Leadership Development for Small Charities

A personal development program specifically for charity and business leaders has opened its 2016 leadership project following the success of its inaugural year in 2015.

The free program is delivered by The Growth Project, a Not for Profit organisation that helps senior managers of small charities maximise their impact and helps build on their knowledge, skills and leadership potential.

The Growth Project was founded in January 2015 by Larry Fingleson and Peter Baines OAM.

After hearing Baines speak on leadership and purpose following his experiences leading response teams after the 2002 Bali bombings and the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia, Fingleson said he was inspired to draw on what he had learnt working with small and large organisations to help the leaders of charities build successful, sustainable organisations.

Together they aim to positively impact 100 charities and 200 business leaders over the next five years.

“Bringing together charity and business leaders for a 12 month program of personal and professional development, The Growth Project aims to share knowledge and experiences that enable participants to have a greater positive impact on society, while benefiting in some ways from what can only be described as an ‘emotional expansion’ experience,” the founders said.

“Throughout the program participants attend eight group-learning sessions on a range of topics designed to help drive efficiencies and effectiveness within the charity, such as building networks, financial acumen and governance and storytelling.”

They said the program is delivered at no cost to the charity leaders.

“At the start of the program, each charity leader is matched with a business leader. The business leader attends each of the eight sessions with the charity leader, sharing ideas and knowledge throughout the course,” they said.

“Whilst benefiting the charity, this also provides a leadership development opportunity for the business leader who is challenged to draw on and develop their own influencing skills by helping to create outcomes with limited resources. These experiences can then be applied back into their own workplace.”

In addition, they said each charity also has the option of accessing a panel of mentors, comprising of highly experienced business people. Mentors are available for the duration of the course and beyond.

In its inaugural year in 2015, The Growth Project participants included leaders from 10 Sydney based charities: Batyr, Feel the Magic, Gidget Foundation, Gunawirra, Kids Giving Back, MedEarth, Miracle Babies, SIDS and KIDS, 10ThousandGirl and the Thomas Kelly Youth Foundation.

In 2016, The Growth Project will select 10 charities from Sydney and 10 charities from Perth. Each charity leader will be matched with business leaders from corporates including the Commonwealth Bank, Blackmores, Terrace Tower Group and other leading companies.

Applications open 15 March 2016 and close 29 April 2016. Apply here.