Leadership Learning Opportunities
We know that it can be tricky to prioritise your own learning and development as a leader or manager within the VCSE sector.
Our roles often involve spinning lots of plates, juggling responsibilities to deliver on our mission, ensure our organisation or group’s sustainability and to support others within the team. It can be hard to make the time and also find the budget for our own development. On the other hand, learning opportunities can be incredibly beneficial – giving us an opportunity to step back and gain perspective, find new tools and approaches to support our work and develop our organisations and build valuable relationships and networks. There are a range of learning opportunities and resources available to support your continuing professional development as a leader within the VCSE sector, including some which are available at low or no cost. We share a few of these below and other opportunities can also be found on the VCSE Workforce Hub Personal Development page.
Diverse Leadership in Sports and Physical Activity
Greater Manchester Moving, 10GM and Manchester Community Central invite you to join us for an end of programme event to learn about our diverse leadership peer support space. You will have the opportunity to:
- Hear from participants in a panel discussion
- Network with those working in the sector
- Learn about the positive impact of peer support spaces
- Discuss next steps to diversify leadership
- Share your leadership journey and explore barriers
A Brilliant Thing CIC: Facilitation School
This is an experiential learning opportunity for leaders, coaches and educators to add Healing-Centred Design approaches to your facilitation toolkit. You’ll learn and apply Healing-Centred Design, which blends trauma-informed approaches, creative coaching and systems thinking. Learning takes place over two in person days and an online check in.
Deadline for applications is 30 April 2026
A Brilliant Thing CIC: Healing Centred Design Programmes for Leaders and Staff
A Brilliant Thing CIC offers opportunities for Leadership Teams and Staff Teams to help organisations move from control to trust, creating space for autonomy, creativity and purposeful work. They support Leadership and Staff teams to create a healthy, focused and sustainable organisations.
Application Rounds are open in April and October, with space for up to 10 organisations in each round.
10GM VCSE Workforce Development Project Open Online Workshop Recordings
10GM’s Open Workshops are an opportunity to develop your understanding of key aspects of leadership and workforce development. Each workshop features speakers from Greater Manchester’s VCSE sector, sharing their experiences of leadership, and successes and challenges in nurturing and supporting their workforce. These workshops provide a valuable learning space for VCSE staff; reflecting the strengths, joys and challenges of working in GM’s VCSE sector and creating opportunities for peer learning.
Recordings include:
- Using Data to Drive Decisions
- Building Inclusive Cultures
- Leading with Values
- Personal wellbeing and Resilience as a Leader
2026 Greater Manchester Civic and Social Leadership programme
Flourish Together CIC is leading the 2026 Greater Manchester Civic and Social Leadership Programme, supporting leadership pathways for people from Global Majority backgrounds. The Programme is backed by all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). Now in its third year, the programme has already supported over 70 participants, with evaluations showing increased confidence, influence, and access to public leaders. Many alumni have progressed into civic and community roles, including councillors, school governors, magistrates, non-exec directors and charity/community organisation leaders. Leading for Legacy 2026 runs from June to December, is delivered by Flourish Together CIC and wider partners and includes:
- 5 in-person programme days
- 3 online sessions
- A Graduation day
- Access to wider leadership opportunities and an evolving Alumni Network
Expressions of interest are open until 30 April 2026. There are two information sessions on 30 March and 14 April to find out more about the programme (links below). You can also email: [email protected]
Cranfield Trust – Charity Webinars On Demand
A library of past webinars, so you can learn, even if you can’t make it to the live event.
Webinars have been developed to meet the needs of charities – from senior leaders, trustees and managers through to those aspiring to learn and develop their skills. They offer practical skills training, advice & guidance on key management topics in four areas:
- Leadership & strategic direction
- Performance & impact
- Financial management
- People management
They are presented by industry professionals offering advanced thinking & innovative techniques to drive change and new ways of working.
Cranfield Trust – Charity Training Webinars
The Cranfield Trust offer a range of free, live webinars covering a range of topics related to leadership and management in the charity sector.
ACEVO: New CEO programme
This exciting leadership development programme is designed specifically for anyone within three years of their first CEO post in the voluntary and community sector.
The New CEO programme will deepen your understanding of what it takes to be an inspired, impactful and progressive civil society leader, enhancing your abilities at an individual, organisational and systemic level.
On The Level – New Manager Essentials – Open Programme
This programme is designed for people from across sectors who are:
- Newly promoted managers (in their first couple of years of management)
- First-time team leaders
- Technical specialists moving into people management
- Managers who have never received formal training and want to strengthen their foundations
The programme includes One full day interactive course and three 90-minute online masterclasses. Participants can attend the full programme or join individual masterclasses, depending on need.
Time Management Training
This course aims to develop excellent planning, prioritising, delegation and decision-making skills which to support you in managing your work and responsibilities. You will leave with an action plan of how to apply these skills to improve personal performance.
The course is open to people working in management level roles. Funded places are limited to one per organisation and your organisation must have at least two employees. This training is open to organisations from across all sectors in Greater Manchester and so is not specifically for a VCSE audience. Delivered by GM Growth Hub/Consensa Learning and Development.
Future of GM Cross Sector Place Leadership Courses – GM Future Leaders
Future of GM serves place-focused practitioners, from planning to procurement, development to digital, engineering to engagement, and all Leaders programmes offer leadership skills and insight for any role. It is open to people from public, private and voluntary and community sectors.
This 6-month course combines skills workshops, field trips, a mentor, fantastic senior and peer connections and a final group assignment. All sessions are confidential and facilitators provide safe space and challenge for a rich development experience that’s tailored to Greater Manchester.
Future of GM actively encourages nominations from under-represented groups. See the 2024 cohort here. There will be two bursaries available for this programme.
Leaders Plus Podcast for Parents
Big Careers Small Children helps ambitious parents progress careers they love whilst being present with their children. Through honest and informal conversation, leaders share what they have learnt on their own journey of combining big careers with young children.
The Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership
The Open University’s Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership provides a range of free learning opportunities and resources to help you develop and strengthen your leadership practice in the voluntary sector. Their current offer includes online courses on developing leadership practice and collaborative leadership and opportunities to join online leadership learning clubs to connect with and reflect on your learning with other leaders.
NHS North West Leadership Academy
The NHS North West Leadership Academy provides a range of free resources for health and social care leaders and managers including videos, podcasts and webinar recordings, on leadership topics, including systems leadership and transformational leadership.
Their podcast, Leadership Live, explores a range of subjects including authentic leadership, leading high performing teams, creating a coaching culture and more.
They also offer a range of events and workshops and events for leaders and managers in health and social care.
NHS Leadership Academy Mary Seacole Leadership Development Programme
This programme is designed for first time leaders in healthcare. It is open to applicants form the VCSE sector if your organisation has a health/care focus, however, it is designed primarily for an NHS audience, so you may find that some of the content or examples are geared towards NHS contexts.
The programme is for people who are in a ‘formal’ position of leadership with responsibilities for people and services, and are able to relate what they are learning to a workplace. You must be able to commit to a minimum of 5 hours of study per week.
NHS Leadership Academy Edward Jenner Programme
This programme is designed for anyone aspiring to their first leadership or management role within the health and care sector within the next 1-2 years. This programme is for people looking to build a strong foundation of leadership skills that can help enhance your confidence and competence in your role. The programme has been designed to offer flexibility as a suite of online short courses.
It is open to applicants form the VCSE sector, if your organisation has a health/care focus, however, it is designed primarily for an NHS audience, so you may find that some of the content or examples are geared towards NHS contexts.
Coaching for leaders
There are a range of organisations, including several CICs within Greater Manchester, who offer coaching for people working or leading within the VCSE sector. You can find further information about a range of coaching providers within Greater Manchester on the VCSE Workforce Hub Personal Development page.
NHS Leadership Academy Foundation in Systems Leadership
On this five-week course from the NHS Leadership Academy, you’ll explore systems leadership, learn why it’s important in health and care, and develop new capabilities to implement it. You will also recognise where you may already be operating as a systems leader while developing new approaches.
This programme is open to anyone working in health, care, local authorities and voluntary organisations who would like to explore what system leadership means. Whether you’re new to health and care, an aspiring leader at the start of your journey, or interested in finding out more about cross-sector collaboration, you’re the perfect candidate.
NHS North West Leadership Academy 360 Degree Feedback Tool
The 360 Degree Feedback Tool is designed to give you insight into other people’s perception of your leadership abilities and behaviour. The process includes getting confidential feedback from line managers, peers and direct reports. This can be helpful to highlight strengths or areas for development.
Access to this tool is offered by the NHS North West Leadership Academy as part of their Healthcare Leadership Model. Once feedback is compiled a report is developed. An accredited feedback facilitator will work with you in a dedicated feedback session to help you interpret your report.
Learning and Development for Trustees
Trustees play a key role in many VCSE organisations and in some organisations where there are no paid staff, we know that trustees may carry significant responsibilities in terms of leadership and management. Getting on Board offers a range of support to people to become effective charity trustees, particularly those who are currently under-represented on trustee boards. They offer high quality, free training for trustees, to help people grow and develop in their trustee roles and provide governance to VCSE organisations.