My ALP Journey So Far

I’m Robyn, one of the students on the Aspiring Leaders Programme (ALP) (cohort five) — a three-year apprenticeship degree run by Brathay in partnership with the University of Cumbria.

Back in January, we officially began our university journey on ALP. Before the course officially  started, we’d already spent time together at Brathay through a residential weekend and catch-up days to help us settle in. It made a real difference. We’re a group of people from all kinds of backgrounds, all currently working in the charity sector across Cumbria.

One of the best parts of being on ALP is the chance to connect with others in similar roles. It’s been great to be in regular contact with people who understand the sector, where we can share challenges, learn from each other, and make connections that support both our personal development and the growth of our organisations.

The key thing about ALP for me is community. It isn’t just about personal growth or professional titles. It’s about becoming a leader within the community, and in the kind of organisations that help people, especially young people, to thrive.

Robyn, ALP Student

Back to Education

The university part of the programme has been fantastic. We’ve already worked through modules on business analytics and business finance, learning about key parts of business management and leadership in a way that links directly to our roles.

The staff at the University of Cumbria have been really supportive, especially when it comes to recognising different learning styles. That said, the assignments can still be challenging.

Speaking personally, I thought my days of writing assignments were long behind me. Coming back to it after ten years has been tough at times, but it’s reminded me how useful that skill is and how much I’ve still got to learn.

On Brathay Residential

Our most recent residential at Brathay was something I’d been looking forward to. We spent time with Annie Owen, who took us through Insights Discovery™ — exploring the different colour energies and how they show up in ourselves and in the people we work with.

We did a series of activities to understand what makes up our profiles and how we can work better as a group. Seeing my own Insights™ profile for the first time was a bit spooky. It felt incredibly accurate and helped me understand a lot about my strengths and how I show up at work.

The following day we took that learning into a practical activity — a team challenge in a Whaler boat. It was a brilliant way to see our different styles in action and learn how to work together by listening, adapting, and supporting each other.

Looking Ahead

We’re on a short break from university at the moment before we return in June, which will include another residential at Brathay before the summer break. In the meantime, we’re continuing our learning independently, and having support from our employers has been really important.

It’s still early in the programme, but already ALP has given me so much. I’ve learned new skills, built confidence in my own abilities, and taken important steps toward becoming the kind of leader I want to be.