Graduates up-skilling West Coast boards

The West Coast’s pool of leaders has had another boost with the graduation last night of participants on the third West Coast Leadership and Governance programme.

Twelve business people graduated from the intensive training programme, which has seen them hone their leadership and governance skills over 13 months. At least half are already serving on boards, community groups and not for profit organisations on the West Coast.

“The Coast is lucky to have young people like these who have skilled up and are willing to step into governance roles. The programme certainly seems to have given them an opportunity to prove to themselves what they can do,” says DWC Chair John Sturgeon.

37 people from a variety of backgrounds have now graduated from the Leadership and Governance programme. DWC launched the course in 2011 in conjunction with Westland Milk Products. Local businesses sponsor participants who this year came from Westland Milk Products, Grey District Council, DOC, FT Dooley Ltd, Buller Electricity, Buller Holdings and Chris J Coll Surveying Ltd.

Graduate Lynn Brooks from FT Dooley Ltd says if people get the opportunity to participate in the programme they should jump at the chance.

"It has given us a greater understanding about good governance, and when we use those skills to lift our game it will also have a positive effect on the rest of the board we are working with. All the participants want to thank their sponsors and DWC for supporting the programme. I think that it will have long term benefits for the Coast, and while they may be hard to measure they are very real," she says.

DWC Business Support Manager Nelia Heersink says a fourth Leadership and Governance programme will commence in May 2015.

“We have seen these participants develop and grow over 13 months and it will be very exciting to get different industries involved when we launch the next programme later this year,” she says.

ENDS

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