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Seminar Programme

In 2010, our seminars examined some key issues faced by leaders of Christian charities in today's world.

» Download the 2010 conference programme
 

Seminar Streams

 

Monday 20:15-21:30pm

Global Warming – ecological disaster? by John Henry Looney
Is all the media profile about global warming over the top?  Environmental care and sustainability, important or irrelevant? This seminar will look at the key trends and how organisations can take practical steps not only to react to what is happening but to be cleaner, greener AND more effective and efficient.
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Challenges and Opportunities of Being a Christian Employer by Doug Mullen
This session will look at some of the challenges we face, how we adapt to changing legal obligations and requirements while still being a distinctive Christian employer.
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How to Develop Young Leaders by Kate Coleman
Why bother? Whose responsibility is it? How young is young? What does a young leader look like? Are business skills accepted? What is the reaction when they suggest change? Can you learn from other organisations? We’ll consider these questions and the issues they raise.
» Download speakers PowerPoint presentation here (2.9mb)
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How do we make Good Decisions and Run Effective Meetings? by Fran Beckett
This session will look at what is needed to allow a decision to be made, what is a “good” decision and what does ‘effective’ mean? It will also consider questions such as who’s responsible for making a decision, how to effectively delegate and how you achieve the balance between democracy and dictatorship.
» Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (6.6mb)
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Building Effective Boards by Martin Lee and Evan Winter
Using case studies and practical experience this session will examine what’s possible when you’re working with busy people who are volunteers, how to identify the key skills that are required, get suitably qualified people in the right places and remove passengers. It will also look at how the Board relate to staff in a positive way which isn’t perceived as interfering.
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Tuesday 11:15am-12:30pm

Breathing Life Into An Organisation by Paul Breckell
Planning can seem like a time consuming distraction from the real work, especially when juggling day to day pressures. This session will look at how we can balance medium term and longer term planning and how can we bring the process alive, making it a key tool for building wider ownership of the organisation and its future.
»Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (7mb)
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Understanding Generations by Ann Holt and Rob Hay
As the demographic profile of many of our organisations gets older those we are trying to reach are  often getting younger and so the need for bridging this gap has never been greater. Find out how to work with the differences rather than be defeated by them.
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Follow my Leader? by Ian Coffey
How are Christian values best modelled in a workplace environment? This session explores the key roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers in setting the right kind of example.
» Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (2.27mb)
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Handling Challenging People by Matt Barlow
The people we work with, manage or report to can be a delight but sadly also a nightmare at times! This seminar will explore ways in which to best work with the people around us who are quirky, difficult or just plain awkward.
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Visionary Boards by Martin Lee and Evan Winter
Where do vision and strategy meet and how does the Board help develop vision? Do we understand the difference between governance and operations and how can we get and maintain this delicate balance, or know (and fix) if things are going wrong? This session will also look at models that can be used.
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Using Market Intelligence to Provide Better Return On Your Fundraising and Communications Investment by Simon Turner
As the market place becomes more crowded and audiences fragment into different groups, how do you use the information you already have, or can access, to maximum effect? In this practical session we look at the sorts of information that provide the key clues to supporter needs; and we look at how to balance those needs against the resources of the organisation, for optimum impact.
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Tuesday 16:15-17:30pm

How Well Are You Doing: Better Benchmarking and Performance Indicators by Jim Saker
This session will look at the need to set realistic internal and external objectives and the value of benchmarking areas of your organisation’s activities.
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Not Going it Alone: Collaboration, Partnership and Merger By Fran Beckett and Martin Lee
Collaborating with other organisations - let alone forming strategic alliances, partnering, or merging with others - can be a mixed blessing! Have you seriously considered merging, forming a partnership or ceasing to operate? Find out how to get the best out of working with others and minimise the potential down-sides.
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Understanding a Changing World by Paul Breckell
The credit crunch has created huge challenges and pressures for charities. At the same time the pension crisis creates another pressure on future financial planning. This seminar will look at key economic trends and how they may affect your organisation in years to come.
» Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (7.6mb)
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Stretching and Growing Your Team by Matt Summerfield
Whether a senior manager or a Trustee in your organisation you’ll need to exercise leadership. What’s the difference between management and leadership, and how can you invest in your growth and that of others as leaders? A practical seminar on Christian leadership.
» Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (3.2mb)
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How do we Develop Effective and Fulfilled Teams? by Matt barlow
Effective teams are hard to measure and achieve yet when people come together and set aside their individual needs for the good of the whole, they can accomplish what might have looked impossible on paper. This session will look at key areas such as: building trust, eliminating fear of conflict, gaining commitment to decisions, and accountability.
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Wednesday, 10:45am-12noon

Walking Through Fire and Not Getting Burnt! by Sarah Tomlinson
Whether you’re thriving or surviving, keeping up to date in the constantly changing face of charity law, general legal requirements and regulation can be a drain on time and resources. This session will highlight some of the current hotspots and look at how to cope with them. Including an overview of the ‘Public Benefit’ debate.
» Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (2.3mb)
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Managing Change in a Changing World by Fran Beckett
In the midst of a rapidly changing environment how can our organisations go about adapting? What steps do we need to take to ensure we can continue to pursue our calling?
» Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (6.6mb)
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Resourcing the Kingdom by David Jones
What trends and options are emerging beyond traditional fundraising? More engaged “venture” philanthropy, social investment, social enterprise – a blurring of the lines and convergence? What’s happening, and what might it mean for you and your organisation? Plenty of questions: together we can explore some answers.
» Download the speakers PowerPoint presentation here (1.5mb)
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Volunteers: Your Greatest Asset? by Graeme Bunn and Matt Summerfield
Volunteers can be the life-blood of our organisations but how best can we go about recruiting, managing, and keeping them? We’ll explore the challenges and opportunities that having volunteers working with us can bring.
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A Compliant Board by Romaine Thompson
Not a seminar on how to bend the Board to your will! This session will look at what it means to be legally compliant and how to achieve and maintain excellence in doing so – both from a Christian and a legal perspective.
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