Exploring the challenges of system leadership in the voluntary and community sector

ABSTRACT

LankellyChase Foundation works to bring about change that will transform the quality of life of people who face severe and multiple disadvantage. It set up the ‘Promoting Change Network’ (PCN) to foster learning, and to support 40 or so organisations which receive funding from the Foundation. This was in recognition of the challenges they face in their work to alleviate severe and multiple disadvantages – combinations of problems around homelessness, substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence and abuse, and chronic poverty. Action learning was a supportive intervention commissioned by LankellyChase for PCN grantees, covering London and the North of England/Glasgow. Two Action Learning Sets met five and six times respectively between November 2014 and July 2015. The Sets demonstrated the importance and value of standing back and questioning your approach – when you are part of the (complex) health and care system you are aiming to change.

KEYWORDS:

• Action learning
• severe
• multiple disadvantage
• voluntary and community sector
• system change
• system leadership

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Stephen Moss has over 30 years experience in supporting organisations to develop strategy, implement change, improve team, service and organisation effectiveness and develop leaders. Action Inquiry, Action Learning and systems thinking have been significant methods he has brought to this work. He holds a BA in Psychology and MA in Applied Social Studies (Social Work) and managed residential homes for teenagers and a community mental health resettlement service prior to becoming a consultant. This experience has informed his approach to organisation development. He has also worked for large consulting and technology consultancies, which has given him a wider perspective on organisations and complexity. He has been a trustee of 2 youth charities.