The leaders in Hull and East Yorkshire making a difference
This month the second cohort of our New To Leadership programme came together in Hull for the first time to start their exciting 12 month journey of becoming the regional leaders of the future. Fourteen keen participants were expertly led by facilitator Beth Goddard, the first session focusing on the key mantra of ‘Know Yourself, Be Yourself and Look After Yourself.’
Some powerful moments were witnessed as three of last year’s New to Leadership graduates shared their stories of the difference the programme had made to their lives, both personally and professionally. On hearing from a fellow introvert, one new leader gave herself permission to be shy and introverted, recognising that she had the skills to shine.
Over the course of the year the participants will have face to face sessions, coaching and Action Learning as well as becoming part of strong supportive network, both as a cohort and the wider HEY Confident Futures collaborators, over 400 leaders across the region.
From the session the new leaders felt ready to immerse themselves in the new experience.
On the same day The Hull and East Yorkshire Leadership Advocacy Network came together, a group of ethnically minoritised leaders who work collaboratively for a better future for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities in the region, to meet national funder, The Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
Keen to develop a strategic long term approach to funding for the community groups they represent, they discussed the barriers they have faced in building relationships with larger funders and worked out strategies to move forward.
Abdou Sidibe, Director of Grants at Paul Hamlyn Foundation, having his own lived experience, was able to offer solid advice to the group and signpost them to other national funders and projects they could further learn from.
Following these events some leaders from the network got together for a Leaders Walk and Talk on Beverley Westwood to not only get some fresh air together, but to find the space to get some fresh thinking.
The next day a group of eight leaders came together with Coach Claire Antrobus to challenge their practice around managing meetings. The session allowed people to experiment with a range of ‘liberating structures’ to encourage everyone to have a voice and to generate fresh thinking at every meeting.
One leader said:
“Now more than ever I appreciate the fact that one size doesn’t fit all in these kinds of things, and this was a great introduction to the tools for matching the right meeting with the right format.
“I also really loved and needed the nourishing walk in the woods yesterday – such an honour and privilege to have that time and space with such good people.”
Leadership and the network in the region goes from strength to strength. Anyone involved in the voluntary and community sector in Hull and East Yorkshire can read more and sign up to HEY Confident Futures network.