THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP NETWORK

A journey with the National Leadership Network

Introduction

Over the last few years, through the National Leadership Network (NLN), I have been encouraging people to write blogs, and what a joy that has been. I have loved reading so many thoughtful reflections on leadership. I have learned a great deal and have often felt genuinely moved and inspired by what people have shared.

I have always loved other people’s words more than my own, especially when a quote resonates deeply. One such quote is from former Olympian Nadia Comăneci:

“Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don’t lose the passion and love for what you do.”

It feels simple and straightforward, but like many simple truths, it carries real weight. It immediately makes me think of the literal journeys I’ve taken — from making cocktails in a bar in Corfu, to volunteering on a kibbutz in Israel, to teaching English in Turkey and Romania. These were formative experiences where I met incredible people, had unforgettable adventures, learned about different cultures, and learned a great deal about myself. I realised how much I loved working with people where they were at. I was becoming aware of the passion I had for listening to people, working collectively as part of a team and realising the joy in playing a small part in supporting people to do what they wanted to do.

I also love the metaphor of a journey in the context of the work I do now — work that I feel passionate about and constantly motivated to improve on.

Journeys

Being part of the NLN has allowed me to witness and support many journeys at once: those of team members, people involved in NLN-funded projects, friends, partners, allies — and my own.

Watching members of the NLN Steering Group and Consultants take on responsibility and challenges especially regarding our funding, communication, participation and direction with such positivity and grace has been a privilege. Meeting participants, staff, friends, and allies who have been impacted by NLN funding — and by how we fund — has been equally powerful. At times, it has felt like a compass for the soul.

My own journey with the NLN feels unlike anything I have experienced before. I genuinely don’t think I could feel happier or more fulfilled in another role. The NLN reflects everything I believe in – it is lived-experience led, rooted in relationships, and consistently puts people before processes. It encourages authenticity, supports flexible ways of working that fit around people’s lives, and ensures everyone is paid for the work they do.

The NLN now finds itself at an important point in its own journey, with Life Changes Trust funding coming to an end in 2026. We are currently exploring what this means as a team and are speaking with our friends, partners, and allies to hear their thoughts too.

Differences

A vital part of any journey is encountering people, places, and ways of being that feel different from your own. Leadership is a contested concept — it means different things to different people.

The care-experienced community is rich with diverse expressions of leadership. The NLN has intentionally aligned itself with individuals and organisations that want to challenge outdated ways of working — especially hierarchical structures where decisions are made by a small group of “senior leaders,” often in isolation.

I remember reading this article from The King’s Fund and being struck by a simple but challenging question:

“What are those of us who are more powerful in this space willing to give up in order for others, who are less powerful, to truly take up space?”

As the NLN has grown, the principle of people with lived experience genuinely leading work has remained central. At this year’s MCR Pathways Summit, I was delighted to be part of panel answering questions from the audience. When discussing the concept of power I said “…it shouldn’t be about people with care experience being in the room with leaders and decision-makers — the leaders and decision-makers in the room should be people with lived experience, or at least the majority of them.”

My hope for the future is that more projects and organisations think deeply and honestly about participation, engagement and co-production in the context of lived experience led work. It should never be about ticking a box or ‘professionals’ asking people to rubber stamp their own ideas and saying they have ‘consulted’. This outdated way of working surely must change.

Synergy

One of the most exhilarating parts of my role has been meeting people who are committed to change — in the care-experienced community and beyond — and who work in progressive, person-centred, trauma-informed ways.

There has been a real sense of energy and possibility in these conversations and collaborations. There is a growing appetite for partnership working, particularly when it comes to challenging power, amplifying voice, and rethinking engagement. It has been heartening to see projects working together and celebrating one another’s successes.

The dictionary defines synergy as:

“The interaction or cooperation of two or more organisations or agents to produce a combined effect greater than the sum of their separate effects.”

I love this definition because it captures what becomes possible when people come together for something bigger than themselves — bigger than individual careers, projects, or organisations.

The future                                                       

This is a reflective and exciting moment in the NLN journey — and in my own. Where will we go next? What will we do? The truth is, nobody knows, and that uncertainty feels full of possibility.

What matters to me is that the NLN has reached this point by doing what we said we would do — and doing it in ways we can be proud of. We said we would be lived experience led, and we are. We said relationships would be at the heart of our work, and they are. We said we would follow a Community Learning and Development approach, be open and transparent, and share our learning — and we do all of that. This year the NLN will share more about our impact, insights, highlights and more. We plan to hold a national event and produce a learning resource for the care experience community.

For now, personally I will continue to enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. I feel a deep passion for being part of the National Leadership Network every day, and I trust that wherever the path leads next, I will be where I am meant to be — doing my best to play my part.