Vincentian Values in Leadership Programme
Depaul International takes responsibility for ensuring that the ethos and values that underpin the work of the Depaul Group as a whole are maintained consistently across it. In 2005 we developed a pilot training programme with a group of 12 staff to help make this happen, and it has subsequently become an integral part of our Group infrastructure, with successful courses being run every year for staff, and more recently, trustees.
The Vincentian Values in Leadership programme is divided into courses for various groups across Depaul, and takes account of different languages by using intepreters and translated materials when necessary.
- English speaking staff from the UK, Ireland, USA - 12-15 take part each year in full course.
- Central/Eastern European staff from Slovakia, Ukraine - up to 10 take part each year in full course.
- English speaking trustees from UK, Ireland, USA, International - up to 12 take part every other year in Paris module only.
- Central/Eastern European trustees from Slovakia, Ukraine - up to 12 take part every other year in Paris module only.
For staff, the first part of the course takes place over two days in Paris, learning about the roots of the Depaul Group which grew from the work of St Vincent de Paul, a major social reformer in 17th century France. His influence continues today through the many Vincentian organisations set up over the past 400 years to help the poorest of the poor. Depaul International, and the Depaul Group, is one of the most recent additions to what is now called the Vincentian Family.
The second part of the course is more intensive over a full week. For English speaking staff groups this takes place on split sites, either in the UK or Ireland, including part of the week in a retreat centre. For the Central/Eastern European staff, their 5-day course is held either in Ukraine or Slovakia.
The modules over the 5 days focus on Depaul's values, participants' own values, how to audit values to ensure they have real meaning, how to be a leader as servant, a leader as visionary, a leader as catalyst, and a leader as mentor.
Participants also develop individual projects which may enhance the service provision for clients at their own Depaul project, or which may be of benefit across the whole Depaul organisation. There is a further evaluation session six months after completing the course to find out whether participants continue to feel motivated and challenged by what they have learned, and to report progress on their individual projects. To read some examples of previous projects click here.
2011 dates
Staff programme:
5 Oct to 7 Oct: Part 1 modules in Paris and 7 Nov to 11 Nov: Part 2 modules in London and Aylesford
Trustees' programme:
7 Oct to 9 Oct: Weekend course in Paris
