Aligning time, skills and effort with the intention to build leadership skill and capacity is not easy; however leadership investment is more important than ever. That’s why the ASPIRE programme – a 12-month accelerated leadership development programme for 15 voluntary and community sector leaders – launched with a two-day residential opportunity that provided our emerging leaders with the precious commodities of time, space, a support network and expert challenge, on which to embark upon their journey.

Starting with a deep-dive into their personal values and visions for leadership the intensive two day programme achieved huge impact and the group emerged with a great sense of excitement and pride in being a part of something new and innovative that has the potential to create a movement of change for the voluntary and community sector.

David Padgett, Victim Support, is participating in the ASPIRE programme: “I’m not often enthusiastic about ‘training’, however this is already the best development opportunity I have had. It was the clearest learning I have ever experienced. I am now extremely confident that my participation on the programme will support a vision that I have for third sector victim-care agencies working effectively together to provide the best care and be a model for other counties to follow.”

ASPIRE has been commissioned by Essex Partners to foster a new generation of leaders for the sector. The ASPIRE group will unite with the Leading Greater Essex programme as part of their development.

You can meet the ASPIRE group here, and keep up to date on their progress.