News archive
- Leadership and Learning in the Arts published in Action Learning Journal
- ALA enters the virtual world
- Action Learning : assessing the value, International Conference, 29 – 31 March 2010, Henley on Thames
- Leadership Facilitation Skills
- New associates join ALA
- Breaking new ground - IFAL Action Learning Conference, 27 -28 October 2009, Glasgow
- Action learning – an expanding market in the economic downturn
- ALA celebrates one year of ILM accreditation
- Director Ruth Cook introduces action learning to health workers at VSO Malawi
- ALA to deliver CLP Leadership Facilitation Skills programme
Leadership and Learning in the Arts published in Action Learning journal
Action Learning: Research and Practice has recently published an account of practice by Senior Associate, Di Bligh, in a special issue which examined the use of action learning with SMEs.
Co-written by Clare Chacksfield of Eastfeast and Ruth Sapsed of Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination Leadership and Learning in the Arts gives an in depth insight into the experiences of these two heads of small SMEs in the east of England who took part in the CLP funded Leadership Facilitation Skills programme.
Their reflections include their initial perceptions on the impact of action learning ideas on their leadership, considerations of how they might continue to develop as leaders and how they might use action learning in the future development of their companies.
ALA enters the virtual world
ALA is delighted to be working with the British Council to develop virtual action learning sets for participants on the prestigious Cultural Leadership International (CLI) programme.
CLI is a large scale programme set up to help future cultural leaders throughout the world emerge and develop their skills and talents with the intention of enhancing intercultural understanding, supporting economic growth, cultural development and social change. During the pilot year (April 2009 – March 2010) 35 participants from across the UK, Western Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the US have succeeded in securing a place through a competitive process. The British Council has plans to extend the scale and geographical reach of the programme in future years. In July 2009, successful participants from across the globe came together at a launch event in London where ALA worked with the British Council to set up six peer-learning groups and to introduce the CLI delegates to the action learning process. The groups will continue to meet for the remainder of the pilot year as global virtual action learning sets facilitated by ALA Associates Ruth Cook, Stuart Turnbull and Surya Turner.
more...For more information about the virtual action learning programmes delivered by Action Learning Associates click the 'more' button.
Action Learning : assessing the value
International Conference, 29 – 31 March 2010, Henley on Thames
A second International conference for practitioners, academics and managers to share ideas and advance the practice of action learning worldwide will take place at Henley Business School in Oxfordshire from 29 to 31 March 2010.
The conference will interest all those concerned with action learning for personal development and systems improvement in commercial, public service, SME’s ‘third sector’ and community contexts. It will employ interactive methods of working and have a delegate limit of 120 people.
The conference is organised by a group associated with the journal Action Learning: Research and Practice who aim to convene a conversation between diverse perspectives via thematic provocations, papers, presentations, workshops and reflective plenary sessions.
For details visit the Henley Business School website.
Leadership Facilitation Skills
If you work in the creative and cultural industries and you’re a leader in mid-career then read more on how the Cultural Leadership Programme’s Leadership Facilitation Skills course could improve your leadership skills
Funded by the CLP, Action Learning Associates is offering an exciting course on action learning facilitation. Learn the techniques at the same time as being in an action learning set.
Leave with full accreditation as an action learning facilitator from the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).
more...Applications have now closed for courses in Spring 2010. If you would like to apply for courses in summer 2010 look out for details in March.
New associates join ALA
ALA has three new Associates who bring to the company a wealth of experience and knowledge both in action learning and their own specialist fields.
Brussels-based Stuart Turnbull has twenty years of experience as a strategy, transformation and change consultant. He has worked in more than twenty countries in international, public and private sector organisations covering a wide diversity of industries such as finance, IT, telecoms, engineering, consumer goods and development.
Surya Turner is an experienced creative facilitator and training consultant with an academic background in law, social policy and creative training. Drawing on her skills as a narrative coach and professional storyteller Surya adds a new dimension to her work as a training consultant and emphasises the importance of narrative in her leadership and organisational development work.
Both Stuart and Surya are working alongside Ruth Cook to facilitate six new virtual action learning sets for the British Council funded Cultural Leadership International programme.
ALA is also delighted to welcome Chris Underhill as an Associate. Awarded an MBE in 2000 for his services to disability in the UK and internationally Chris has an impressive record of starting up and managing social enterprise charities. Over the past 10 years as Founder Director of international development charity BasicNeeds, Chris has helped transform the lives of thousands of marginalised people around the world. Chris is a long-serving member of an ALA cross-sector action learning set for leaders and brings a wealth of facilitation and mentoring experience to the company.
Breaking new ground
IFAL Action Learning Conference, 27 -28 October 2009, Glasgow
The International Foundation for Action Learning (IFAL) conference offers the opportunity for action learning practitioners to explore and share innovations in the field, identify new audiences and applications as well as experience new ways of introducing action learning to others. With the keynote speech from Ian McGill (co-author of the Action Learning Handbook) the conference will include case studies, discussions and the opportunity to work in sets. For details contact admin@ifal.org.uk or visit www.ifal.org.uk
Action learning – an expanding market in the economic downturn
Exploring why real action learning is in such increasing demand in the current economic is the theme of Ruth Cook’s workshop at the IAF Europe Conference 2009 running from 18 to 20 September in Oxford, UK.
Entitled Real action learning: an expanding market Ruth will explore the significant growth in action learning in recent years – reflected by the growth of her own company. She will demonstrate how action learning offers value for money and complements a wide range of organisational development interventions.
The workshop will also look at the ingredients for delivering a high quality product as well as recent developments such as accreditation and virtual action learning.
ALA celebrates one year of ILM accreditation
One year on and the introduction of Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM) accreditation as a kite mark for the quality of ALA’s action learning facilitator training programmes is paying dividends. Since introducing the ILM approved Development Programme in July 2008 ALA has registered over 150 participants on open and in-house training – half of these have already completed and received their ILM certificate. ALA got a “thumbs up” at the recent annual quality visit and is planning to work more closely with ILM in the future.
Action Learning – a new tool in the fight against disease and poverty in Malawi
ALA Director, Ruth Cook, has introduced action learning to health workers in Malawi as part of their work to tackle the severe health issues which affect the country. Ruth has just returned from a three week placement with VSO Malawi to introduce action learning and offer professional support on organisational change.
[read more...]
ALA to deliver CLP Leadership Facilitation Skills programme
If you work in the creative and cultural industries and you’re a leader in mid-career then read more on how the Cultural Leadership Programme’s Leadership Facilitation Skills course could improve your leadership skills…
Funded by the CLP, Action Learning Associates is offering an exciting course on action learning facilitation. Learn the techniques at the same time as being in an action learning set.
Leave with full accreditation as an action learning facilitator from the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).
Read more about the CLP Leadership Facilitation Skills programme