Institute address: Four years ago the Institute of Public Health set up a Leadership Programme to create a network of leaders from different sectors who would collaborate creatively to build a healthy society on the island of Ireland and work together to reduce inequalities in health.
Today and tomorrow, this year's participants host a conference for past pupils in Armagh on the theme of networking, entitled Leadership for Building a Healthy Society.
US business consultant Verna Allee will give the keynote address. A recognised leader on the value of networking, she will be demonstrating how helping people work together co-operatively across various sectors is good for the individual, good for society and good for our planet.
Seventy five people have participated so far in the Irish leadership programme. This includes 60 from the health sector, including 20 doctors, as well as nurses, dentists, social workers, pharmacists, health promotion professionals and voluntary sector personnel. Healthy Ireland Inc can already take a bow in that our smoke-free workplace legislation is a strong example of public health leadership at state and NGO levels.
The chief executive of the Health Research Board, Ruth Barrington, went back to the classroom to take part in an earlier leadership programme and is loud in its praise.
"During the programme I was faced with one of the major challenges of my career. Thanks to it, I had much greater confidence in my own judgment and ability. The programme gave me skills to analyse problems and identify pathways to actions and through reflective writing, a means to focus on the most important issues and emotions arising in particular situations. No other course I have done has given me so much."
First-year students have three residential modules lasting up to five days, covering personal development, systems change, and leadership issues including dialogue and conflict resolution. Second year applies what has been learnt, allowing students to address challenges within their own work situation.
An evaluation of the programme has yielded such positive comments as "it has helped me to understand myself, see myself from others' perspectives", and "I was able to face one of the most challenging assignments in my career with more confidence and some success".
Leslie Boydell, associate director of the Institute for Public Health, confirms while the conference is confined to leadership trainees past and present, the institute will be recruiting applicants this year for the next leadership programme.
"The people we are targeting are in positions of leadership not only in the public health sector, but also in housing, education, local authority as well as community," she says.
"They do not have to be in a directive position, it is more important that they have the potential to influence either within organisations or within society," she says.
For more information, log on to www.publichealth.ie