In case you missed it is a monthly round-up of what we have been up to at ACEVO. Communications officer Heloisa Righetto shares links to recently published content, newly launched events and services available to members.
A narrated version of this blog is available at the bottom of the page
Latest resources
ACEVO’s privilege podcast miniseries is back for a second season. Polly Neate, CEO of Shelter, and Tessy Ojo, CEO of The Diana Award, discuss with guests what privilege and anti-racism mean for the charity sector and the role of charity leaders in facilitating a shift of power both in our sector and more widely. In the latest episode, Tessy and Polly talk to Saba Shafi, managing director of the Advocacy Academy and founding organiser of #CharitySoWhite. They explore what change really means, how to go beyond KPIs and personal objectives when it comes to anti-racist leadership, and asking ourselves if we are wielding our power in a more radical way. Listen (or read the transcript) here.
Over the last year, ACEVO’s member support team has had an increasing number of discussions with members around the transition from a founder leaving a charity to a new CEO taking up their role. ACEVO’s head of member support Tom Andrews has written a member briefing providing lessons and members’ thoughts from both perspectives: the outgoing founder CEO and the incoming successor taking over the leadership role.
News from ACEVO
ACEVO has launched seven sustainability principles for civil society leaders to respond to the threat of climate breakdown. The principles are driven by a shared belief that to create a safer, fairer world, we must centre climate justice in our work as leaders. The seven principles are built around the three As: acknowledgement, ambition and action. This framework aims to help leaders acknowledge the scale of the crisis, be ambitious in the changes we make, and act wherever and whenever we can to create progress. Information about current signatories and how to sign up is on the website.
Support for you
ACEVO has partnered with Nick Myles-Cook to offer two members pro-bono coaching for either their senior management team (six to eight individuals) or board (six to 12 individuals). Over the course of a team coaching engagement, the team or board can expect at least three sessions of three hours each delivered over three months via Zoom. Sessions typically include opportunities for the team to work as a whole unit and in subgroups, as well as triggering individual reflection. To find out more and express an interest, please check the website.
Announced new events
ACEVO and the Centre for Mental Health are running three connected events examining the challenging and very live issue of bullying and harassment at work. On Thursday 12 May, the first session will cover support for you as a CEO if you experience bullying. The second session, on Tuesday 1 June, will look at organisational policies and processes to put in place to create safer cultures. The final session, on Tuesday 29 June, will be about accountability and how to make amends if someone reports bullying by you. None of us wants to associate ourselves with the word ‘bully’, but as managers and people, we will likely make mistakes at some point during our careers. Knowing how to respond appropriately and being accountable for mistakes is an important skill to learn.
ACEVO’s member support team will host special afternoons of support: Wednesday 19 May and Wednesday 30 June. From 2pm each of these days, there will be three sessions to provide advice and a safe networking space. You can join us for one or all of them, according to your needs and availability.
ACEVO and the Association of Chair’s Dynamic Duo workshop is back on 22 June. The full-day training session, sponsored by Sarasin & Partners, is aimed at charity CEOs and chairs and explores how to balance the roles and bring out the best in each other by looking at the CEO/chair relationship from both perspectives. The day (complete with healthy breaks and lots of opportunity for engagement) will be led by Jenny Berry, director of leadership and governance at ACEVO, and Ros Oakley, chief executive of the Association of Chairs. It will also feature a guest chair and a guest CEO to share their experiences. Chairs and chief executives are both welcome, and we particularly recommend you attend as a pair. It’s an excellent opportunity to take stock of and review how you are working together. For more details, pricing and to book your place, please check the website.
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