Young people aged 19-25 from the UpRising leadership programme took part in a leadership retreat at the Roffey Park Institute to build their personal effectiveness. They worked with Roffey Park consultants Sue Belgrave and Alex Swarbrick along with Nick Buttle and Helena Green. The training, worth over £20,000, was provided free to UpRisers as part of Roffey Park’s gifted work scheme.
The leadership retreat, held in October 2008, helped develop UpRisers’ team working and communication skills as well as their self-awareness – drawing on the extensive expertise of Roffey Park’s consultants in personal development and leadership skills.
At the leadership retreat UpRisers:
- worked in teams to give presentations on the issues affecting Barking & Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets
- were introduced to the use of Open Space as a method of working together
- learnt to give each other feedback on their team working and communication skills
- were introduced to and used learning sets to work together to share perspectives on challenges they faced
- took part in exercises focussed on developing team working skills and self-awareness
Raihan Al-Faradhi, one of the UpRisers who attended the leadership retreat, said:
“The feedback coming from the other participants about the leadership retreat has been very positive, and it’s a sentiment I would definitely associate myself with. I’m sure a continuation of the link-up with Roffey Park will be welcomed by future generations of UpRisers.”
Ehtashamul Haque who also took part in the retreat said:
“It was a great break from busy London life. The green forest surrounding Roffey Park and the quiet rhythms of natural beauty made it a refreshing and energising experience.”
Zakia Hussen, another attendee said:
“I had one of the most wonderful weekends in my life at the retreat. I really feel I am now part of a community of powerful, inspiring, capable and amazing youngsters on a mission to transform our communities and the world!”
UpRising is a new leadership programme being developed by the Young Foundation to support and train a new generation of public leaders. UpRising identifies, recruits, develops and supports 19 to 25 year olds to enable them to play a greater role in politics and public decision-making.
The aim is to create a pool of talented young leaders from a range of backgrounds who can change their communities for the better and take up positions of power in public institutions. UpRising was launched in 2008 and is being piloted in the East London boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets. It will then spread across London and into other major cities across the UK. The programme has cross-party support with Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg serving as its patrons.
To find out more about getting involved with or supporting UpRising visit www.uprising.youngfoundation.org.
UpRising has been set up with the support of v, the youth volunteering organisation. For more information about v, visit www.vinspired.com.
