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Inspire
Professional development for women in leadership

Working Towards Diversity in the Boardroom

Businesses in the South West now have a unique opportunity to build better boards thanks to the launch of an innovative professional development programme for women in leadership roles.

The programme, called Inspire and available solely in the South West, is delivered by Leadership South West (LSW), based at the University of Exeter, and supported by the European Social Fund.

This exciting new initiative is part of a major drive to harvest the benefits of increased diversity in the boardroom as advocated by the Government, the DTI and international business influencers such as the IoD and the CBI. The South West Regional Development Agency support LSW, the regional centre of excellence, to provide high quality development opportunities in governance and leadership, both of which are vital to prosperity in the South West.

In partnership with the European Social Fund we have responded to calls from business leaders in the region to provide participants on the Inspire programme with the necessary skills and knowledge to develop their board skills to enable them to confidently rise to the challenge of leadership within the boardroom.

Whilst Inspire has been created specially for women; we understand that diversity is about valuing the contribution of all groups of people. Numbers of female board members are still too low and without support in developing diversity, our companies lose out on this broader perspective so vital to business growth and success. This initiative is a very tangible way to support more women as they progress their careers.

Over a 12 month period, studied part-time, participants will work towards the prestigious Institute of Directors, Diploma in Company Direction – the essential part of achieving professional Chartered Director status. Coaching is provided throughout the programme along with additional regional seminars and workshops, which bring together the very latest thinking on leadership, with practical insight in to successful executive careers. Networking opportunities are an integral part of Inspire bringing together managers in a unique setting at Dillington House in Somerset.

We anticipate that participants will come from a range of professional backgrounds; managers wanting to improve their knowledge and skills before joining the board, experienced directors wanting to freshen their knowledge and bring best-practice to their organisations, and newly appointed directors wishing to establish their role and responsibilities.

For further information download the following documents:

For further enquiries or to book a place please contact Ann Cullum.