see how they’re getting on. When it comes to the project we can use the WhatsApp to at least talk, think things through and come up with a project.

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

This course has created the capacity to deliver value added projects in the interface area.

     Behaviour

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

Being able to put the learning into practice and being able to get a small budget to deliver a project. That was brilliant! So I’d like to take that opportunity to do something through a group project.

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

I think the key is to use the tools that we have been taught. Use the leadership, use the models of the 5 design stages. When we were doing the course one thing became clear, something most of us do, and that is jump to the solution before we know the problem. So I believe in a team environment we need to start at the beginning, go through the Empathy stage, learn consult and observe and then follow the next stages in a structured fashion, (i.e.: Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test). Hopefully we all will be able learn from this process and continue to improve on delivery and be conscious of the leadership style we are deploying.

Attribution

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 was an excellent course - I would not have developed these skills without completing it. I have also built up a network of community contacts through participation on the course. I have already been talking to friends and colleagues. I was very glad it resumed again. To me it was certainly a promising course and very much relevant to the things I am doing now in my retirement. I have been encouraging members of the PCSP and volunteers and co-ordinators in CRJI to consider participating.

Jahswill did his TLP course in North Belfast in Autumn 2020, via Zoom. He had already been highly commended by the Community Relations Council for his outstanding good relations work within the community and is nominee for Volunteer of the Year Award with Sports NI and awaiting the result. His course group is now beginning to plan a joint project together and have created a What’s App group to keep in touch. Jahswill has the following advice for anyone thinking of signing up for the course:

“Whether you’re a volunteer or a board member or looking to become a leader, you definitely need this course… it’s just brilliant.”

Motivation

What motivated you to sign up for the course?

I was motivated to do the course because of the cross community work we are doing – and for the BME community there are not many courses on leadership within the sector. I wanted to learn from experts to develop myself and my organisation and to share my experience with others in ethnic minority groups and to network with others elsewhere in NI. I wanted to know about how to promote peace in NI and to know more about North Belfast.

Experience and Learning

What did you like about the course?

It has contributed to building my skills. These skills may have come in a different way but it would have taken time. This also built my networks – 80% of what I would like to do I can do with participants from the TLP – it really opened the door for connection and collaboration. It’s important because otherwise at the moment, how are you going to make connections? Being online it was a platform that brings everyone together. The online format is easy for people who don’t have time to go out – there’s less time needed because there’s no travel time and it’s hard to be late.

What topics stood out for you?

The visionary leadership module stood out because I founded our organisation with vision in 2016. Back then I was experiencing depression and found myself isolated. I am a social person and like people, so I used football to bring people together and to help me integrate more into society. Looking at the visionary leadership style explained the type of leader I am, I bring people along and carry people along, I loved that.

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

As well as visionary leadership, I will also take back collaboration and networking with other people – learning how to collaborate, the risks etc. I’ll also remember the car analogy we used – it simplifies the whole leadership scenario – you have to know where you are going, drive as well as you can, keep driving, and keep your tools ready to keep the car going.

What difference has it made?

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

Yes, before I would have been unlikely to try to organise an event engaging some communities in North Belfast where there has been conflict, but now I have made connections that can facilitate my engagement with these communities – if I want to do something with these areas I know who to connect with and work together with – before I wouldn’t have had the guts to do that as I didn’t fully understand it.

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

Yes, Duncairn Community Partnership and CCRF (Cliftonvillle Community Regeneration Forum). And through our project workshop I found out another participant, Jennifer, is linked with youth work so I’d like to work with all of these.

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

I will be even more focused on youth as they are the ones that can change Northern Ireland. We now have ethnic minority children everywhere, in school, the playground, mixing together, so it’s just a matter of time until there is more tolerance. It’s important to have cultural diversity awareness raising as we know from our youth engagement programme that while there are some friendships, some young people have limited knowledge for example about Africa – they need to know more and then they would be more tolerant.

What difference will the course make to the interface area overall?

Yes the course has the capacity to make a difference – the course is rich enough and the resources are there - it’s just getting people to make a difference. The connections and the networks I got through this course in 6 weeks you couldn’t get in a year. And it doesn’t just finish, there is sustainability for you to progress by doing the project and the funding is there for it.

Whether you’re a volunteer or a board member or looking to become a leader, you definitely need this course. Apart from the knowledge and experience you gain and share, when you listen to others, you see how they manage people - it’s just brilliant. Everyone should be in it to know about leadership – everybody is a leader – you just have to know a bit and know how to practice it. It’s very enjoyable when you’re trying to lead people and developing yourself. It’s good for everyone to have a go at it.

“It’s not often a free training opportunity with the option to achieve a world standard leadership training qualification comes along. Seize the moment and ask if you can attend.”

Motivation

What motivated you to sign up?

The main aim of TLP is to build leadership skills and connections between people living and working in interface areas of Belfast in order to make change possible. That type of aim interests me as I am from Belfast, live in Belfast and work in Belfast. Essentially I care about Belfast, in particular North Belfast, and I saw this as an opportunity to get some leadership skills but also potentially be a part of something good in the community. 

In addition to my day job I am also a Non‑Executive Director (NED) of Groundwork NI, a North Belfast Based Charity and being new to the Community and Voluntary Sector I saw the TLP as an enabler to help expand my network of professional connections.

Was the course a good fit with your work?

How did you feel the programme fitted with your work in the public sector?

For me, New Decade New Approach and the Programme for Government (PfG) puts collaborative working and co-production at the centre of our work and the outcomes we want to achieve for the public. So, what better way to link a training opportunity back to work than by pitching it to management on the grounds that it was going to develop my collaborative leadership skills to be better used in the workplace and help me to understand local issues in the wider context.  Plus, its free – I think that clinched it!

It’s not often a free training opportunity with the option to achieve a world standard leadership training qualification comes along. Seize the moment and ask if you can attend, the best that can happen will be that you are encouraged to apply and the worst may just be that you have to wait for the next programme, or the one after that.

What did you like best about the course?

I’m passionate about leadership and learning about it – so it was an obvious choice for me but in addition:

• I’m a people person and I really enjoyed meeting and working with all the participants
• I enjoyed the practical exercises and the balance of learning techniques
• I found the course materials and reference tools useful and still refer to them
• I had great fun - no better way to learn.

Can anyone do it?

Naturally this is something you will need to discuss with your line management if you are interested as we can’t all be out of the office (living room or kitchen) at once.  When you pitch it to them, make sure you figure out first what skills and best practices you personally will gain and be able to share with colleagues. 

I don’t live in an interface area how can I apply?

You work in Belfast though, and will have a wealth of knowledge of our Department and what we do for the public. While the main focus is interface areas, NICVA are really keen to have more public servants on the programme and expressed how feedback received from other participants stated the value of having public sector colleagues involved.

I would encourage you to read the testimonials of public sector colleagues: https://www.nicva.org/article/i-work-for-a-public-sector-body-why-should-i-take-part-in-the-tlp

Since the course, the group took the initiative to set up a WhatsApp group which was a very positive indication that contacts and bonds formed would continue beyond the lifetime of the course.

“It was felt that as a result of the course there would be a more joined up approach across community and statutory/ public agencies, evidenced in the formation of the WhatsApp group.”

 

Motivation

What motivated you to sign up?

The general feedback was the opportunity to network and learn from others. Also the fact that the course delivery i.e. one full day per week over 5 weeks was manageable in terms of taking time out of work for participants. This short-term delivery was also attractive to employers.

Experience and Learning

What did you like?

Overall, the group were happy with the delivery, group size, location, presentation, friendliness and openness of other participants. Feedback evidenced a very positive experience from all participants as well as an eagerness to promote the programme within each person’s workplace to encourage work colleagues to participate in future roll outs.

Which topics stood out for you?

Different topics stood out for different people, for example:

• Leadership styles
• Transforming relationships
• Transforming conflict: learners expressed an interest in developing the Broadway model as a template for future work.
• Social innovation tools: this new technique of thinking outside the box was challenging for some.

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

Participants would take group work, sharing of knowledge, strength in collaboration, listening and learning back to their communities.

What difference has it made?

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

It was felt that as a result of the course there would be a more joined up approach across community and statutory / public agencies, evidenced in the formation of the WhatsApp group.

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

It was suggested that there would be more face to face meetings, improved working practices across the board and a clearer understanding of the sensitivities of those living on interfaces.

What difference will the course make to the interface area overall?

Feedback from participants indicated a realisation of the complexities faced by communities living on interface areas: their fears, anxieties, desire for change, the inter-generational differences, the need to include those experiencing life in the interface and to support transition in a way that is inclusive, empowering and includes a package of regeneration.

“I have better input into how I could help in my interface areas.  I’m new to this type of work and knowledge is power.”

 

Motivation

What motivated you to sign up for the course?

I have better input into how I could help in my interface areas.  I’m new to this type of work and knowledge is power.

Experience and Learning

What did you like about the course?

Every topic was beneficial – it has provided me with a better outlook and view.  The facilitation was good.

What topics stood out for you?

Everything really.  I have a better view, my confidence is better and I have a better idea of where I need to develop further. Team building, listening and hearing views. It was educational, peer learning.

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

I would use some of the tasks and exercises with our own groups. 

What difference has it made?

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

All of the above.  Processes / collaboration – all new concepts and I better understand them now.

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

I have confidence, a better outlook. More engagement with the community. I probably would have got to where I needed to be but the course really helped me fast track this. 

What difference will the course make to the interface area overall?

I will be more confident so hopefully the work I lead will be a better quality.

David did his TLP course in the Village Westlink area during Spring 2020.

“The course shows that people can make a difference – but there has to be a method. That’s what the trainers gave”

Motivation

What motivated you to sign up for the course?

I signed up for personal development and change, knowledge of the subject areas, and new and imaginative relationships between and within communities to create better ‘good relations’.

Experience and Learning

What did you like about the course?

I learned from the whole course and I especially learned from the project planning and team building and communication modules.  The small group work was very useful. I learned a lot of real ‘stuff’ that is useful.  The group work was also very useful and I learned a lot from this process. The course was of a high standard, the questions were challenging, and the group work was a great way of getting through the learning. The trainers were good – there were complicated concepts that they did well.

What topics stood out for you?

I especially learned a lot from the project planning module.  This has challenged me to critically reflect on the need, process and procedure for project planning.  The facilitation of the course was good because of the educational delivery, it involved diverse techniques such as small group working.

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

The need for communication and listening as an integral of leadership.  Further the importance of a process into planning and decision making.Lifelong learning is key in personal development.  The course has provided me with new perspectives on methods of working and styles of working. Through reflective practice I will be challenged to evaluate on the quality of my work and to listen to the ideas of others.  My approach will be based on the concept of empowerment.

What difference has it made?

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

I will spend more time in the process of planning and working in relationships with others.  Working towards the creation of better working relationship is key to the process.

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

The Housing Executive and civil servants.  Statutory agencies are a complex language that can be complicated to understand. The PSNI and the Community Together (PACT) an interagency group that meets in the Duncairn, Tigers Bay areas, I will get more involved in this group as it works to create a better area and a more stable interface.

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

There is a real need for a process between the two communities. This should facilitate better and positive working relationships.  Problem solving and honesty are further key points of building the process of engagement on practical issues.

What difference will the course make to the interface area overall?

The interface problems are shared problems.  There is a need to collaborate on issues of mutual concern for the ‘common good’.  Understanding of the other is developed through people visiting communities across their respective interfaces.The course shows that people can make a difference, but there has to be a method. That’s what the trainers gave.

John did the first East Belfast Transformative Leadership Programme in Autumn 2019 – his group are now well underway with their collaborative project.

“The course will help the area through improved relationships, newer people getting involved and it will help the area move on through new practical projects.”

 

Motivation

What motivated you to sign up?

I wanted to learn more about leadership and apply it in the area.

Experience and Learning

What did you like about the course? 

I enjoyed the whole programme, especially the community walkabout, and the specific focus on applying our learning to interface areas. The exercises were very practical. It was relevant, practical and enjoyable.

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

A better understanding of how we can get help from others in the interface area.

 What difference has it made?

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

I would play a more direct role in chairing difficult meetings. And I know who to speak to for support. It has given me more confidence in myself and greater understanding of others.

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

Yes, like Alternatives, local councillors, EBCDA, Department of Justice - through our own group committee, and other community groups, and engaging with councillors. We’ve set up a What’s App group for people who did the course and keep each other updated on our project.

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

I would engage more in environmental stuff, street based youth work, cultural and historical projects. Our course group is now working on a funded project together – we are transforming a piece of waste ground at Beechfield Street into a children’s garden and play area. We’ve already got it cleared and have a kids’ shed and planters. There will be picnic tables and greenhouses going in too. Our plan is to have individual planters for kids, and next year we’d hope to run courses for them to learn about planting. The kids love it already.

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 wouldn’t have been as confident. This is the first course of this kind that I’ve done and I’ve become very confident in talking to people – I’d be happy to come along and talk to any of the other courses if people want to hear from a past participant.

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

The course will help the area through improved relationships, newer people getting involved and it will help the area move on through new practical projects.