Sixteen people from around Glasgow have graduated from the Tomorrow’s Leaders programme, supported by Glasgow Community Planning Partnership.
Tomorrow’s Leaders is a training and development programme which broadens the knowledge, skills and confidence of the city’s aspiring leaders, to enable them to develop the communities of the future.
The nine month programme saw the 16 people from diverse groups such as Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), Glasgow Housing Association (GHA), Strathclyde Police, Glasgow City Council and local community organisations work together to develop leadership, communication and management skills.
The programme gives participants the opportunity to develop attributes needed for community planning and regeneration. It develops specific leadership skills while drawing on participants’ own experiences and fosters a keen understanding of how organisations operate in Glasgow.
This work can help strengthen relationships between organisations citywide. It also supports partnership working to make community planning and its core themes of early intervention and employability more effective.
Graduate, Debbie McGowan of the Urban Fox youth initiative said: “I feel I am better equipped to address situations in a more productive way. In the past I have read about models of leadership and been a little reserved in using them but the course’s practical element has been the catalyst for me to implement them in my work practice.”
Norma Russell of Glasgow City Council said: “My department is going through reform which has required me to change my role and take on a wider caseload and new location. The learning and confidence I have gained with this programme has put me in a stronger position to lead my service through the challenges ahead.”
Mark Meehan of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, said: “To be given the opportunity to develop through the shared experiences of such a diverse and talented group of partners has been invaluable and will benefit greatly the City of Glasgow, Strathclyde Fire & Rescue and myself in the years to come.”
Councillor Jim Coleman, Chair of Glasgow Community Planning Partnership, said: “The Tomorrow’s Leaders programme represents a big commitment by those taking part, as well as their sponsoring organisations but it provides an excellent opportunity for participants to expand their skills.
“Through the programme, the graduates now have a shared vision of how to work together to develop better services for our communities.”
“From my point of view the programme has been a great success, said course leader Norrie Gilliland from Peoplematters, the organisation that runs it, “now in its third year, the participants have yet again tackled the programme with great gusto and enthusiasm.”