Is this course for me?

The Pioneer Programme welcomes leaders from a diverse range of social enterprises. The programme is ideal for new, aspiring and mature leaders in all levels of a business, from team leaders to Chief Executives.

We've listed below some of our previous Pioneers.

	JAMES MAPSTONE I applied to join the Lively Leadership programme as I am serious about developing my own leadership skills and the skills of the people around me. The opportunities and support offered by the programme were too good to miss and came at a time whereby my organisation was growing and I felt I needed to be developing with it.
	KEITH DAVIES Right Time Foundation has been trading from the HM Prison Erlestoke for 3 years, producing and selling plants, shrubs, trees, bedding, planters and wood crafts to visitors and local communities. It was opened with the purpose of the preparing offenders for release through training and work experience, both in the prison community and in the local community. The project has been so successful that it has broadened its services further by leasing a large nursery/garden centre so as it can offer its learning opportunities to a wider range of offenders both in prison and out in the community. It will be working with many organisations such as Wiltshire probation, NOMS, HMP, Princes Trust, North Wessex Training, Weston College and many others. Business enterprise and CIC has allowed us to look and new ideas in which to develop ways to reduce re-offending with training and work experience whilst investing back the profits to make the project self sustainable. Keith Davies a prison officer of 19 years developed the idea and has grown the project into a fully working and successful business. The business is attracting interest from all areas of the criminal justice and other organisations such as the CO-OP. Its concept can be adapted to all types of business ideas and social projects.
	JONATHAN MOLES My name is Jonathan Moles, Director of JMSE. I work to help social enterprises, charities and small companies to raise their skill levels and business aptitudes to help create strong communities and local economies. I became involved in the Lively Leadership Pioneer Programme because I believe that social enterprise is at a very exciting stage of its development - gaining understanding and acceptance. But we have a long way to go to ensure that social enteprise can fulfil its role as an integral part of the economy. I believe that this programme will give me new skills to help me drive forward my own social enterprise but also the sector generally. We can make it happen!
	SHABANA KAUSAR I am passionate about bringing social change for my local community and I understand that to do this I need to move my charity, The Sky Project, away from dependency on funding, and instead towards social enterprise status. The Pionner Programme is an amazing opportunity for me to achieve this whilst also developing my leadership skills in a community context.
	VASHTI RICHARDS I decided to join the Pioneer Progranmme to help me develop my leadership skills, particularly in the organisation I run www.deki.org.uk. Deki's mission is to connect people through person-to-person micro loans empowering specific people in the developing world to lift themselves out of poverty. I currently run Deki on my own and feel that I need to develop my leadership skills in order to maximise Deki's full potential. I hope the course will offer me both the training and support required to develop my leadership skills. In the future I hope to be able to pass these skills on to others within the social enterprise industry.
	WAHEED AHMED I have become a pioneer in leadership for the purpose of honing my existing skills, and experience into solid leadership and business acumen. I wish to understand how my learning will be used within a social enterprise setting, and how best to guide others in becoming successful leaders and pioneers.
	ABDULLAHI FARAH As a manager of small community organization, I realized that the status quo is not an option and the way our organization is funded is not sustainable. I decided to transform our organization into a social enterprise, but I new that I lack the knowledge and skills that are necessary to run a successful social enterprise. I joined the Pioneer Programme to gain that knowledge and skills which will enable me to develop new leadership and managerial skills.
	Anne Malindine My working background has been a mixture of commercial, statutory and voluntary sector – and the best jobs (regardless of sector) have been the ones where there’s been clear personal ethical values that lead expectations of behaviour throughout the organisation and in all relationships. Now I think that the quality of relationships in an organisation is fundamental to its success. But where could I find a peer group? After a few false starts I met someone who knew what I was talking about and recommended RISE’s board meetings. At once I felt at home and the social enterprise model has really helped me to frame my thinking – it provides the missing link! I’m interested in exploring the limits to the model and in increasing my understanding of leadership roles and styles in social enterprise organisations as well as to encourage others to do the same in their own careers.
	Erica Steer I am Director of the Devon Guild of Craftsmen, an educational charity and membership organisation for professional craftspeople from the south west. I wanted to be part of the Pioneer Programme to develop my leadership skills so I can better provide direction to the Devon Guild. I want to ensure effective performance, clearer solutions and better decisions; to confidently communicate our vision; and to gain a broader perspective of the social enterprise context in which we are situated.
	Kym Lee I work in the voluntary area running a CIC (Community Interest Company) delivering training for those learners who wish to learn in small groups and who find the thought of going into college a little scary – alongside all our day time courses we run crèches that are run by learners studying on their NVQ in Childcare. So the reason I wanted to attend the pioneer programme was to hopefully network, learn more and get a qualification, and of course work hard !
	Lindy Booth As the Managing Director of an emerging social enterprise – Cascade Training Plus - I am delighted to have been accepted on the Lively Leadership Pioneer Programme in order to hone my leadership skills. I want to learn more about leading a successful not-for-profit organization while growing our business, as well as working towards maximum social outcomes.
	Lucy Duggan I wanted to become involved in the Pioneer Programme to give myself an opportunity to develop the skills and awareness that I need to make me a better leader. I have made good progress as a leader in social enterprise so far without much training or reflection, and feel that spending time now on my development will be rewarded with greater and faster work successes in the future. It will also feel validating to have an accredited qualification which sums up my experience so far. Having attended the first residential training session I feel like I am embarking on an important journey and already notice increasing confidence in what I do.
	Dawn Dines The Lively Leadership Programme will develop my personal skills and qualities as the CEO for our social enterprise. As our organisation evolves there is a specific need to cascade these learning experiences to all our staff so SOS Global can grow in a coordinated, sustainable manner. I feel that the project will provide me with the knowledge, advice and best practice methodology to fulfil my personal goals and those of our social enterprise.
	Adam Laity I work as Front of House Manager at Circomedia, St. Paul's Church in Bristol. Circomedia is primarily a circus and physical theatre academy, but because St. Paul’s Church acts as an artistic venue and is a focal point within the multicultural community of St. Paul’s, my role consists of a lot of social enterprise and community based work. I'm also a freelance film-maker working with hard to reach and NEET young people in Bristol and the South West. The Lively Leadership programme is a great opportunity for me to talk with (and learn from) people- inspirational figures and peers- about leadership and social change within the third sector. I am looking to get experience from the shadowing and expedition elements of the course and to improve upon my own leadership skills and development within both of my jobs.
	Michelle Virgo I'm director of Zebra Collective, a social enterprise which offers training, facilitation and organisation development work across the South West. I'm also a lifelong activist and campaigner for social justice and a home-educating mum. Leadership is important in all these roles - in developing the business, in making sure that our key training messages about equality, inclusivity and sustainability are heard, in making a difference in the wider social justice movement and it's downright essential when bringing up teenagers! The Pioneer programme is my opportunity to acknowledge and develop my skills as a leader, to become more effective and far-reaching in what I do and to challenge myself to be everything I can be.
	Meryl Gaskell I have felt confident in my leadership skills in the past but with so many new challenges, and ways of working, this was an ideal time to consider, refresh and develop these skills. I applied to join this course because of the emphasis on leadership in a social enterprise. I expect it to be inspiring, inclusive and informative (the three “i”’s) and should lead to an enhanced me and then benefit my organisation. I also very much enjoy working with and learning from others.
	Dawn de Montfort I am the Centre Manager of The Southville Centre a Social Enterprise with the aims of adding value to the people in the post code area of BS3 in South Bristol. We do that in many many ways - we have a nursery, an elderly day care group, conference facilities, wedding licence, we run and support community events : local arts trail, theatre in the streets and scores of environmental groups who look after our parks, rivers, promote cycling, a healthy walking group ....loads more...I'm really proud of our work. I have worked at the Centre for 2 1/2 years. This is an incredible opportunity for me to formalise my learning and for my organisation and me to recognise my contribution thus far and to realise my potential and to push myself to move from managing my organisation into leading it.
	Colin Matthews I am proud to have been accepted on the new and exciting Leadership Pioneer Program. I am a Director at Paperchain Co-op, we are a recycling company and support learning disabled adults in fulfilling their lives with jobs skills. We are a holder of the Social Enterprise Mark and believe strongly in the values of Social Enterprise. I landed in my role without any formal skills and so when the opportunity to learn through the Leadership course came up I was very pleased as other learning I have done previously was not tailored towards Social Enterprises. Both Paperchain and I are already benefiting from my learning about leadership, it is helping me take the business forward and empower the people around me. I am learning skills that will stay with me for life both in business and in my personal life.