“I feel more confident, I feel heard here / It’s the kind of work that feeds your soul / I really enjoy the meetings and feel the work we are doing is important”
Steering Group members reflecting on their time with the NLN
About
Our Vision:
This five-year initiative will build a National Leadership Network with people with care experience at its heart. It will have a clear focus on building skills and confidence among people and expanding their personal networks. By making space for social activity, peer support and creativity the network will demonstrate its values; nurturing strong relationships between people will be fundamental to all network activity.
Our Mission:
To support the personal and professional development of people with care experience in ways that suit their needs and aspirations.
To strengthen the relationship networks between and around people with care experience, combating isolation.
To provide opportunities to build alliances between people with care experience, their supporters, and other communities with a focus on sharing ideas and developing skills.
To support the development of active citizenship and democratic participation.
Our Values:
The Steering Group have said the main values important to them in their roles was:
Equality, empathy, respect, honesty, inclusiveness, fairness, and growth.
They also said the following was important when working together:
Trust, honesty, fun, taking care of yourself, openness, willingness to get and receive answers/help, voice, friendships, patience, authenticity, freedom, service and no mistakes, only learning.
The National Leadership Network hosts organisations state that the following five values will underpin all work they are involved in:
Dignity, rights respecting, inclusive, trauma informed and responsive.
They also said that the following eight principles will guide their partnership approach:
Strong, collaborative relationships, clarity of purpose, communication, learning, flexibility, and problem solving, organisational buy in, and patience.
Our priorities and commitments:
People with care experience are fully engaged in every aspect of the project - from identifying the issues and challenges which need addressed, exploring ideas, designing potential solutions and working all the way through to delivery, oversight and evaluation.
The National Leadership Network is part of Life Changes Trust's legacy work and is an initiative which focuses on funding, signposting, supporting and developing leadership opportunities and experiences. Looking at leadership in all its shapes and forms, it aims to complement existing projects and networks and work with people with care experience, their allies and supporters and will be led by the voices of people with care experience.
