Community Leadership Programme (CLP)
CLP1
The first CLP1 was established as part of the Grenfell Recovery Strategy to support local residents and contribute towards North Kensington’s community-led recovery.
As part of the CLP1, the Council partnered with a variety of voluntary sector organisations to provide a free programme of workshops that aimed to help residents strengthen their knowledge and gain new skills.
You can find out more about how residents benefitted from these workshops by watching this short video about our Wellbeing Coaching Course that was hosted by The Venture Centre.
CLP2
We have now come to the end of the CLP1 and, with £200k dedicated to the second round of the CLP, we’re looking for local North Kensington residents to join our existing Resident-led Panel to help decide how we can maximise this funding and ensure the Programme is as effective as possible.
If you would like to register your interest or find out more about joining the Panel, please email [email protected] or call Sami on 07739314338.
You can read about our existing Panel below.
Our Resident-led Panel
Following a recruitment drive, we now have nine residents from North Kensington that sit on the CLP and GPF Resident-led Panel.
The Panel was created after months of engagement with residents where they requested greater transparency over how money was allocated for both the Grenfell Projects Fund and the Community Leadership Programme. Those who joined the Panel are:
- Sharing their personal experiences of both GPF1 and CLP1
- Shaping the GPF2 grants programmes and CLP2 community commissioning processes
- Co-designing the GPF2 grant application and assessment processes
- Observing, monitoring and quality assuring the GPF2 grants programme and CLP2 commissioning process
- Evaluating both the GPF2 and CLP2
- Receiving training to help them fulfil their roles
Case Studies
Into blurb goes here
- Beverley Duguid – Rocket launch your business (2019)
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In 2019, we began working with local voluntary sector organisations to roll out a selection of free training courses to upskill residents across North Kensington as part of the Community Leadership Programme (CLP).
One of these included Portobello Business Centre’s Rocket Launch Your Business course– a programme that helped to equip residents with the information and skills required to set up a business.
North Kensington resident and local success story Beverley Duguid is one of the people that took full advantage of this course, using the knowledge she gained to launch her own freelance business.
InsightMind, which supports disadvantaged people through mindful creative courses in meditation, poetry and intuitive coaching, was created in 2020 after Beverley recognised the need for more health and wellbeing support for marginalised groups in society.
Beverley said:
“At the time when I saw the course being advertised, I knew I wanted to do something to support mental health, wellbeing and mindfulness, but I was still undecided about what this was actually going to be. The course really helped me to focus in on my goals and create a business that offered more targeted support.”
With previous experience working to highlight issues that affect residents who are blind and partially sighted – and living with a serious eye condition herself - Beverley initially set up the business to help tackle anxiety and social depression among this community.
However, after Covid-19 highlighted how widespread these issues were among other marginalised groups, Beverley decided to extend her offering to those with other disabilities and diverse groups who may have experienced similar disadvantages. Using the Council’s Health Equalities Programme and Grants for the Arts, InsightMind has since hosted a series of low-cost mindful courses online and in-person to help North Kensington residents deal with the aftermath of Covid-19 by becoming more present and self-aware.
She continued:
“Without the Community Leadership Programme, I wouldn’t have had the confidence to launch my business. It taught me how to set clear objectives, and properly brand and market my services to reach my target audience.
“Even if people attend the courses and don’t end up setting up a business, drawing out the talent within the local community and showing people that they can help themselves and be role models to other residents is incredibly important, which is why I think the Programme is so great.”
Beverley is currently looking at ways to elevate her business, hoping to re-launch the website and offer more coaching services to expand her offering.
To find out more about InsightMind or to access its services, please contact Beverley by emailing [email protected].
The second part of the Community Leadership Programme is currently being shaped by our resident panel.
To find out more, visit webtest.rbkc.gov.uk and search Community Leadership Programme.
- Farzana Khan – TPAS
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The first part of the Community Leadership
Programme (CLP) had many successes, partnering with voluntary sector organisations to help residents across North Kensington to gain new skills through free workshops and training courses.
Full time parent Farzana Khan is one of these successes, setting up local and national initiatives after taking part in TPAS’ Communication Skills and Committee and Meeting Skills training as part of the CLP. Discovering the Programme through our bi-monthly newsletter North Ken News, Farzana signed up to help her make a real difference, gaining skills that enabled her to spearhead three campaigns. These included helping connect women through a female fund, reducing western immigration by positioning countries like Pakistan as tourist destinations, and creating funding and action plans to combat flooding.
Farzana said:
“I learned so much while taking part in the courses which has since helped me to fight for causes I’m passionate about. The sessions gave me the confidence to present ideas to key stakeholders and taught me important skills like effective communication, leadership, people management, decision-making and conflict resolution.”
As well as campaigning for change, Farzana has also used her skills to become a Class Rep at her children’s school, acting as a key member of the community by connecting and communicating with parents and organising events.
She continued:
“Following the Grenfell fire, the sense of community in North Kensington has massively increased and these courses have really supported that. The CLP has empowered residents and given them a reason to come out of their homes and connect with other people. It’s also given residents skills that can be applied to Grenfell-related public meetings and has encouraged them to be proactive about making change, which has never been more important.
“I’m very grateful that the Council partnered with local community organisations to host these courses and I know I’ll benefit from the skills I learned on them for years to come.”
The second part of the CLP is currently being shaped by our resident panel.
To find out more, visit webtest.rbkc.gov.uk and search ‘Community Leadership Programme’.
