Leadership 20:20 Commission launches recommendations to empower emerging leaders

The Leadership 20:20 Commission, hosted by NCVO, has launched a series of challenging recommendations today at a Civil Society APPG reception in the House of Commons.

The Commission, established in 2010 following an NCVO-led leadership enquiry, was mandated with setting out recommendations on what needs to be done to inspire and engage a new generation of civil society leaders. More than 500 emerging leaders and experts from across sectors were engaged through online research and focus groups in developing and testing the recommendations over recent months.

The recommendations launched today include a call to open up pathways into leadership to improve diversity amongst leaders, and for those who fund or commission the sector to include management and leadership development components in funding agreements.

Speaking at the launch event, the Commission’s President Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE said:

“It has never been more important to challenge civil society organisations, as well as Government and Business, to do more to engage and inspire future civil society leaders. They will be the leaders who will tackle the fall-out from today’s challenges, as well as address the challenges of tomorrow.

“In a time when civil society organisations are faced with the biggest challenges in a generation, I am encouraged by the way these recommendations look to the future and offer a systemic solution to supporting emerging leaders.”

The Commission’s recommendations will be taken forward by a monitoring panel, to be chaired by Baroness Grey-Thompson, and hosted by NCVO. The panel will include a group of Champion organisations who will be responsible for implementing the recommendations. The first of these champions was announced today: Skills-Third Sector will champion the Commission’s recommendation to develop a sector-wide development framework.

Our Chief Executive Sir Stuart Etherington welcomed the recommendations:

“I welcome the Leadership 20:20 Commission’s recommendations as a foundation for how we will develop the support and empowerment we offer emerging leaders in civil society. I look forward to the discussions and changes these recommendations will encourage.”

Richard Doughty, who has chaired the Commission since January, said:

“Ensuring our sector has sustainable and resilient leadership is a challenge to every CEO, Chair and Board - but also a shared responsibility for our sector’s partners, funders and Government. Developing new opportunities and supporting our emerging leaders is a challenge that should focus the mind of everyone who benefits from the contribution civil society makes.”

Read the full recommendations (PDF, 639KB) and find out more about the work of the Leadership 20:20 Commission.

We are also currently taking expressions of interests for the NCVO Barclays Leadership Programme, a subsidised four-day course that uses a comination of facilitated workshops, action learning and assessment tools to help you improve your leadership skills.