Social Enterprise Works

Action learning sets for Third Sector Leaders

Action learning sets are a very powerful tool for developing leadership skills and positively transforming the way you work for the benefit of your organisation.

Grants for 50% of the cost of a new action learning set starting over the summer can be accessed through Train to Gain.

Action learning sets involve a small group of people employed in similar roles, working together over a period of six months to explore issues/problems within their working environment in order to develop long-term solutions.

The success of action learning sets comes from the rare opportunity that they offer you to step out of your usual work environment to reflect on issues and, with the input of people working in similar roles, identify time-focused actions. This combination stimulates a more creative form of problem solving and encourages participants to identify enduring solutions which get to the heart of the matter.

A previous participant said ‘Not receiving supervision or line management isn’t helpful for my development, but being able to take issues to the set has been invaluable as it has given me the opportunity to work through a problem with a group of competent successful people whose opinions I trust and value.’

The make –up of the set is important. Working with people in similar roles means that in addition to learning from discussing issues affecting you, you will also learn from discussion of others’ issues.

What do we mean by leaders?

Leaders may be board chairpersons or senior executive officers of organisations of whatever size. We do not expect you to have any particular qualification or experience but simply that you are responsible for making decisions that develop or drive an organisation forward. We recognise that leaders are often isolated and can benefit greatly from this kind of collaborative working.

Programme outline

The programme starts in July 2008 and runs through to December 2008 (start date to be confirmed). You’ll join a learning set with between 5 and 7 other members and a facilitator. The set will meet once a month for six months. Sessions will last for between four and five hours. You and other set members will focus on issues of relevance in your work.

Cost and application details

Grants for 50% of the cost of a new action learning set starting over the summer can be accessed through Train to Gain. This brings the cost for places on this programme to £150 per set member.

Please see the Action learning sets application pack for further details and complete the application form by 13th June ‘08. Contact Stuart on 0117 9070080 or stuart@socialenterpriseworks.org for a chat about how the sets will work to find out whether they are right for you.