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About SMK action learning sets

We are delighted to be running a new series of three action learning sets for CEOs; for senior leaders of campaigning organisations, and for emerging leaders in campaigning organisations in September 2024.  

We hope the first two sets will appeal to recently appointed Chief Executives and senior leaders who are either new to campaigning and want to understand more about what it means to lead a campaigning organisation, or people with some background in campaigning who want to explore how to encourage their organisation into more of a campaigning mode. In addition, we are offering a third set for new line managers in campaigning organisations and people who are managing a campaigning workstream or campaigning team.  

What participants say

”It was great to meet a new supportive group of people in similar roles in the sector.  I learnt a lot from them and their insights.  Facilitation was excellent and really helped foster trust in each other.”

Participant in 2023 action learning set for senior leaders 

What an action learning set is

An action learning set (ALS) is structured around a group of up to 8 peers who meet regularly over a fixed period (in this case SMK propose 6 bi-monthly sessions over a 10-month period) to discover practical ways of addressing ‘real life’ challenges they face and support their own learning and development.  

Joining details 

The dates set, all of which fall on a Wednesday, will be released in May. 

We will hold the introductory sessions (late September 2024) and the review sessions (July 2025) in person at a central London venue. The other sessions will all be held on Zoom. We hope you can attend every session, but any missed sessions are still chargeable. 

The cost per head is £950 + VAT.  

Email Kath Christie, SMK Head of Programmes with any queries and to reserve your place. 

About Josephine Knowles 

Josephine Knowles is a freelance charity coach, trainer, and action learning set facilitator. She is also a proud SMK Associate.  

Josephine is passionate about spaces that help us gain new insights and contribute to the world with our ‘deepest work’. She loves facilitating learning and is known for her lively and insightful action learning sets.  

Josephine is an accredited ALS facilitator (ILM), and coach (ACC with the ICF). She has worked in the charity sector with women who sell sex for the last 25 years and has a Masters in ‘Violence Against Women’ from the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) at London Metropolitan University. She is the Co-Founder (and previous Co-Director) of Beyond the Streets, a UK charity working to end sexual exploitation.  

Josephine Knowles
Read her latest blog: The power of succinct questions in action learning sets

Find out what Josephine has to say about action learning sets 

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