Current Initiatives

Advanced Certificate/Diploma in Civic Leadership and Community Planning

This innovative programme has been developed in response for the need for an accredited development programme for elected representatives and the partners they will work with in the future in implementing community plans and new models of service delivery. The programme is delivered jointly by the Business Institute and the School of the Built Environment by senior lecturers with practical and academic experience of community planning and civic leadership.

The aim of the programme is to facilitate those who will be involved in community planning to explore the knowledge, concepts, principles and competencies that are critical to taking the lead in implementing community planning and civic leadership.

Through exploring the links between evolving good practice models and considering how they can be applied in practice participants will be provided with a range of practical tools and techniques and new perspectives on leadership, change management and collaborative working.

The programme is delivered on a flexible basis through six interactive modules, action learning and by learning from the best practice being developed by practitioners locally and nationally.

A brochure that provides further detail on each of the six modules is available to those who are interested in further information on this programme.

For further information contact Dorothy McKee at dm.mckee@ulster.ac.uk

Advanced Diploma in Management Practice

The programme which leads to the Advanced Diploma in Management Practice at the University of Ulster is designed for junior and middle managers in local government, in the context of the local government reform and modernisation agenda.

The emphasis is on improving managerial performance by exposing participants to leading edge theories, models and frameworks and, critically, demonstrating how these tools and techniques inform practice. The programme therefore competency based and focuses on behavioural changes which will enhance capability.

The modular approach to learning is built around six two-day workshops which take place over one academic year. The programme is then completed by project work undertaken on a small-group basis.

Programme Structure

The Advanced Diploma in Management Practice consists of six modules and a project:-

(1) Leadership

(2) Personal and Professional Development

(3) Models for Change Management

(4) Finance

(5) Organisation Development Project

(6) Overview of Research Methods

All modules are of two days duration normally every 6-8 weeks.

Cohorts are normally based at the University's Jordanstown and Magee College campuses and the programme begins with a Registration and Induction day in late September or early October.

Staff Development Programmes

Management Development Programme

The LGTG offers a seven-day programme which can lead to the Level 3 Award in First Line Management by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). It is designed to give practising or aspiring first line managers a solid foundation in their formal development.

Administrative and Clerical Staff Development

This four-day programme can lead to the ILM's Introductory Certificate in Team Leading.

Operational Staff Development

This four-day programme can lead to the ILM's Introductory Certificate in Team Leading.

Front Line Staff Development

This programme combines elements of the Administrative/Clerical and Operational Staff Development Programmes and again can lead to the ILM's Introductory Certificate in Team Leading

Middle Managers Programme

This non-accredited five-day programme is a shortened version of the Management Development Programme and contains key learning points for managers who have not previously had the opportunity to benefit from formal training and development.

Enhancing Personal Effectiveness

Two programmes on 'Enhancing Personal Effectiveness and Preparing for Change' are available for Administrative/Clerical and Operational Staff respectively. Both are set firmly in the context of the local government reform and modernisation agenda.

The Administrative/Clerical programme runs over three days, while two half-day sessions are run for Operational Staff.

The Supervisory, Administrative/Clerical and Middle Managers programmes are offered on an open basis but can also be run in-house where an individual council has a sufficient number of potential participants. The Operational, Front Line Staff and Enhancing Personal Effectiveness programmes are particularly suitable for delivery on an in-house basis.

Women’s Development

The ‘Women in Local Councils – making a difference’ initiative has been making a major impact since its launch in January 2006. The current focus is on the implementation of Gender Action Plans in each district council and on the development of a network of Change Champions. Significantly, the success of the initiative is evident both among women officers and in the political arena.

The initiative is overseen by a Steering Group representing local government employees, elected members, and partner organisations with an interest in the equality and diversity agenda.

While a number of major eventss are arranged by the Steering Group on an ongoing basis, several councils have run in-house workshops and/or have engaged with a wide cross-section of women in their areas to further promote the aims of the initiative.

'Next Generation of Women Leaders' Programme

The LGTG provides support funding for women officers and elected members to participate in the 'Next Generation of Women Leaders' programme run by the Centre for the Advancement of Women in Politics at Queen’s University, Belfast.

This four-day non-residential programme gives participants key skills as well as a more focused sense of their personal leadership capacities, a clearer strategy for the future, and an appreciation of the challenges and rewards inherent in becoming a leader.

The programme, which is open to women in all sectors of the economy, runs in January and September each year and applications are invited from local government several weeks in advance.

Development Centres

The LGTG is providing opportunities for senior managers to participate in a development centre as a personal development and career planning tool. The development centres have been designed for staff aspiring to Assistant Director or Director level.

Participants prepare for the development centre by attending a half-day briefing around two weeks in advance, at which they also complete the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) occupational personality questionnaire.

The development centre takes managers through a 'day in the life' of a fictitious council by undertaking a series of exercises. Feedback against a set of core managerial competencies is given during the day and also in a one-to-one session with a consultant at a later date. On this second occasion participants can discuss and clarify their personal development goals.

Knowledge and Skills-based Training

Each year the LGTG circulates three schedules of around 30 short courses. These are designed to enhance the knowledge and skills ofemployees and are delivered by highly experienced professional trainers. Several of the courses can also be run on an in-house basis where demand for places in an individual council makes this a viable option.