Community sector leaders are responsible for both their teams’ day-to-day practice and guiding them towards meeting the organisation’s – and the sector’s – bigger vision. Leadership is critical to a team’s service delivery and an organisation’s sustainability. Effective leadership can impact a worker’s decision to stay in an organisation or even the sector.

But leaders often miss out on critical skill development when they move from frontline service delivery into leadership roles. While they might be taught to fill rosters and sign off on paperwork, leaders are often left to learn the critical skills and knowledge of substantive leadership on the job.

Leadership can be purposeful and satisfying, but it also requires courageous conversations, responding to team dynamics, and supervising in complex practice situations. This series for emerging leaders unpacks critical leadership skills for community sector and human services leaders. Facilitated by Amy Wormwell, the three sessions address the fundamental principles of contemporary leadership, as well as the requirements for leading people who work with people experiencing trauma and adversity. You can expect bother personal and professional growth, developing insights into leading and your own leadership style, and build your confidence and leadership toolkit. You will also connect with a network of people in similar positions across the sector.

Session One: Tuesday, 10 of September 2024, 9:30am - 11:30am

• What is leadership?
• Special considerations for leadership in the community sector
• Old vs new leadership models
• Influences on leadership (values, experiences, world view)
• Leadership skills vs service delivery skills.

Session Two: Tuesday, 24 September 2024, 9:30am - 11:30am

• Leading diverse teams
• Moving from mate to manager
• Foundations for healthy team culture
• Trauma-informed leadership

Session Three: Tuesday 8 October 2024, 9:30am - 11:30am

• Supervision
• Courageous and difficult conversations
• Self-awareness and reflection in leadership

Who should attend? Those who are new to leadership positions or have been in leadership for two years or less.

Please only register if you can attend all sessions as numbers will be limited to allow for participatory engagement.

Amy Wormwell has dedicated over 26 years to the community sector and have extensive expertise in counselling, group work and leadership. She has worked in government and not-for-profit sectors, with an eclectic experience in domestic and family violence, child protection, mental health support and women’s specialist services.

Amy works with teams to build culture that is safe, resilient and dynamic enough to cope with the rapid pace and evolution of the community sector. She understands the mechanics and nuances of robust team culture and works with teams to establish shared values, best practice and processes alongside healthy boundaries and encouraging self-awareness.