Since its inception, the Leadership Foundation has supported the staff development community in a range of ways. For example, by supporting and contributing to the creation of the Staff Development Forum, funding the Strategic Staff Development Project and working as partners in the development and delivery of the annual staff developers’ conference. Initial funding from the Leadership Foundation enabled the SDF to develop during its first four years of operation.
Following a number of constructive discussions at all levels, both parties have expressed a desire to continue, maintain and develop this relationship by establishing stability through a longer-term funding arrangement. We are pleased to announce a new partnership format. This will begin in August 2008 and will last for four years. The funding will be provided through the existing Leadership Foundation subscription income and should give the SDF a more reliable basis for longer-term planning. The Leadership Foundation will also continue to work with the SDF on the annual staff development conference which this year takes place in Edinburgh on 5 - 7 November 2008.
Ewart Wooldridge, Chief Executive of the Leadership Foundation and Professor Bob Thackwray, Director, Membership & Organisational Development comment:
‘We are delighted to help bring our two organisations closer together in an appropriately coherent and long term manner. We have always regarded the relationship between the staff development community and the Leadership Foundation as particularly important and have ensured this has been reflected in our commitment and support. Alongside this new arrangement we are pleased to continue working with the SDF on the annual Staff Development Conference’.
Sandy Wilkie, Chair of the Staff Development Forum (SDF) comments:
"We are really pleased to have been offered this new funding arrangement by the Leadership Foundation. It recognises the value of work undertaken by the regional staff development groups and the progress made by the national SDF network in enhancing our own skills to support key development and change projects within the sector. The funding will enable us to plan further ahead with initiatives to strengthen our network, support our CPD and enable the sharing of good practice across the UK. It will also enable us to build stronger strategic alliances with the ODinHE Group, UPA, Leadership Foundation and other professional bodies. We will look at other opportunities where the skills of staff and organisational developers can support the work of the Leadership Foundation on other programmes. I would like to express my personal thanks to Ewart Wooldridge, Bob Thackwray and John Doidge, ex-Deputy Chair of SDF and the former Head of Staff Development at the University of Leicester, for their contributions towards forging a more sustainable future for the SDF network"
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For more information contact
Tricia Wombell, Director of Marketing and Communications 88 Kingsway London, WC2B 6AA T: 0207 841 2804 M: 07790 499391
Last updated: 6 March 2008