Programmes - Leadership Foundations Programme

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JANUARY COURSE: 11-18 January 2009, Australia (Deadline 26 September)  

APRIL COURSE: 4-11 April 2009, Ireland (Deadlines: Those applying for visa and bursary 31st January. Those who are fee payers and non visa applicants 20th March)                            

JUNE COURSE: 13-20 June, 2009, Lucca, Italy (Deadlines: Those applying for visa and bursary 31 March. Those who are fee payers and non visa applicants 31st May)

AUGUST COURSE: 1-8 August, 2009, Lucca, Italy (Applications not open yet)                    

AUGUST COURSE: 15-22 August, 2009, USA (Applications not open yet)       

SEPTEMBER COURSE: September 2009, SouthAfrica (Applications not open yet)

OCTOBER COURSE: 24-31 October, 2009, Lucca, Italy (Applications not open yet)              

• What will I learn?
• How will I learn it?
• Post-Programme projects
• Who are the participants?
• Participant criteria
• How much will it cost?
• Where is the programme held?
• How to get there
• How do I find out more?

What will I learn?

• Experience practical ways to increase awareness of yourself and others. Awareness is the basis of transformational leadership.
• Get to grips with a foolproof model for ethical decision making.
• Discover Personal Mastery - how to manage your thoughts and emotions.
• Have the space and support to formulate your vision for leadership in your own life.
• Learn about and practice Leadership styles – how to match your leadership style to the needs of the moment.
• Explore Speech and Dialogue – creating real dialogue in situations of conflict and leading through speech.
• Learn through case studies of transformational leadership with contemporary and historical examples.
• Make the first steps to developing and implementing your project in your community with a hands-on workshop.
• Get a mentor to help them implement their project.

Programme Schedule:

Days 1 - 3

We start by looking at some frameworks that will give you a deeper insight into the individual and their relation to the world at large, giving you tools to better understand yourself and those you are working with. These frameworks form a foundation on which the rest of the course builds.

You will learn:

Practical exercises to increase awareness

Awareness of oneself and others can be seen as the place from which all leadership starts and tools for increasing awareness are given right at the start and practised throughout the course.

Ethical Decision Making

We teach a practical tool to help leaders make decisions which take into account what is best for the widest possible circle, so decisions will encompass the needs of all who are affected by them.

Personal Mastery

We address the subject of how to keep oneself "fit" as a leader, physically, mentally and emotionally so you are able to maintain the energy needed to be an effective leader.

Speech and Dialogue

We look at the importance of speech and communication for a leader, and give you four tools that aid effective dialogue, giving you the chance to practice these in dialogue sessions throughout the course.

Leadership Styles

You will learn about different leadership styles, and how to choose the right style depending on the needs of those you are leading.

Days 4 & 5

The middle part of the course covers two stimulating and inspirational case studies, which help put the theory of the first three days into context:

Siena (only for course held in Lucca)

This is a historical case study looking at the city of Siena and how it grew into a thriving city around the time of the Italian Renaissance. A renowned and inspiring Renaissance scholar gives a morning lecture and then guides the group around the city in the afternoon and evening. We look particularly at a hospital complex that grew up around the fourteenth century, which still stands as a shining example of leadership to health organisations and others all around the world.

Modern case study

The second case study is presented by a young leader who has completed an inspiring project or projects, showing how apparently insurmountable difficulties can be overcome when a clear intent and vision drive the delivery of community based rejuvenation. Participants often comment that this is one of the most powerful parts of the course.

Days 6 & 7

In the last few days you will have the opportunity to clarify and formulate your own inner intent, and through this to develop your vision for a better world. Day 6 is spent on project development and looking more deeply at how your intent and vision can be made real and practical.

Sessions focus on what you are going to do after you leave the course. For some, this will be a well-defined project that can be put into effect immediately on your return. For others, it will be a commitment to discovering further how to best serve the needs of those around you. For more information on this see post-programme projects.

Please note that the above is only an example of a typical course timetable, and may be altered slightly nearer the time.

How will I learn it?

The Leadership Foundations programme is based around four types of activity:

• Tuition
• Practical experience
• Reflection
• Dialogue

This structure is designed to give you the maximum opportunity to understand the programme material from your own experience, and to come to a firm understanding of how you can lead transformation in your own community and society. This will involve reflecting on your own particular project and its relation to the needs you see around you.

You will be divided into teams of no more than 8 each with two team coaches. The coaches have attended the Trust's programmes and undertaken additional training and have taken steps towards realising their own vision and potential.

Most of the activities during the Leadership Foundations programme will take place in these teams. Your team is likely to comprise a balance of nationalities and genders, with participants of a similar age grouped together. The purpose of the team is to provide a platform for learning, through which you will have the greatest opportunity to learn from others, but also to participate fully yourself.

Post-Programme Projects

Part of the Leadership Foundations programme will involve your coach and other members of the Trust working with you to develop a project which you can implement after you leave the course. To help with this, we ask you to suggest a project in your application form, which can be used as a starting point for this process.

The post programme project acts as practical focus for learning, and it is important to note that although some participants are ready with a project to put into effect when they leave, others may just use this part of the course as a starting point. Projects do not necessarily have to be large in apparent impact on the world, or fully developed in their planning when you arrive on the course. What is important at this stage is to have a desire to make the difference.

After the course you will be allocated a mentor who can provide you with advice and support for the following year, and where possible, the mentor will be located within your home country.

Please note that The Trust does not fund or sponsor post-course projects.

To find out about projects past participants are working on, please visit the alumni section.

Who are the participants?

The participants on each Programme will be 30 young people aged 16-30 with the unifying desire to make a beneficial difference to their communities and societies. They will come from both "developing" and "developed" countries and from a mix of backgrounds.

Recent participants have been from the UK, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Kuwait, India, Lebanon, the USA, South Africa, Canada, Brazil, Romania, Georgia, Turkmenistan, The Netherlands, Mauritias, Philipines and Armenia.

Participation Criteria

To be selected for the Leadership Foundations programme you will need to be aged between 16-30 and show some evidence of your commitment to the development of your own community or society, through schemes, projects or individual action.

You will also need to submit an idea for a project that you believe will uplift your community or society, which you intend to work on after returning from the programme.

Although the programmes are international and we welcome applicants from a diverse range of backgrounds and nations, you need to be able to speak English to participate.

How much will it cost?

For courses held in Europe, the fee for the Leadership Foundations Programme is EUR€650.

If you are a commercial enterprise sponsoring a participant, please contact us by emailing info@luccaleadership.org to discuss course fees.

The fee for courses held in Australia is AUD$845 or AUD$575 for students and concessions.  

If you are a commercial enterprise sponsoring a participant, please contact us by emailing the MD of Lucca Leadership Australia on claire.mckendrick@luccaleadership.org to discuss course fees.

Lucca Leadership has taken care to minimise the Programme price, and the price charged is less than the cost of the course. Participants are invited to contribute to the full cost if they are able. When on the course, all accommodation, food, excursions and transport is covered by the Trust. You are responsible for the cost of travelling to and from the programme.

There are bursaries available for help with the cost of the Programme and with travel costs for those with financial difficulties in raising the necessary funds. Bursaries may be applied for on the application form. See How to Apply.

Where is the Programme held?

The Leadership Foundations programme in Italy will be held at the Villa Boccella, just outside the town of Lucca in Northern Italy. The villa is conveniently located in the heart of Tuscany, birthplace of the Italian Renaissance, not far from the historic cities of Siena and Florence. Lucca itself is a medieval walled city with a particularly fine cathedral.

The Australasian Leadership Foundations programme will be held at Mahratta, a beautiful, 1920's heritage listed venue in Warrawee, Sydney. Mahratta is located 30 minutes drive north of the Sydney city centre, and 50 minutes from Sydney airport.

The African Leadership Foundations programme will be held at Goedghedacht a beautiful farm estate near Malsbury. It is located 80 minutes drive north of Cape Town.

How to get there

Programmes in Lucca

The Trust will collect all participants for the course from either Pisa Airport (North West Tuscany) or from Lucca Train Station which takes 45 or 20 minutes by car to the Villa respectively.

To get to Pisa Airport you can get direct flights from a number of Italian and European Airports. It is not a large international airport however and if attending from outside Europe you will probably have to arrange a transfer from a larger Italian or other European Airport.

If any participants choose to arrive in Italy prior to the course in order to explore the surrounding area (well worth incorporating into your schedule!) they might find it easier and cheaper to take the train to Lucca Station (there are direct routes to the station from Florence and Pisa as well as coastal towns like Viareggio and Forte di Marme).

We collect the times of arrival and departure of all participants when they confirm their booking as well as verbally clarifying their travel arrangements in order to ensure all students are met when they arrive at the airport or station.

Programmes in Sydney

Information coming soon.

Contact Us if you have any questions about booking your travel.

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How do I find out more?

To find out more, and meet members of the team and previous participants, please come to one of our information evenings. You can also email your questions to info@luccaleadership.org, or phone +353 (0) 879772244