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The New Economy Leaders Academy
The New Economy Leaders Academy
An intergenerational leadership programme for professionals in the new economy field.
The aim of the Academy is to strengthen the capacity of experienced and emerging leaders from these organisations to work across generations, sectors and divides.
This is the second New Economy Leaders Academy, building on the success of the 2023 pilot. It is a collaboration between Partners for a New Economy, Common Purpose, and The Human Edge. This partnership came about after Jo Swinson and Anna Luiza Behrens from P4NE took part in the MAVA Leaders for Nature Academy and were inspired to launch an Academy for the new economy field.
93%
of participants would recommend the New Economy Leaders Academy to others and say that the Academy has helped them to expand their network and collaborate with others in the new economy field.
Hear from Jo Swinson about her experience of the MAVA Leaders for Nature Academy, and the power of being part of an intergenerational programme.
Who is it for?
The Academy is for senior and emerging leaders in the new economy field – whether working on campaigns & movement-building, research & academia, policy & advocacy, storytelling & communications or bringing new economic ideas to life in communities.
It is anticipated that most participants will be across Europe, though applications are welcome from anyone able to participate in sessions starting at 13.00 UK / 14.00 CET.
Applications are invited from one senior and one emerging leader applying together as a ‘duo’ – from the same organisation. We also welcome applications from “solo” applicants, so you can apply as an individual without a ‘duo’ partner or join with someone from a different organisation to form a ‘duo’. There can be more than one application per organisation.
We are seeking highly motivated individuals who show commitment to bring about positive change, and who can demonstrate their leadership potential and/or capability.
Senior and emerging leaders do not need to be on the same team or have a direct management relationship. Applicants will also require:
- Senior leaders- more than ten years of work experience
- Emerging leaders - less than ten years of work experience
The number of years of experience required is a guide and is not definitive. If you are unsure about whether you meet any of the criteria, please get in touch with Meryl Jacques to discuss your application so that we can understand your individual circumstances.
"To build a fair and green future where all people and nature can thrive, we need to transform our economy. Brilliant people are working to achieve this vision: across sectors, from different disciplines and with a variety of approaches. We hope that this Academy will give people in this nascent field some space and support to develop their skills and help to weave closer connections between these new economy leaders."
"Being able to step out of the day-to-day, share thoughts, and develop together as peers has been more important than I had imagined. I'd encourage anyone feeling lonely in their sustainability journey to take such an opportunity if they can."
Why take part?
Participants will:
- Grow new networks – by connecting with diverse participants and speakers
- Improve self-awareness and personal resilience to meet the challenges ahead
- Develop greater inter-generational understanding and cooperation
- Enhance their ability to Lead Beyond Authority – increasing their ability to lead and collaborate across boundaries of sector, geography, culture, and professional discipline
- Develop mentoring and coaching skills to support effective leadership and long term personal and professional growth
- Join a community of new economy professionals who will challenge, support and inspire one another both during the Academy and beyond
How will it work?
A cohort of 30 people (15 senior and 15 emerging leaders) will participate together over a 10 month period. The Academy has two key elements:
This will comprise:
- An hour of independent learning via our learning portal
- A 3-hour online launch event
- 11 hours of live online LBA sessions
- 3 hours of live online peer coaching sessions
- 1 hour 360-degree feedback assessment survey
- A 1.5 hour live one-to-one meeting with a professional coach to debrief the 360-degree feedback assessment survey
This will comprise:
- For mentors (senior professionals): 12.5 hours of live virtual training sessions and 6 hours of independent learning
- For mentees (young professionals): 4 hours of live virtual training sessions and 1 hour of independent learning
- For all:
- a 2 hour live virtual matching and mentoring relationship set up session
- 6 months of ongoing support including a mentor and mentee live virtual group peer call and a live virtual mentoring 'refresher' session
In addition, there will also be a two-day in-person event held in London at the start of the Academy and a 2 hour online graduation event.
Following an introductory session in July 2024 and the two day in person gathering in London in September 2024 participants will spend 3-6 hours a week on the Academy programme to early January 2025. This will be followed by ongoing mentoring sessions until April 2025. For full details of the dates and times please download the Programme Schedule here.
100%
of participants recognize the value in bringing in wider perspectives when making key decisions
76%
feel better prepared to act more courageously in difficult situations
100%
of mentors would recommend the training to others
What is Leading Beyond Authority (LBA)?
Many successful leaders learn to lead in roles or circumstances where they have clear authority, budget, and accountability. When they move beyond this – leading peers, partners, and stakeholders – the skills that brought them success may not be sufficient. To operate effectively, they need a different approach to leadership – the ability to Lead Beyond Authority. This means that a leader can adapt to different contexts, seeing the wider picture, taking greater responsibility for the whole rather than just their individual part, and breaking down silos to work across boundaries.
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a long-term trust-based relationship between two people where the agenda and direction is set by the mentee. Mentors who are trained act as a sounding board but also as a guide who shares their knowledge and wisdom with no vested interest in their mentees other than to see them grow professionally and personally as individuals. When paired with other leadership development activities, effective mentoring creates a space for deeper exploration, reflection, analysis, and translation of theory into practice, amplifying the effects of learning.
"The most significant change for me has been that I feel part of a network of people who are finding levers for change to create a sustainable world. It often feels lonely in this space and it is amazing to learn and connect with others."
Next steps
Applications now open
Programme details:
Deadline for applications: The deadline for applications is midnight UK time on Sunday 2 June 2024.
Information Webinars: We will be holding two information webinars where you can find out more about the Academy and discuss with us how it works. They will be held on 22 April at 14:00 UK / 15:00 CET and 13 May at 10:00 UK / 11:00 CET. If you would like to attend, please register using the links below:
22 April – register here
13 May - register here
Language: The Academy will be conducted in English.
Programme Schedule: Details of the Academy schedule are available here.
Cost: There is no cost to participants to take part as the Academy is funded by P4NE. We expect accepted participants to be fully committed to the Academy.
Contact us: if you would like to discuss the Academy with one of team, please get in touch with us.
Common Purpose
Common Purpose is a leadership development organization that specializes in cross-boundary leadership. A not-for-profit, we run programmes in over 100 cities worldwide. Founded in 1989, we have over 125,000 alumni globally. Our leadership development programmes inspire and equip people to work across boundaries. This enables them to solve complex problems in organizations and in society.
Partners for a New Economy
Partners for a New Economy is an international donor collaborative focused on transforming the economic system. We were founded in 2015 by the MAVA, Oak, Marisla and KR Foundations. Laudes and Ford Foundations joined P4NE in 2021 and Omidyar Network in 2022. Our vision is our economy redesigned for nature and all people to flourish.
The Human Edge
The Human Edge is a specialist mentoring organisation aiming to drive economic progress and social change by making effective mentoring available and accessible for entrepreneurs and leaders so that they are better able to solve local and global challenges. We design and deliver learning programmes for entrepreneurs, managers and leaders. Through our work, we equip people, organisations and ecosystems with the tools, approaches, and skills to overcome challenges, build stronger relationships, steer their organisations forward and achieve greater impact, faster. We partner globally, and work in multiple languages, across contexts, cultures, and sectors.
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