NELFT recently celebrated the graduation of the fourth cohort of LEAP programme colleagues.

LEAP stands for Leaders Empowered to Achieve Potential and it is an initiative set up and developed by NELFT’s Global Majority Network (GMN). It has done so well over the last four years that external organisations have reached out to explore how they can mimic this way of contributing to their own staff’s development and success. 

The LEAP programme is an annual initiative where colleagues from different bands make up three cohorts Bands 3-4, Bands 5-6 and Bands 7-8b. The programme is focused on encouragement, enhancing confidence and building an individual's trust in themselves and is tailored specifically for those from a global majority background.  

Dame Elizabeth Anionwu, OM DBE FRCN, was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony and her presence was inspiring to all who attended. She spoke about her life and about leadership and that your personality type didn’t have to define what you can do and what you can achieve. 

Sunny Birk, Transformation Project Manager, was one of the graduates at this year’s event:

“I heard about the unique LEAP B7-B8 Programme through our NELFT intranet via Global Minority Network (GMN) and decided to apply for personal development and to maximise my potential. It’s an interactive programme, where I built relationships with my peers, the facilitator and the GMN network itself. Graduating from LEAP was amazing!The entire graduation ceremony was energetic and joyous, the best part of the day was walking down the aisle getting our groove on to the stage to receive our certificates!The day was truly empowering, and I found my mojo!”

CEO, Paul Calaminus, who was in attendance, said:

“Huge congratulations to all of those who graduated from the programme this year. This remains a hugely important programme and part of our commitment to supporting people to achieve their potential. Thank you to all those who have led and organised the programme again this year, and congratulations again to all those who have graduated this year.” 

Although the LEAP programme is not necessarily about promotions, the success of staff who have undertaken the programme has been incredible. In the first year, 48% of the cohort had been promoted and in the second-year cohort 50% had a promotion with 8% of the cohort jumping two bands. 

This success is mastered through increasing self-belief and giving those in the cohort an opportunity for a full year of coaching and mentorship. Participants have a chance to go to Board, and to network and work more closely with some of NELFT’s senior leadership team, and importantly they are tasked with organising a change project for their team or service.

Some of the change projects that have come out of the LEAP programme, are only just starting to realise their benefits and will make huge differences across the Trust.