Rejuvenating leadership across the non-profit sector
Who's it for?
Senior leaders in the non-profit sector
Duration
40 hours across 6 months with online sessions prior to in-person.
Cost
FREE. Places are fully funded.
Format
Online and In-person
In-person Dates
Asia Pacific: 13-16 May 2025,
Sydney, Australia
EMEA and UK: 8-11 July 2025,
London, England
The Americas: 14-17 October 2025 TBC,
New York City, USA
Application Deadlines
Asia Pacific: 10 February 2025
EMEA and UK: Applications opening soon
The Americas: Applications opening soon
For over a decade the American Express Leadership Academy has aimed to strengthen the non-profit sector by building the capacity of its leaders.
The programme is transformative by design. It gives non-profit leaders from diverse specialities and organizations a unique opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences, address current and future challenges within the sector, as well as gain insight from key leaders in social, public and private sectors.
Are you ready to drive change forward in your organization and help grow the foundations needed for the future success of the non-profit sector?
Brought to you by:
The Academy is for people in the non-profit sector who are intentionally striving to be better equipped to respond adaptively to challenges, and to keep going in the face of adversity.
As a Resilient Changemaker you are looking to:
"The Academy brought together such a rich and transformational blend of knowledge, inspiration and experiential learning. It has been a laboratory for me to test out different leadership behaviours and mindsets, and I am so excited to bring that spirit of taking risks and stepping out of my comfort zone back into my own context."
"The Academy allowed me to see how non-profits can use local resources to help address developmental challenges within communities through visits to various institutions. I have drawn lessons from the uses of spaces that I hope to incorporate into my work."
What you can expect on your programme
Active transformational learning
Highly interactive, hands-on format, experiential, social learning offering an opportunity to practice new behaviours and learn by doing.
Real world
Rooted in real and live issues in a local context. Explored through the eyes of inspirational leaders who share how leadership works in their world.
Powerful networks
Access to ongoing support from a diverse peer group and where you can work together on personal leadership challenges that matter to you.
World class facilitators
Our facilitators co-design an experiential journey and psychologically safe space for learning in partnership with you, creating the conditions for rich feedback, open sharing, and experimentation
Skills, mindsets & knowledge
We explore the three conditions needed to thrive in an ever-changing world, from attitudes and perspectives, to taking an actionable approach
Practical tools and tactics
Real takeaways that you can continue to practice and apply in your everyday work
Complete a 360-evaluation focusing on the core elements of the Resilient Changemakers model.
Following your 360 you will have the opportunity to partake in a series of 1:1 coaching experiences.
Formulate strategies that support how to influence outside of your remit (particularly when you have limited decision making power.
Explore the concept of agility, how to better manage, and lead people through change and move organizations forward with purpose.
Learn to recognize how innovators work in practice, what sets them apart and its role in effective problem solving.
Explore your inner resources, learn how to manage worry and uncertainty, and discover how to protect your wellbeing in challenging times.
Consider ways to build your confidence, self-awareness, and sense of self-worth as a leader.
Investigate the tools and frameworks that can help craft a resonating narrative with internal and external audiences to build greater connections.
Explore the concept of authentic leadership and discover your own personal brand, how to protect it and leverage it.
of alumni report that the Academy gave them greater confidence in their role as a leader
of alumni report that the Academy has enhanced their ability to innovate
of alumni report having a deeper commitment to addressing key issues currently effecting the non-profit sector
"Common Purpose is delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with American Express, in designing and delivering a re-shaped and re-imagined leadership experience for the nonprofit sector. One that will not only strengthen the sector, by building the capacity of its leaders, but also inspire Resilient Changemakers to address some of the sector’s most complex challenges."
"Nonprofits are facing high leadership turnover and burnout at a time when their services are needed the most. We transformed the Leadership Academy to help nonprofit leaders accelerate their development and build new skills to meet the unique challenges of this moment. "
Helen Trenchard
Andy Haynes
Lucy Squance
With a better understanding and confidence in your role as a leader.
With greater resolve and stamina for leading change, particularly in times of uncertainty.
With a greater ability to better connect with others using the power of storytelling.
With a renewed commitment to addressing key issues currently affecting the non-profit sector.
Here is an example of some of the toolkit of resources you will receive to help you lead now and into the future.
Are you ready to take that next jump in your non-profit career? Take that “next step” to unlock your power and potential as a next generation leader within the sector. Step more confidently into the next phase of your leadership journey with us.
Get in touch with one of our learning experts to discuss your development goals.
| Location | Date | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Asia Pacific: Sydney, Australia | 13-16 May 2025 | 10 February 2025 |
| EMEA and UK: London, England | 8-11 July 2025 | Applications opening soon |
| The Americas: New York City, USA | 14-17 October 2025, TBC | Applications opening soon |
Eligibility:
Please note that eligibility for this programme is limited to applicants within the specified region. Kindly ensure that you are applying for the programme available in your designated geographical area.
We are also committed to and accountable for advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all its forms.
We actively encourage applications from people of all faiths, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, economic circumstances, backgrounds, and those from disabled communities.
If you require adjustments to take part in the application process or to participate in the programme due to a disability, neurodiversity, caring responsibilities, or any other reason, you will be able to provide details in the application form or contact us by phone or email to discuss further.
This site is managed by Common Purpose, not American Express. Information entered will be subject to Common Purpose privacy policy and terms.
Funding for the American Express Leadership Academy is provided by American Express. Common Purpose is responsible for the overall programme including curriculum design and content, delivery and administration of the American Express Leadership Academy
Yes, if you have any further questions or would just like to discuss the programme in more detail, please reach out to a member of our team in your specific location who would be delighted to help.
The benefits of Common Purpose leadership programmes include gaining increased:
Agility in adapting to changing circumstances and environments.
Empathy to what other people feel, think and need. Seeing things from their point of view.
Influence in leading change with limited decision-making power.
Openness to new ideas, possibilities and perspectives, including views they might deeply disagree with.
Purposefulness in leading with intentionality, determination, commitment and resilience.
Self-awareness to their behaviours and outlook, and how they interpret and respond to situations.
When it comes to learning, there is no substitute for the power of real experience and fresh perspective. Our approach uses a robust behaviour and mindset change philosophy rooted in real life leadership challenges and experiences. To turn those experiences into real learning we follow five tried and tested steps that lead to habitual change in how people think, feel and act.
Experience: Being presented with new experiences. Engaging with leaders across multiple boundaries and being immersed in new environments.
Reflection: Learning activities to gain a deeper and more personalized understanding of the learning.
Translate: Exploring how to relate new ideas and thought processes back into the learner’s role or context.
Practice: Developing a set of leadership practices that can be used to turn new behaviours into habits.
Assess: Embedding numerous assessments to help learners track their progress pre, during and even beyond the programme.
Experiential learning is a core component of our programmes.
Our programmes create a carefully constructed microclimate to explore real-life leadership challenges in a safe environment, often leading to the types of purpose-driven conversations needed to achieve transformative change.
