Developing Leaders to Meet Changeworks’ Ambition
Changeworks, a leading energy efficiency organisation in Scotland, has an ambitious target: to decarbonise 180,000 homes by 2030. Over 2022-25, they supported over 200,000 households, providing invaluable energy advice, fuel poverty support and installing energy efficiency measures in homes.
Changeworks’ work sits at the heart of a just transition to a fair and sustainable Scotland. With fuel poverty affecting a significant proportion (34%) of households in Scotland, decarbonising homes is not only about reducing harmful carbon emissions. It is about creating healthier places to live, ensuring homes are affordably warm, and supporting economic opportunity and green jobs across communities.
As a charity they adopt the social enterprise model, reinvesting surplus to reach more people and scale impact, with Fair Work principles guiding our strategy.
Delivering their mission at scale requires strong, values-led leadership at every level of the organisation. For over a decade, they have partnered with the Social Enterprise Academy to build leadership capability that is practical, people-centred, and rooted in our values.
“We’re clear about what we need to do, even as the environment around us continues to evolve. Growing our impact requires us to adapt in different ways and at pace. That’s why it’s so important that we’re supported by a resilient and capable management and leadership team around us.” Liz Partington, Deputy Chief Executive, Changeworks
A pathway for leadership
Since 2018, Changeworks has worked with the Social Enterprise Academy to deliver seven Manager Development programmes. Designed to support line managers, these programmes combined practical tools with space for reflection and personal development. One attendee said: “With what I have learned I hope to motivate and coach people better in a way that makes them have a better performance in their roles. Ultimately this will allow the team to reach targets in an easier way and will get everyone more involved in reaching these goals.”
Building on this foundation, Social Enterprise Academy delivered the Leaders of the Future programme, which formed part of a leadership pathway, addressing the need to identify, develop, and retain talent within the organisation.
For managers working in a fast-moving policy and delivery landscape, both of these programmes have helped build confidence, consistency, and strong peer relationships across teams.
The impact has been tangible. Participants from the first cohort of the Leaders of the Future programme presented to colleagues at an all-staff gathering on trust and values-led leadership; the second cohort focused on how to lead through uncertainty. Participants consistently reported that the opportunity to step back from day-to-day pressures, learn alongside peers, and grapple with leadership challenges was both informative and enjoyable. A Leaders of the Future attendee said “the mix of colleagues participating from across different teams led to meaningful discussion and connections which will benefit going forward”.
Several cohort members have since progressed into leadership roles, demonstrating a clear return on investment.
“From that first cohort, I could see the change in them immediately – they were getting it. It’s powerful. There’s no doubt that it’s money well spent. We know that if we do this work, we’re in a much better space to grow and succeed.” Liz
The Social Enterprise Academy has also supported Changeworks through Coaching Skills programmes.
Values-led development
For Changeworks, one of the defining strengths of the Social Enterprise Academy’s approach has been its alignment with organisational values.
“I’ve done many different programmes, but often they didn’t address our values-based approach to leadership, alongside enterprise. We needed something bespoke, delivered by people who understood who we were as an organisation. The facilitators were fantastic. They have created a safe space to explore what it is to be a leader, as well as supporting the team to build strong peer relationships.” Liz
This emphasis on trust, reflection, and shared learning has helped embed leadership behaviours that support Fair Work, inclusion, and long-term organisational resilience.
Supporting the next generation
Leadership development at Changeworks doesn’t stop with managers. The organisation also works with the Social Enterprise Academy to support graduates entering the workforce. A dedicated Graduate Programme delivered in 2023–24 supported colleagues in graduate placement roles. Graduates have spoken about gaining confidence, clarity about their career paths, and a deeper understanding of how their roles contribute to Changeworks’ mission to tackle fuel poverty and climate change.
The long-term partnership between Changeworks and the Social Enterprise Academy demonstrates how sustained investment in people can amplify organisational impact.
If you are a charity or social enterprise with an ambitious vision, looking to develop your leaders to achieve the mission, contact [email protected] to explore how we could support you.
