Our Aspiring Leaders programme (formally known as Community Champions) is part of our Leading in Leicester and Leicestershire and Reaching People project.
This programme is for those who are passionate about their cause and enjoy getting involved in helping individuals and local organisations change things for the better. A person who steps up without hesitation when the community needs help and who has the potential to flourish and have even greater impact with some support, guidance and training.
It is designed to help you grow your confidence in dealing with people through understanding your leadership behaviours, empower you through self-awareness and help you build your ability to make a difference in your community or organisation. You will discover various models for understanding your environment and how to deliver change in an effective manner. All this starts with understanding that leadership is within us all and with the right guidance we can grow as individuals and community leaders.
This programme is focused on building behaviours in:
Enabling, supporting and inspiring others
Developing effective partnerships
Effectively driving change
Duration: 8 x 3 hours sessions (Thursdays 9:30am-12:45pm)
Eligibility Criteria: In paid or unpaid role within VCSE in Leicestershire
Availability: Limited spaces available
Price: Free
Trainer - Jacqui Purnell

Session Breakdown
There will be an element of home/out of session work required to make the most of this programme, we have tried to keep this to a minimum. This will be a mix of recommended reading, working on a project and recording reflections and learning from each session.
Session One
Introductions, Outline of Expectations
Leadership vs Management
Direction and Goal Setting
Session Two
Leadership Behaviors in the VCSE sector
Self -awareness, wellbeing and building resilience
Wellbeing workshop – taster session
Session Three
Exploring Leadership Behaviors – enabling, supporting and inspiring others
Building Trust
Developing Relationships
Session Four
Exploring Preferences and Communication Styles
Influencing and Engaging others
Difficult Conversations
Session Five
Exploring Leadership Behaviors – developing effective partnerships
Stakeholder management
Evaluating project ideas – Introduction to SWOT analysis
Session Six
Exploring leadership behaviors – driving change
Making change happen – applying ADKAR to your project
Group project work – putting it all into practice
Session Seven
Group Project work – Feedback, Group support and review
Mentor support with project challenges
Driving Change speaker
Session Eight
Group learnings and reflections
Presentation of personal Impact statement - Showcase of outcomes, learnings and future objectives
"I found it to be incredibly useful and have taken a bit of time to reflect on what came up for me in the session.
It was a good reminder for me to see how a combination of active listening, being interested and valuing the individual is a powerful combination and can really help the person to make decisions."
Aspiring Leaders Learner, 2022
"The discussions we have had have highlighetd the challenges we face working in the community at a grassroot level.
One way the programme has taught me to manage this is by ensuring I am clear of expectations and that there is clarity in my direction."
Aspiring Leaders Learner, 2021
*Please be aware that as this is a course provided free of charge, we do expect you to be able to make all sessions. Failure to do so may result in a fine. As part of this course, we also ask that 3 evaluations be filled out at different parts of this course. These are the only 2 requirements of this course and we hope that you are able to accept them.
JANUARY 2024 COHORT
Session No |
Date |
Time |
Venue |
---|---|---|---|
Session 1 |
Thursday, 8th February |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |
Session 2 |
Thursday, 15th February |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |
Session 3 |
Thursday, 22nd February |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |
Session 4 |
Thursday, 29th February |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |
Session 5 |
Thursday, 7th March |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |
Session 6 |
Mentor sessions can occur from the 11th March and must be completed by 20th March |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |
Session 7 |
Thursday, 14th March |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |
Session 8 |
Thursday, 21st March |
9:30am-12:30pm |
Leicestershire Cares, LE1 6WT |