Training and development for award winners

Hear from previous GSK IMPACT Award winners talking about their experience on the Development Programme and Network. 

The three-day programme helps winners develop their organisations and their leaders. Informed by the rigorous assessment process for the awards, it is carefully tailored to the needs of each year’s award winners. It helps winners develop a range of leadership skills and gain knowledge in specialist areas such as:

• financial management, governance and risk
• understanding evaluation and demonstrating impact
• having difficult conversations and HR
• communication styles
• developing authority and personal impact
• maximising digital opportunities
• policy updates
• leading across a system.

Feedback on the development programme

Previous participants commented on the excellent training and facilitation, its relevance to their work, how it motivated them and the unique value of working with other award-winning organisations facing similar challenges. These are some of the comments from previous participants:

'What a fabulous three days – I feel reinvigorated, inspired and excited about the future.’ 

'Winning a GSK IMPACT Award really raised our profile and gave us a sense of confidence and greater self-belief that our work has been acknowledged and made us feel that we were doing the right thing.'

'The leadership programme has been transformative really for me as an individual and for our organisation.' 

'This training helped me reflect on my skills in a positive way and gave me time out to recognise that this award is a fantastic achievement.'

'The chance to meet so many excellent people and share experiences, insights and normalise challenges.'
 

The GSK IMPACT Awards Network is a unique learning network that supports health and wellbeing charities to:

• develop their leaders on an ongoing basis, providing participants with the skills to respond to the challenges of their environment
• share experiences and expertise
• build the recognition of their significant and vital contribution to the health and social care system.

The Network started as a small pilot project in 2012 and now has over 140 members representing over 85 award-winning charities from across the UK. The whole programme is driven by participants’ ideas and experience, with the facilitation led by a dedicated team of experts at The King’s Fund.

The Network explores many issues faced by health charities. Seven network events took place in the 15 months leading up to lockdown in March. Topics and sessions included:

• understanding the NHS long-term plan and its implications for the voluntary and community health sector
• leadership in scarcity
• digital as a practical response to scarcity
• working collaboratively with service users
• imposter syndrome
• working with people who are on the margins of society
• difficult conversations and HR issues
• regular network know-how exchange sessions for members to offer and request help. 

In addition, GSK have piloted two offers with network members; the apprenticeship levy and pro bono legal support.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, we have offered the network additional virtual support including: workshops on resiliency and scenario planning; one-to-one coaching to support leaders to think through and make sense of what is happening round them; and small group conversations on the following topics:

• Planning for the new normal
• Viewing crisis as a strategic opportunity
• Leading in the time of Covid-19.