Programme for Investment Readiness within the Third Sector opens for recruitment

The Ulster Business School Advanced Diploma in Sustainable Investment for the Third Sector is open for recruitment. The programme provides support to practicing managers and leaders working in third sector organisations to build their knowledge base in a range of management competencies including strategy and business planning, finance, procurement, risk management, stakeholder marketing, social media and advocacy.

In a recent report published by PwC on Northern Ireland’s Third Sector, it was identified that two thirds of the 3348 community and voluntary organisations studied in Northern Ireland had no plans to expand. The main barriers to expansion were deemed to be lack of finance, trouble finding the right people and a lack of awareness of the available support. In the absence of an investment readiness fund for the Third Sector, this goes to prove the necessity of such a development programme to achieving growth within the Third Sector in Northern Ireland, which employs 29, 784 people and has a further 46,674 volunteers.

The programme commissioned by Charity Bank and delivered by the Ulster Business School in collaboration with Ortus – The Business Development Agency, and the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), works to provide this support for participants.

Janette Sheerman, Programme Director, Ulster Business School, explains, “This programme was developed in consultation with key stakeholders from the Third Sector and comprises facilitated workshops, action learning and work based assignments which move each participant through best management practice to understanding what needs to be done to become resilient and investment ready, even in these very difficult economic conditions”.

Public funding is currently under threat within the third sector and as a result, funders and social investors are demanding that third sector organisations demonstrate their ability of becoming resilient and sustainable. 

Past participant Duanne Farrell, Director of Policy at Age NI commented:

“I found the programme really helpful, not only to me personally, but in a very practical way in my organisation. Like many other organisations, Age NI is developing new approaches to sustaining the organisation while delivering on our mission at the same time. I am responsible for developing one of these approaches, Peer Facilitators. My time undertaking the programme was really time well spent. The resources helped increase my knowledge on key issues, and the opportunity to hear from other people in the sector about how they were taking forward this agenda in their organisations was invaluable. I would absolutely recommend this course for anyone who wants to explore new ways of sustaining your organisation while delivering on your mission”.

Registration closes on the 1st November 2013.

The contact for the course is Janette Sherman and can be reached on 07793 539 280.

For further information please visit: www.ulster.ac.uk/sits or follow us on Twitter @SITS_NI