PAKT Success on the Community Leadership Programme

Parents and Kids Together (PAKT) Ballymena

 I wanted to write a piece on PAKT because it has been such a pleasure to work with them as their facilitator, and because they have had such an amazing journey through the Community Leadership Programme.

The four PAKT participants joined the Community Leadership Programme very much as a "start-up" group. All four participants had taken part in PAKT activities facilitated by the local community worker, but had no experience of forming a committee, of planning, or managing activities or resources when they embarked on the programme. The group were willing to embark on the programme, but lacked confidence in their ability to really become “community leaders”.

 During the CLP sessions, the group covered topics including Community Leadership, Teamwork, Strategic and Project Planning, and Funding, as well as facilitated sessions dealing with current issues as they arose.

 The group has now completed its year on the Community Leadership Programme, with a number of developmental milestones and successes under its belt. Their CLP training is complete and all four participants are on their way to successfully achieving ILM Accreditation, and in addition, three members of the group have are completing their Certificate in Management Practice at University of Ulster.

 On 17 April 2010, the group hosted a community fun-day in a local community centre, supported by funding from IFI. The group planned and delivered the project themselves, and were able to draw in assistance from other local community leaders. The event was attended by 80 local parents and children, and evaluations forms suggest that it was a great success.

  The group has also succeeded in adopting a constitution, agreed Committee Roles, and have put in place a Strategic Plan for the coming 3-4 years. They have also agreed to undertake further training and development support with Mediation NI. The group’s greatest achievement, however, has been the increased confidence which all individuals have gained from both the training, and the hands-on experience of running their own community project. As one participant put it:

 “If it wasn’t for the community leadership programme I wouldn’t be where I am today.  I have been given an excellent opportunity that I’m so grateful for.  The learning part of it has been fantastic and I have gained so much knowledge as I started the programme with little knowledge about leadership, and here I am today writing assignments and talking about leadership skills”. 

 Having begun as four individuals, PAKT is very much now a coherent and committed group of women, whose vision for 2015 captures their aspirations for their local community:

 "It is 2015. PAKT is a thriving local community organisation with a building, space, and security and stability, possibly a worker, and a crèche. There is plenty of interest in PAKT activities: we have full uptake of courses for parents, and those who leave school without qualifications, both girls and boys. We have also helped to set up a women’s group."

Well done PAKT, I hope we'll stay in touch.

Helen

(Facilitator)