The National Leadership Network (NLN) is a 5 year initiative developed as a legacy project for The Life Changes Trust following its closure on 31^st March 2022.

The NLN aims to support individuals with care experience to explore leadership in all its shapes and forms through engagement in opportunities that support personal and professional development, social activity, peer support, active citizenship and democratic participation.

As well as connecting directly with individuals with care experience, the NLN also plans to connect with the supporters and allies around these individuals to provide support, share ideas and best practice in addition to increasing opportunities and eradicating geographical boundaries ensuring that individuals, regardless of postcode or circumstance, have opportunities to engage and fulfil their full potential.

Selected by 10 care experienced grant assessors, as part of a challenging application process, the NLN is hosted by five incredible partners each with their own skills and areas of expertise.

Firstly Staf, who as lead partner within this work, will focus on co-production, voice and influencing policy while Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) will focus on rights respecting justice, engagement with seldom heard voices and equality. Resilience Learning Partnership are a lived experience led organisation who will deliver trauma informed initiatives while Columba1400 will support personal and professional development through the delivery of leadership experiences for individuals with care experience, their partners and allies. Lastly, WhoCares Scotland? will lead on participation, engagement and activism connecting with individuals with care experience, their partners and allies nationally across Scotland.

The NLN has some big ideas and aspirations but, for us, it is essential that individuals with care experience shape and direct the work of the network moving forward as they have the insight, knowledge and expertise to do this best. This can be done in various ways including through consultation, engagement or as part of our steering group with oversight of our £1.3 million budget.

If this is something that you are interested in finding more about please check out our twitter @ypceleadership or contact National Leadership Network Co-ordinator Gary Brown on [email protected] or Senior Development Officer Lisa O’Leary on [email protected].