Fiona Ash of the Centre for Charity Effectiveness and Lena Choudary-Salter of Mosaic Community Trust reflect on British Land’s coaching and support programme for 30 amazing non-profit partners, which demonstrates the value of businesses and grassroots organisations collaborating.
The Centre for Charity Effectiveness at the Business School (formerly Cass) is a leading non-profit and philanthropy centre. Registered charity Mosaic Community Trust empowers isolated and vulnerable individuals to build strong, cohesive communities; it is a local partner to British Land’s mixed use campus in Westminster, Paddington Central.
Frontline services
Fiona: We have a long relationship with British Land and, early in the pandemic, they approached us with an insightful suggestion for a programme to support their grassroots partners, many of whom have been hugely impacted by Covid but are making an enormous difference in their local communities. So far, we have worked with 30 leaders from their grassroots partners, offering six one-to-one coaching sessions. We have also produced factsheets of key information we thought would be most useful to these hard-pressed leaders, simplifying the deluge of guidance being published.
The coaching sessions provided non-profit leaders with a confidential space to explore concerns with someone outside their network. Issues raised ranged from leadership, strategy, governance and organisational development, to looking after their staff and volunteers and their own wellbeing. We engaged with an extraordinary range of organisations providing frontline services: foodbanks, homeless charities, older people’s support, LGBTQ+ and educational organisations, to name a few. We were impressed with how extensive and diverse British Land’s network of partners is.
Support when we really needed it
Lena: British Land offered Mosaic Community Trust coaching support at a time when we really needed it. We were busy with the pandemic and our organisation was growing fast. The coaching gave me an opportunity to question and reflect. It empowered me to think more strategically.
Fiona, my coach, commented that our team didn’t reflect the dynamic and vibrant organisation she felt we were. Immediately, I called a team meeting and, then and there, we agreed to create an effective structure with defined roles. Next, we embarked on a programme to develop people’s capacity to perform. Training, training, training!
We now have community officers, outreach coordinators, programme coordinators, head of programmes and head of operations. Our team is completely transformed. We’re more professional and have a greater voice locally. We couldn’t have achieved all this without the coaching support.
Innovating
Fiona: We have so much to learn from grassroots organisations too. It’s unbelievable how much they innovated during the pandemic. Examples include Mosaic Community Trust immediately setting up a Covid helpline, arts charity Create launching creative virtual events for vulnerable young carers, and BEfriend in Ealing introducing a shopping service for people isolating at home very early in the first lockdown.
British Land gains many benefits from working with community partners. It deepens its local understanding and brings different perspectives into decision making which, ultimately, improves its places. With many British Land executives engaging with non-profits as trustees, it’s also helpful for employee motivation and personal development.
Making a difference to one life
Lena: My relationship with British Land had such a brilliant starting point. In 2015, their then Chief Financial Officer, Lucinda Bell, offered to mentor me; she said it would be co-mentoring because she would learn from me too. She was highly professional, full of empathy and understanding.
I spoke to her of my experiences at high profile Board meetings with different organisations. Many invited me simply so they could say they had a BAME representative from the local community. I would go into a room of white, upper class English men. I would try to make comments, but they were not really listening. Lucinda said when she’d had similar experiences, she would stand up and talk.
So, I followed her example. At the next Board meeting, I stood up. They said: “You don’t have to stand.” I replied: “When I sit and talk, you’re not listening to me. I thought by standing up, you’ll pay attention.” This sent a good message. I can’t tell you how wonderful it felt, expressing my views in the face of opposing views, with confidence and without fear. It was an amazing, uplifting feeling.
At my sixth session with Lucinda, she asked me: “How many times were you able to offer your views at these meetings and they were received positively and considered?” I said: “Every single time.” And she said: “My work here is done Lena.” That was my first experience with British Land. I wish everyone would look for an opportunity to make a difference in the life of at least one individual.
Looking forward
Fiona: Partners tell us that the coaching support came at just the right time, when they needed it most. British Land showed great foresight in identifying the need and allowing us flexibility to deliver the programme to suit individual partners. British Land’s openness to thinking in different ways is terrific.
We’re now looking forward to the second phase of the programme, when we’ll bring together leaders from different organisations – those who have been part of the coaching programme – in action learning sets. This will create opportunities to explore challenges together, generating insights through open questioning with a group of peers. We’ll facilitate initial meetings and hope the groups will continue to meet to build an ongoing network of support.
Greater impact
Lena: The strength of grassroots organisations is in the name – they’re rooted in the community. No one has better understanding of local needs. That’s why solutions grown at grassroots are more sustainable and accessible. And there’s trust because activities are designed and delivered by local people. Community organisations are low cost and high impact.
I’d love to see more companies respecting and valuing community partners, interested to share our dreams and passions. Meaningful, lasting relationships like these always create greater impact than ad hoc activities or one-off donations.
Fiona Ash, Consultant and Visiting Fellow, Centre for Charity Effectiveness at the Business School.
Lena Choudary-Salter, Founder and CEO of Mosaic Community Trust.
Grassroots feedback on coaching
“I felt taller after our first session.”
“You help me focus on the things that matter.”
“The coaching came at just the right time.”
“I feel so energised and empowered each time I have a session. You are truly a god sent angel... I have created a magical ‘me’ time.”
“Helping me think through how to approach my Board and get them more involved.”
“Having someone to listen helped.”