Leaders and mangers from the North West have been honoured at a graduation ceremony at Bridgewater Hall in Manchester.

74 students were presented with the Institute for Leadership and Management Level 5 and Level 7 certificates in Leading Sustainable Communities by Professor Peter Roberts.

Professor Roberts, Chair of the HCA Academy’s steering board, said:
“I’m delighted to see a wide range of interests and occupations represented here today, from housing associations to the voluntary sector, planners, environmental practitioners and regeneration specialists to name a few. This course is all about improving skills such as leadership, relationship building and influencing, as well as providing a greater awareness of the entire sustainable communities agenda. It also offers an unparrelled opportunity for people from different sectors and professions to learn collectively, to debate the latest issues and to share ideas and experience.”

Raising Our Game student Annie Merry, Director of Faiths4Change said:

“The Raising Our Game programme has given my professional knowledge and capacity received a massive boost. I completed the Level 7 Leading Sustainable Communities course in 2007 and my organisation has benefited from grants of over £800k as a result of creating a revised business plan during the course.”

Raising Our Game is a national integrated learning that enables participants to benchmark themselves against a set of competencies including:
• Managing personal effectiveness and time
• Demonstrating a broad range of knowledge
• Building strong co-operative relationships
• Utilising appropriate techniques to investigate issues
• Persuading and negotiating to achieve results
• Getting the most out of people and resources
It also provides a greater awareness of the sustainable communities agenda.