Project 1.5 - Leadership skills and training

Pillar outcome: A new Member journey (including into leadership)

Issues

People want to become leaders without the handover or formation needed, and don’t want to be leader.

Identified task(s)

• Focus on Conference Presidents and provide them with a toolkit developed by National Membership Network, (make it editable so it can be adapted and shared).
• Structural process for Presidential changeovers and they need to be supported and mentored by the next level of management.
• Each Council should appoint a person for leadership and development.

Success indicator(s)

• Sustainable succession.
• Able to delegate, skilled and trained, inspired, supported and empowered.

Related sub-projects

1.4 Identifying and encouraging new leaders

2.1 Vision for future Conference experiences

2.4 Sharing information and resources between Conferences

2.5 Whole-of-Society communication

3.2 The human interactions that support change

3.3 Promoting and sustaining experimentation

3.4 Accountability and following through

Progress

The Project Team has focussed on the experience of Society Members who have taken on leadership roles, drawing on those experiences to generate a list of ideas that would have helped those Society Members. This list includes the need for helpful documentation and face-to-face training.

A key deliverable from this Project Team will be options for a National Leadership Program, including recommendations on existing courses and materials, and an implementation plan for the roll out of a national program.

A 'Best practice guide to inducting new Conference Presidents' is being prepared. Although still being drafted, at present this guide includes a series of principles that it is hoped all Conference Presidents would adhere to. Examples of these principles include:

• Leadership roles in the St Vincent de Paul Society are based on the concept of servant leadership as per The Rule, Part I, Article 3.11.
• Presidents are most effective when they learn to delegate.
• A President's role is one of accompaniment and pastoral care of their Conference Members.
• Presidents are expected to embrace innovation and change within the Conference.

Please note this document is still in development and therefore subject to change.

A generic position description for Conference Presidents has been drafted, drawing on existing documents used by several States and Territories. This generic position description has been prepared to provide a common starting point for all Conferences which can be augmented to meet local needs.

Please contact the National Council Secretariate if you would like to be emailed a copy of the generic position description for Conference Presidents: congress@svdp.org.au 

In September 2024, this Project Team combined with Congress Project Team 1.4 to work together for their remaining project deliverables.

Resources

Champion Tony R

Project team: Maree H; Peta L; Mary R; Brendan P; Grace P; Anne K; Maureen M; Louise W. Members wishing to join this team should contact congress@svdp.org.au

State / Territory support:

• Vic – national online training for new Members
• SA – develop our leaders
• Qld – pastoral, leadership and formation support for Members

National Support:

• Establish and maintain Teams site for Project Team
• Communicate on website
• Communicate with key internal governance bodies for advice on implementation, such as:
  • National Membership Network
  • National Mission, Membership & Spirituality Standing Committee
  • Spirit of Youth 
• Support each Congress Project Team

• NCS can be contacted on Congress related matters via congress@svdp.org.au

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