The first 14 people selected to receive training worth £60,000 each to become part of the next generation of voluntary sector leaders were named yesterday.
The Clore Social Leadership Programme, a new initiative led by former NSPCC chief executive Dame Mary Marsh, chose its first batch of fellows from 140 applicants.
The successful candidates include Caroline Beaumont, deputy head of corporate development at Action for Children, Kate Lee, director of strategy and corporate performance at the British Red Cross, and Rowena Lewis, head of fundraising and development at the Fawcett Society.
All 14 will start their two-year training with a one-week residential course at the RNLI Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset in January. Each fellow will then undergo personal training programmes from academic institutions and training organisations.
Their employers will receive £20,000 each to compensate for the loss of staff time during their training. The value of the personally tailored training is estimated to be £40,000 each.
Marsh said the fellows were unlikely to be out of their offices for more than a quarter of their working lives. She described the 14 fellows as a "strong and diverse group of aspiring leaders".
The Clore Social Leadership Programme, which was established in 2008 by the Clore Duffield Foundation with initial funding for three years of £1.5m, will advertise for its second intake of fellows in April.
Marsh said she hoped 20 fellowships would be offered next time. "But this is a challenging fundraising environment," she said.
It was also announced yesterday that Sir John Gieve, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, had been appointed chair of the programme.
The 14 fellows
Caroline Beaumont, deputy head of corporate development, Action for Children
Lisa Binney, partnership development manager, Toynbee School sport partnership
Penelope Gibbs, director of the campaign to reduce child and youth imprisonment, Prison Reform Trust
Rashid Iqbal, director of the national mentoring initiative, Children's Society
Kate Lee, director of strategy and corporate performance, British Red Cross
Rowena Lewis, head of fundraising and development, Fawcett Society
Joe Ludlow, head of consultancy at social enterprise Camberwell
Neil Mapes, freelance project manager and founder of social enterprise Dementia Adventure
Alexander McLean, director-general, African Prisons Project
Jennifer Ogole, chief executive, Bang Edutainment
Bhaggie Patel, adviser on Enacting our Vision, Barnardo's diversity and equality strategy
John Ramm, chair of RNIB Cymru
Faith Reynolds, development manager, Toynbee Hall
David Wood, chief executive, Attend