The Social Enterprise Leadership Programme is a 5-month leadership development opportunity. It is designed to increase the knowledge, understanding, capability and confidence of Bristol’s VCSE sector social enterprise leaders through a programme of interactive, challenging, supported learning. The programme is hosted by Voscur as part of our work within the Bristol Local Access Programme and will be delivered by Clore Social Leadership.

The Social Enterprise Leadership Programme outcomes are:

• To equip VCSE organisations with skills to trade and successfully apply for social investment,
• To increase leadership ability and confidence,
• To enable thriving social enterprise peer support networks
   

The complete course will cover:

• Trading skills – theory based social enterprise skills
• Leadership – tailored sessions to support both new and experienced leaders to improve their practice
• Risk – management, mitigation, supporting Boards in taking managed risks
• Inspirational social enterprise leader presentations and teaching
• Personal growth and reflection – practical interactive sessions with opportunity to practice skills between sessions

Who is it for?

Individuals in a leadership position of a social enterprise in the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector and based in the West of England (Bristol, Bath & North-East Somerset, North Somerset, or South Gloucestershire).

The programme is accessible and inclusive to a wide range of organisations. To be eligible your organisation should be:

• Based in the West of England (Bristol, Bath & North-East Somerset, North Somerset, or South Gloucestershire),
• Trading/generating income with a primarily social purpose, designed to benefit society and/or the environment, and
• Constituted, with a bank account, a Board of at least two unrelated directors/trustees and an Asset Lock in place e.g. CIC, CIO, registered charity

Priority will be given to social enterprises serving communities experiencing inequality within the West of England.

Programme Elements and Key Dates

The programme will run between November 2023 and March 2024, with a blend of online and in-person sessions, held at community venues within Bristol. It will include the following elements:

• Discover Programme
  A 4-week course, combining online self-guided learning with 2 in-person sessions, to explore the fundamentals of leadership and encourage participants to reflect on themselves as leaders.
  Online start date: 6th November
  In-person sessions: Friday 10th November 10am-12pm & Friday 1st December 10am-12pm
   
• Lumina Spark
  An individualised psychometric profile tool providing highly interactive experiences for learners to explore their strengths and development areas, giving them a foundation upon which to further their leadership skills and behaviours.
  Monday 22nd January 10am-4pm
   
• Stepping Into Leadership Masterclasses
  A series of masterclasses aimed at those who are new to leadership or have received little formal training in management.
  Wednesday 7th February 10am-1pm, Wednesday 21st February 10am-1pm & Wednesday 6th March 10am-1pm
   
• Managing Risk Workshop
  A half-day in-person workshop to explore risk management, mitigation, and techniques for working effectively with boards to support them in taking managed risks.
  Late February - exact date TBC
   
• Expert Speaker Series
  An exclusive opportunity to hear from a diverse range of social leaders.
  December, January & March - exact dates TBC
   
• Celebration Event
  Thursday 21st March – time TBC

Programme Fee

Thanks to the support and funding of the Bristol Local Access Programme and the Access Foundation, we are able to offer this programme at a highly subsidised fee of £100. This is part of our commitment to provide accessible skills and development training to all. It is a unique opportunity to access over £1,000 worth of leadership skills and development training for just £100. 

Programme Commitment

We want this programme to benefit those that are committed to developing their own social enterprise approach and making changes in their organisation. Due to the limited number of places available, we kindly ask that you take the time commitment into consideration before applying for this programme and, if necessary, speak to your manager and/or team to ensure that your attendance and participation on the programme can be fully supported.

How to apply

Please read our application guidance before completing the following online forms:

• Application form
• Diversity monitoring form

The application deadline is Sunday 8th October 2023 at 11.59pm.

There are limited places available. All applications will go through a moderation process to assess eligibility and suitability, taking into the total number of applications received and programme capacity. Applicants will be informed about the outcome of their application by Friday 20th October. 

Equity and diversity are very important to our diverse VCSE sector and population, and we actively encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities. 

If you need any support with your application, please contact Rachel Varley on 0117 909 9949 or email rachel.v@voscur.org

Partners

Clore Social Leadership
Cultivating positive social change is why we exist. Our primary goal is to make leadership development accessible and affordable to every social leader in the UK, supporting them to be resilient, self-aware, and able to tackle the social challenges of the 21st century. Through our programmes we develop leaders who have the skills, knowledge, and networks to transform their communities, organisations, and the world around them.

Since 2010, we have worked with 4,000 leaders from nearly 3,000 social change organisations. Our experience covers diverse UK place-based communities including Hull and East Yorkshire, Wales, Oxfordshire, Leeds, Bradford, the South West, and the South East. Our impact spans communities of practice including Women and Girls’, Housing and Homelessness, Migration and Refugee, Criminal Justice, Racial Justice, and Youth.

https://cloresocialleadership.org.uk

Voscur
Voscur is the support and development agency for Bristol's Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. This Social Enterprise Leadership Programme is part of our work within the Bristol Local Access Programme, which offers enterprise development services, small grants and up to £1m of investment, and aims to remove the barriers to funding and support that social enterprises often face.