HEY Confident Futures secures further three years of funding
Supporting the voluntary sector across Hull & East Yorkshire
Two Ridings Community Foundation has secured a further three years of funding from The National Lottery Community Fund to continue the HEY Confident Futures leadership programme and network. The programme offers support within the local community creating a connected and collaborative network of generous leaders.
Over the last three years the network has grown to more than 340 leaders, who have attended over 200 events. In addition to training and networking events HEY Confident Futures helps to develop confidence in personal leadership, so leaders are able to look after their own wellbeing in order to develop their organisations to meet the needs of local people.
Harriet Johnson, Head of Programmes and Partnerships at Two Ridings, who leads the HEY Confident futures programme explains:
“We are delighted to be supported by The National Lottery Community Fund, to continue delivering the leadership programme in our region. Staff and volunteers from our charities and community groups do such vital work in our communities and we are here to support them, build connections and strengthen the sector.”
Jacky Crawford, CEO of The Moorlands Charity in Goole shared her experience of taking part in the programme
“I have had the benefit of participating in the HEY Confident Futures Leadership Programme and I have learnt so much. The saying goes, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ but as I enter my 60th year and have undertaken several leadership programmes, I feel this programme has afforded me the time to reflect on me and my needs and as a result I have learnt to prioritise and say no and to take control of my own health and wellbeing rather than constantly taking on more tasks that would overload me.”
July 2022 saw the Confident Futures network come together at a Celebration event, championing a new cohort of twelve emerging leaders from the network. The new leaders ran a session called ‘Finding your inner badass’ where they shared their stories and how the programme had affected them.
One personal story from a new leader was told by Severine Kipili from the Bora Shabaa Refugee Support Group in Hull. She talked of her journey from the Congo, via years in a refugee camp in Zambia to setting up a group for refugees in Hull, and how it has given her the strength and skills to help others. Before the leadership course she did not believe in herself, but now has gained confidence and that leadership strengthens the people she helps too.
“Some leadership qualities you can learn, some are natural. The New to Leadership course gave us the insight how to maximise our strengths. I now have the confidence to look people in the eye. Being a badass is a compliment. It takes guts, it takes being vulnerable. It involves effort. It embraces humanity.”
The network also brought leaders together for ‘place-based leadership networking’ in Goole and Bridlington to bring the local community groups together. One of the Goole leaders stated ‘Coaching was like pouring water on dry ground – it was priceless to me’, another found an unusual outcome from the networking ‘we met on a training course and now we are sharing a building!’
Membership of HEY Confident Futures is free for those who work or volunteer in a charity, community group in Hull and East Yorkshire. They can join the network online at https://confidentfutures.co.uk/
The programme is tailored to meet the specific needs of members. Currently the Confident Futures team are consulting with members of the network for the content for 2023-2025 – new members can help shape this too!