Part Two of an exciting series exploring the key challenges shaping the work of the future for the voluntary and community sector.
Our Future Leaders share their insights into the positive trends shaping the sector and the leaders who have inspired their journey.
Missed Part One on Effective Leadership? Catch up now and explore more about the Future Leaders programme on our dedicated page.

Gary Clements, SPEAR.
Which leader or organisation outside of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames has significantly influenced or inspired your approach to work, and why?
Jeremy Swain, my CEO during my tenure at Thames Reach Homeless Charity, significantly influenced and inspired my approach to work.
Jeremy was genuinely invested in the dynamics he observed. He prioritised discussing the realities of front-line work over idealised narratives. His interest lay in understanding the factors that drive authentic change and devising strategies to overcome the barriers that perpetuate homelessness.
He demonstrated exemplary leadership by actively listening, asking insightful questions, and providing a model of what true leadership entails.
What positive trends or developments are you observing in your sector, and how is your organisation planning to address these in the coming year?
In our sector, there are positive developments as SPEAR collaborates with the Centre for Homelessness Impact and CGL, with the addition of a new Outreach Health Nurse embedded within our Kingston Outreach Team. This initiative is introducing innovative methods to reduce homelessness and end rough sleeping, while rigorously testing their impact through a series of trials and evaluations.
This project also involves mapping the homelessness and rough sleeping system through a randomised controlled trial, aimed at assessing the impact of having a nurse in an outreach team and whether it improves housing and health outcomes. While the concept of nurses working within outreach teams is not new, this will be the first time such an intervention is subject to a ‘gold standard’ evaluation by the trials team at Cardiff University.
SPEAR plans to address this project over the next year in partnership with others, with the goal of permanently embedding a nurse within outreach teams.
Karen King, Cambrian Centre.
Which leader or organisation outside of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames has significantly influenced or inspired your approach to work, and why?
My very first employed position in the voluntary sector after graduating from university was with Hounslow Volunteer Bureau, as it was in the early 2000s. Run by Jose Penrose and her strong team of women, she was a pioneer in providing support to her team, coaching to improve skills, and forging the organisation forward through sector and funding changes. Jose must have seen something in me, as she employed me to create, run, and deliver the volunteer support project.
During my time at the bureau, the team helped me develop as a team player, working within the sector to build relationships, networks, and trust to help support volunteers in participating in their local communities. These experiences have been such a source of skills and knowledge that I can draw on today. The work ethic of the women I worked with, Chris, Taz, and Jose, illustrated that women can be the pinnacle of community life, going out of their way to improve the lives of volunteers, the staff team, and the community we served.
It was Jose who introduced me to Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) way back then, having me participate in the work she was doing outside her CEO role to support my personal development. Jose inspired me to continue seeking opportunities for growth and to strive to develop and maintain great working relationships with colleagues, funders, volunteers, supporters, stakeholders, and clients.
Getting these fundamental relationships right can help you achieve many things for yourself and your organisation. I pride myself on working well with people. The voluntary sector needs a wide diversity of life experiences to draw on. Sometimes small gestures can make the biggest impact.
Stay tuned for more valuable insights from our Future Leaders!