About the programme

One of the most important developments within health and social care in recent years has been a greater emphasis on building on the strengths of individuals and families, and the assets within communities. This reflects a recognition that whilst professional expertise and support can play an important role, our wellbeing as children and adults is largely built on the skills and knowledge we possess, informal networks and personal resilience. Demonstrating strengths-based practice with individuals and families requires professionals to move away from traditional health and care models which emphasised what people could not do and how such deficits could be met by professionals, and instead to work in partnership with children, adults and families to understand their aspirations and what would support them to achieve these. The principles behind strengths-based practice can also be successfully applied within leadership to provide a positive alternative to bureaucratic, deficit-based performance management.

For professionals, organisations and systems to reflect strengths-based principles in their work requires a fundamental transformation in how we practice individually and collectively. Leadership is an important enabler of how we will achieve this transformation.

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Aims of the programme

The Strengths-based Leadership Programme aims to provide leaders of professional practice with the underpinning knowledge, skills and values to demonstrate the following behaviours:

• I recognise my strengths as a leader and how I can build upon these
• I reflect my professional values in my leadership
• I lead in partnership with people with lived experience and their communities
• I facilitate the practice of others to become more strengths-based in their work
• I lead teams which build on their individual and collective strengths
• I make positive changes in my organisation and the wider system

The programme has three parts and the learning activities within the programme have been designed to provide the opportunity to apply the learning in a practical way:

• Part 1: Introduction to leadership and leadership of self
• Part 2: Leadership of teams and leadership of systems
• Part 3: Leadership of change.

There is a final session for review of learning and planning for the future at the end of the programme.

Learning activities

The programme has a blended design which is founded on theories derived from adult learning, reflective development, communities of practice, and action learning. It includes the following activities:

• Core content is predominantly delivered through digital resources. The expected commitment of 15 days requires ring-fenced time to enable engagement with provided resources.
• Participants come together virtually or in person for peer reflection, support and challenge facilitated by experienced educators who understand the social care context
• Meetings with identified Sponsor to share learning priorities, support with improvement project and plan for the future.
• Learning groups provide a safe forum for participants to have collaborative discussions about their experiences and what can be learnt.
• Use of stakeholder feedback and other forms of data to support self-reflection on leadership behaviours.
• A practical improvement project to explore leadership strengths and apply learning whilst making a practical difference.
• One-to-one coaching session with identified Learning Group Facilitator to reflect on the theory of change behind the improvement project and associated learning about their leadership.

Expectations of participants

The programme is developed on the basis of adult learning, i.e., that participants will take responsibility for their own development through engaging with the online and practical activities.

The minimum expected time commitment for participants over the six months of the programme is estimated to be 15 days.

There are no formal assessments as such – the programme is about you improving your leadership behaviours and developing a strong foundation for the future. At the end of the programme a Certificate of Participation & Learning will be awarded to participants who have sufficiently engaged to demonstrate their commitment and therefore facilitate their development.

The minimum expectations of participants are as follows:

• Engage with the digital resources
• Actively participate in the four virtual learning days
• Meet with your organisational sponsor / line manager
• Undertake a self-assessment and reflection at the beginning and end of the programme
• Complete work-based activities.

It is important that participants complete activities in the order outlined in the timetable below to ensure that you gain the most from the virtual contact days and complete the programme within six months.

Programme outline

Engage with these sections of the online resource: About the programme and Underpinning knowledge

Participate in Virtual contact day 1

Undertake Work-based tasks 1 and 2. Engage with these sections of the online resource: Leadership and leadership of self. Meet with sponsor.

Participate in Virtual contact day 2

Undertake Work-based tasks 3. Engage with these sections of the online resource: Leadership of teams and Leadership of systems. Meet with sponsor.

Participate in 1:1 coaching session with Learning Group Facilitator

Participate in Virtual contact day 3

Undertake Work-based tasks 4 and 5. Engage with these sections of the online resource: Leadership of change (people) and Leadership of change (process).

Participate in Virtual contact day 4

Undertake Work-based task 6. Meet with organisational sponsor to discuss post-programme learning needs and development plan

Summary of work-based activities

1. Leadership self-assessment

• Needs to be completed within two weeks of Contact Day 2
• Submission not required
• Feedback: diagram summary of self-assessment

1b. 360 Leadership assessment

• Needs to be completed two weeks before Contact Day 2
• Submission required
• Feedback: learning groups provide a safe forum for participants to have collaborative discussions about their experiences and what can be learnt

2. Ideas for an improvement project

• Needs to be completed prior to Contact Day 2
• Submission not required
• Feedback: learning groups provide a safe forum for participants to have collaborative discussions about their experiences and what can be learnt

3. Theory of Change

• Needs to be completed four weeks after Contact Day 2
• Submission required
• Feedback: learning group facilitator will provide feedback

4. To be updated

• Needs to be completed four weeks after Contact Day 3
• No submission required
• Feedback: learning group facilitator will provide feedback

5. Telling your story/Public Narrative

• Needs to be completed prior to Contact Day 4
• Submission not required
• Feedback: learning groups provide a safe forum for participants to have collaborative discussions about their experiences and what can be learnt

6. Review of learning and future development

• Needs to be completed six weeks after Contact Day 4
• Submission required
• Feedback: learning group facilitator will provide feedback

Evaluation of programme

As a programme team we recognise the time of participants is valuable and are committed to ensuring that the programme provides accessible, enjoyable and effective learning. We will therefore be asking you about your experiences and what you have learnt. This will help us understand which elements of the programme are working and which could be improved. This information may be used in the future within formal evaluations of the programme including within journal publications. Each participant will be individually asked for their consent to their information being included in such research articles.