The September intake of this programme is now full. Contact Regina Dunne by emailing regina.dunne@ncirl.ie to join the waiting list and be the first to hear about registration for the January 2024 programme.

Run by the National College of Ireland, Leaders for Change is a level 9 Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management is an applied programme, aimed at improving specific, managerial and leadership competencies for managers and executives in Irish nonprofit organisations. 

The course combines academic evidence-based practices with practitioner-led knowledge and skills. The faculty are drawn from academia and from qualified senior managers/CEOs who work within capacity building and research organisations within the nonprofit sector in Ireland and internationally.

The course will focus on very specific and emerging managerial issues in the sector, which are not generally found in conventional MA/MSc/MBA programmes, other than those which focus exclusively on the nonprofit sector. Learners receive very specific 360-degree feedback on their own leadership behaviours as seen by their peers, colleagues, direct reports etc. using a validated instrument.

The managerial portions of the programme (10 of 15 ECTS) addresses, in a foundational way, many of the contemporary issues faced by Irish managers in the nonprofit sector. Topics and skills such as reflective practice, conflict management, emotional intelligence at work, nonprofit governance, managing culture, HR and performance management, impact measurement, change management, influencing government and advocacy, information management, social media and personal presentation skills differentiate the programme from conventional management programmes. While the knowledge base is developed from an empirical perspective, the core focus is on helping learners migrate the knowledge base into a new set of competencies.

Overall Learning Focus

• Nonprofit Change Management
• Emerging Management
• Ethical Leadership
• Outcome Measurement
• External Environment and Stakeholder Conflicts
• Model Leadership Behaviours
• Implementing Leadership-Driven Changes.

Schedule:

Two days per month; Attendance at college (online or on-campus subject to guidelines) for three x 3-day blocks and one x 2-day block (11 days total). These blocks will be run over a 6-month or less period, allowing students spend time on applying the evidence-based principles learned, completing applied projects as part of their assessment and focusing on independent learning.

Awards & Progressions

Graduates will receive a Special Purpose Award (15 credits) awarded by QQI at level 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Successful graduates of the programme are likely to emerge as future senior managers or CEOs of indigenous nonprofit organisations, or develop further career progression in their current nonprofit organisation.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are required to hold a minimum of a 2.2 honours degree at level 8 or equivalent on the National Framework of Qualifications. Applications may also be considered under the college’s Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning (RPEL) policy and this is likely to be particularly germane to the nonprofit sector managers who do not hold an undergraduate degree but have substantive work and managerial experience. This programme requires applicants to have previous work and managerial/team leader experience.

Course Fee

The cost of this course is €1,575.

For a full course description and to apply for entry, please visit the NCI website here.