SSF UK launches Public Sector Network for innovation and collaboration

Building Better: Community of Practice (BB:CoP) is a new learning partnership formed by Building Better and Housing Festival to leverage MMC to unlock an uptick in the supply of new social and affordable homes.  But what is a community of practice? A community of practice: 👷 Enables innovation and collective leadership to make progress together in ways we couldn’t do alone.  🤝 Fosters a culture of trust, respect, collaboration, reciprocity, knowledge sharing and open and honest discussion.  📁 Creates resources for others including publications, research and lessons learnt reports, toolkits, practical solutions and more.  📉 Meets regularly and evaluates progress over time.     Find out more, including how to get involved on the BB:CoP website: www.buildingbetter.org.uk Jeremy Sweetland Jessie Wilde Ellen Grist Andrew Stansbury Rev. Nicola Harris

Couldn’t agree more Zoe Allan . Leadership drives regional success by uniting people , fostering innovation , and turning local strengths into sustainable growth . With 75% of Victorian agriculture production employment centred in regional Victoria , business must make leadership and engagement of these regional workforces central to their business strategy .

We are incredibly proud to announce the official establishment of the Professional Development Council New Zealand (PDCNZ).    Our mission is clear: to be the dedicated platform advancing professional growth across Aotearoa. We're committed to empowering individuals through high-quality development opportunities, collaborative initiatives, and strategic partnerships with educational and industry leaders.    Why this matters now: The landscape of work is evolving rapidly. PDCNZ will provide the essential tools, mentorship, and connections required for every New Zealander to thrive, upskill, and lead.    We invite industry leaders, educators, and passionate professionals to connect with us. Let's build a stronger, more capable future for our communities, together.    #PDCNZ #ProfessionalDevelopmentNZ #FutureOfWork #NZBusiness #CareerGrowth #SkillDevelopment    👉 Learn more and explore partnership opportunities: https://pdc.org.nz/

In Regional Australia, strong communities start with strong leaders. Skills development is only one part of the equation. Retaining skilled workers in the regions is just as important. This recent article from Regional Development Australia Murray highlights that as industries evolve and workforce demands shift, the ability to attract and retain skilled professionals, and develop and empower them to lead, is more critical than ever. When it comes to regional recruitment it's about thinking beyond the job description to identify future leaders and potential successors who can take accountability, lead by example, navigate complexities, drive growth and champion collaboration across multi-site operations that often span both metro and regional contexts. How is your organisation preparing its leadership pipeline to meet the unique challenges of Regional Australia? https://shorturl.at/gt3A4 #ExecutiveSearch #RegionalLeadership #TalentStrategy #WorkforceDevelopment #LeadershipMatters #LeadershipCapability #RegionsRising Miller Leith Regional Development Australia Grampians #hospitalsandhealthcare #advancedmanufacturing #agriculture #agtech #foodmanufacturing #FMCG

At the International Fundraising Congress (IFC) this year, I attended a session that has stayed with me — led by Damian C. and Becky Slack, who, together, introduced the Rogare - The Fundraising Think Tank #BlueprinttoDismantlePatriarchalStructuresinFundraising. What stood out for me was how practical their framework was. It’s not about abstract ideals, but about identifying what to unlearn, what to rebuild, and how to lead differently across three levels — sectoral, organisational, and individual. While the blueprint focuses on fundraising, the lessons extend far beyond — into leadership, organisational culture, and systems change. Here are a few reflections it sparked for me: 1.Review how decisions are made. Many systems replicate hierarchy even when inclusion is the goal. True change starts by examining how decisions are made — who is consulted, who benefits, and whose knowledge counts. 2.Move from performative inclusion to shared accountability. Diversity efforts often focus on representation, but leadership transformation requires shifting responsibility — ensuring everyone has a stake in equity, not just those most affected by inequity. 3.Redefine what effective leadership looks like. The Rogare framework reminded me that effective leadership doesn’t mean doing more — it means leading with awareness, reflection, and care. Sometimes progress looks like pausing to listen, redesigning a process, or questioning an old assumption. 4. Invest in culture change, not just policy change. Policies can open doors, but culture determines who feels safe walking through them. The Rogare Blueprint — and the thoughtful discussion led by Damian and Becky — offer practical entry points for any organisation or leader asking, “Where do we begin?” Annachiara C. Siviwe Mdoda #IFC2025 #Rogare #Leadership #OrganisationalChange #Equity #FeministLeadership #SystemsChange #BeckySlack #DamianCorbett

𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗠𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 🤝 Starting your own broadband network can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. That’s why AAPB created a mentorship program – to connect communities considering public broadband with those who’ve already built it. Launching in 2026, AAPB’s Mentor/Mentee Program will connect experienced public network leaders with communities who are beginning their journey. This program turns hard-won experience into guidance, and lessons in leadership and persistence into progress. Through one-on-one peer support, experienced AAPB members will help cities and towns navigate the process, demystify the steps, and avoid common pitfalls, all while empowering local leaders to take control of their digital future. Mentorship fuels momentum. The goal of AAPB's program is to ignite growth, strengthen  local confidence, and ensure no community has to navigate broadband development alone. Mentees will begin their journey with trusted allies who understand local politics, financing, and community engagement, while mentors will strengthen their visibility, share their legacy, and learn from the next generation of builders. We believe every new public broadband project will benefit from the wisdom of those who built before them, and every experienced leader helps build the future of the movement. Stay tuned each Wednesday as we continue this Mission in Action series, spotlighting the ways we’re turning our vision into real-world impact.

Shared from a colleague: From the Southern California Association of Governments (for young adults between 18-26 yrs of age) Registration is now open for SCAG’s new Future Leaders Initiative, a six-month civic leadership pilot program for young Southern Californians interested in learning how regional and local governments collaborate for long-term change. The Future Leaders Initiative is designed to prepare the next generation to shape the future of the region. The program consists of monthly interactive online sessions led by regional experts, thought leaders, and SCAG staff, in which participants can explore planning, policy, collaboration, and advocacy. The final session will be held in person at SCAG’s downtown Los Angeles office. Program participants will also contribute to the development of the region’s next long-term plan: Connect SoCal 2050. Curriculum will include the following topics: Community Planning 101: The role of cities and local jurisdictions in Connect SoCal and regional planning. Where regional planning fits into the national planning and policy landscape. Connections between long-range planning and local communities and neighborhoods. Intersectional issues: The relationship between land use, transportation, public health, sustainable development, equity, and justice. Policy development and advocacy: Knowledge and skill-building. Changemaking: From planning to implementation. Participants will receive a $500 stipend upon program completion. The application process for the Future Leaders Initiative opened as of yesterday, Oct. 14, and will be open through Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025 by 11:59pm. Individuals between 18-26 who live in one of the six-counties in the SCAG region— Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura—are invited to apply. https://lnkd.in/gNMmk2AQ

Leaders and Execs: Are you a member of a professional society? Can your society do THIS? Some of my most affirming early career moments were with various scientific societies. Not least the WPSA UK. So, I was delighted to spot a paper by Shelton et al., describing a case study of a very specific action taken by a similar society to support women in early careers. Several things occurred to me when reading this: 💼 Some of the key opportunities that societies have are described. I’m delighted to say the WPSA did/does those. They are: providing venues and forums to present and publish; networking; interaction with role models and funding opportunities. Perhaps obvious. Although sometimes the education mission has been criticised.  Perhaps less obvious: 💼 The ‘power’ of senior leaders as members/leaders of these societies to mentor, role model, sponsor etc.  We have an opportunity to use that society to channel our energy and structure our help for others. 💼 The key actions in this paper is the set up and facilitation of a PEER mentoring group. And the benefits (including an ‘outsized effect’) are described within. Members were taught a framework and then enabled to lead the group themselves. 💼 Critically, it was the combination of sponsorship from senior leaders and executives and the peer mentoring which was the secret sauce. If you don’t know the term ‘sponsorship’ in the context of leadership development do ask me, it means something quite specific. 💼 There is a fantastic opportunity for businesses to collaborate with societies here, and I know many do. For example, can your business sponsor a program managed by the society? Or, perhaps offer mentoring time or organising time from you senior employees for the good of the community? 💼 This example focuses on women’s development. Clearly, there are opportunities for all, including other under represented groups. Really neat example of how societies and leaders can use their power together. BONUS POINTS if you can name this glorious location (hint: of multiple WPSA symposia). #collaboration #scienceleadership #sponsorship #careerdevelopment

𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝘈 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺. Effective policy and leadership depend on genuine connection... not just consultation. This past week, I spent a day with the Corroboree Group, a majority-Indigenous-owned organisation creating pathways for long-term Indigenous employment and community prosperity. The day began with a smoking ceremony, eucalyptus leaves, soft breeze, quiet conversation... and continued with shared learning, craft, and story. What stood out wasn’t ceremony or symbolism, but something more practical: the power of '𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰'. Policies made 𝘧𝘰𝘳 people rarely work as well as those made 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 them. When people have agency and voice in shaping what affects them, outcomes last. The evidence is clear, from Elinor Ostrom’s research on collective governance to Reconciliation Australia’s findings on trust and innovation in workplaces with strong Indigenous engagement. Listening is leadership. It’s not passive. It’s active, intentional, and transformative. And it starts with humility; to learn from those whose stories and wisdom have too often been overlooked. As a leader, what are the structures and intentions you've created to truly listen... to the communities, colleagues, and cultures that shape the work you do? Read the full reflection here: https://lnkd.in/gUdFTkdQ #InsightfulPath; #CorroboreeGroup; #InnovativeLeadershipDevelopment; #CommunityEngagement #PolicyDesign #IndigenousLeadership #Collaboration #Listening #Trust #Reconciliation