Our news  11 Jun 2012

Leadership 20:20 Champions Panel meets to support emerging civil society leaders

Skills – Third Sector to lead on a sector-wide development framework

Leadership 20:20, which launched a series of recommendations for supporting emerging civil society leaders in December, has held the first meeting of the panel that will implement its recommendations.

The Leadership 20:20 Panel, chaired by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, is made up of a group of Champion organisations, each leading on implementing one of the Commission’s five recommendations.

• Skills –Third Sector, the first to be announced as Champions, are leading on developing a sector-wide development framework. The framework will include a directory of mentors, collaboration between leadership development programmes, and an expectation that the civil society workforce completes 40 hours of personal and professional development a year.
• Skills – Third Sector Chief Executive Keith Mogford said: “Skills –Third Sector is delighted to be championing the establishment of a leadership development framework for our sector and we look forward to collaborating closely with the Leadership 20:20 Commissioners, our fellow champions, and a wide range of organisations in the sector to achieve this. I’m confident that the framework, and associated activity, will be of immense benefit, not only to emerging leaders in the sector but also for the sector as a whole.”

• Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) will be coordinating a network of organisations to address the lack of diversity amongst sector leaders, and to build pathways into the sector.
• ACEVO Chief Executive Sir Stephen Bubb said: “For too long we have not done enough as a sector to ensure we are exemplary in the diversity of our leadership. That must change. Achieving this will require a dual approach. ACEVO will be making this a key priority in the coming months both through our work with existing leaders, trustees and CEOs and with emerging leaders, where we will work to ensure the necessary pathways are in place”.

• Chartered Management Institute (CMI) will be leading on encouraging mobility of leaders across sectors, including identifying high profile examples of cross-sector leadership and what has been gained.
• Christopher Kinsella, Acting CEO of the Chartered Management Institute, said: “Transforming attitudes towards management and leadership is an urgent challenge for civil society and is vital to the sector’s long-term success. Cross-sector mobility is an important part of the solution. Civil society must be prepared to learn from good practice in other parts of the economy and there will also be lessons which flow the other way. So I am delighted that we will be able to bring CMI’s wide-ranging expertise to the Leadership 20:20 Panel. By working closely with the other champions and stakeholders in this field, we look forward to stimulating the change that is needed.”

• National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), in addition to providing the secretariat to the Panel, will be leading on strengthening foresight within the sector by enabling infrastructure bodies to coordinate networks of emerging leaders to shape the response to future challenges.
• Sir Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO, said: “NCVO is delighted to be championing the Leadership 20:20 Commission and its important work developing the civil society leaders of the future. In these challenging financial times, it is imperative that those who bring their skills and enthusiasm into the sector feel supported, empowered and valued.”

The full list of the recommendations is available on the Leadership 20:20 webpage www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/leadership2020

Chair of the Panel, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE said: "I am very proud to welcome ACEVO, NCVO, Skills –Third Sector and the Chartered Management Institute as Champions of the Leadership 20:20 Commission's recommendations. Their support for the recommendations shows how committed they are to ensuring tomorrow's leaders are equipped to meet the challenges they will face, and to changing the face of Civil Society. I look forward to working with them in their collaborative efforts to implement the recommendations."

The Panel will be holding further discussions on the appointment of a Champion for the Commission’s fourth recommendation, which called for funders and commissioners to promote sustainability by incorporating management and leadership development into funding agreements.

Richard Doughty, who chaired the Leadership 20:20 Commission, said:

“The recommendations we made are mutually inclusive. You cannot effectively address future challenges without having well developed leaders, and you cannot build a culture of development without participation from our sector’s stakeholders, including those who fund projects and services. We will be looking at how best to support funders and commissioners to meet the sustainability challenge through their work with civil society organisations.”

The Panel will meet again in September to discuss Champions’ plans for implementation.

Notes to Editors:

• Full list of Panel members:
• Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE (Chair)
• Richard Doughty (Deputy Chair)
• Roxanne Persaud and Jo Sullivan (Continuing Commissioners)
• ACEVO, NCVO, Skills – Third Sector, CMI (Champions)
• The Leadership 20:20 Commission was established in April 2010. It conducted a national consultation on support for emerging leaders, and launched its recommendations in Parliament in December 2011.
• Skills – Third Sector is the charity supporting the development of a workforce that is ambitious, skilled and adaptable in achieving the objectives of third sector organisations and the communities they serve. (www.skills-thirdsector.org.uk)
• ACEVO represent third sector Chief Executives, with over 2,000 members nationwide. They support, develop, connect and represent third sector leaders. (www.acevo.org.uk)
• NCVO is the largest umbrella body for the voluntary and community sector in England. They give voice and support to civil society. (www.ncvo-vol.org.uk)
• CMI are the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated to promoting the highest standards in management and leadership excellence. They have more than 90,000 members. (www.managers.org.uk)