The Impact of Coaching

Leaders in Partnership (LiP) is BIG Alliance’s 10-month 1:1 coaching programme where community leaders get partnered with volunteer coaches from the corporate sector. The Spring 2022 cohort hosted eight matches, with volunteers coming from MUFG, checkout.com, SAGE Publishing and Standard Chartered.

Leadership roles in the charity sector can be quite demanding and isolating, with staff members carrying out more than one role at a time, resulting in them being overstretched and oftentimes burnt out. LiP offers a confidential space for staff in the community sector to develop their leadership skills, get external perspective, see the bigger picture and have a judgement-free peer who provides support over a longer period of time.

“Participating in LiP gave me space and time to reflect on the challenges I was facing in my role and created a safe and confidential space to discuss solutions.  It really helped having someone external to the charity sector to talk to, who could provide a different perspective.”

– Catherine Pymar, CEO at Hillside Clubhouse on her experience on the programme. 

This is a fantastic opportunity for volunteers who get to learn about a different sector, increase their knowledge of the community needs, as well as develop coaching and listening skills amongst others.

“Thanks to the programme, I now spend more time listening to my team rather than talking. I have also consciously moved to getting them to develop their own ideas and solutions rather than giving them my own solutions/guidance at a relatively early stage of the discussion.”

– reported one of the volunteers.

As a result of the programme, community leaders reported:

-Being able to identify solutions to challenges better (86% of the respondents)
-Gaining a different perspective (86% of the respondents).
-Feeling significantly more confident in decision making (71% of the respondents)

If you are a community partner looking for a coach, or a corporate volunteer who would like to develop coaching skills, get in touch with Marija Mikne at marija.mikne@thebigalliance.org.uk.