More than 30 aspiring leaders from minoritised communities have joined a six-month scheme aimed at developing skills and addressing under-representation in civic and public life.
The Civic Leadership Programme, now entering its second year, provides an insight into leadership roles in civic life, builds personal and professional resilience, and helps to grow and develop long-term representation in public roles. Participants will have access to cross-sector mentoring support and an opportunity to work on their communication and story-telling ability through creating a podcast.
The 33 successful applicants from across the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester bring with them a range of different experiences, which will be integral to their participation and development during the course.
The Civic Leadership Programme was launched in 2021 to help address the under-representation in public life of people experiencing racial inequalities.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “It’s great to see the Civic Leadership programme launching again in Greater Manchester and to meet the fantastic new cohort joining this year.
“We have a responsibility to make sure the public bodies and organisations that influence people’s daily lives are properly representative of the communities they serve. That is so important when it comes to identifying racial inequality, tackling its root causes, and removing barriers to people’s success.
“That’s exactly what this programme is doing in Greater Manchester, supporting the next generation of people who we hope will go on to bring about real positive change.”
Diane Modahl MBE, Chair of the GM Civic and Community Leadership Programme Steering Group, said: “This programme is an important opportunity for people in Greater Manchester experiencing racial inequalities to gain first hand knowledge, experience and insight into civic and public life and set them up with the tools to make a difference in their communities and society.
“I’m excited to be building on the success of last year’s programme as we welcome another round of participants. Congratulations to all those who were successful in their applications and I look forward to seeing how much you’ve all learnt and grown in 6 months’ time.”
