
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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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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Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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)
»Buy the talk from
Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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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Tuesday 16:15-17:30pm
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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Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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)
» Buy the talk from
Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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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Essential Christian
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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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