Grit: breakthrough programmes

A year ago, I didn’t see myself as a leader... I struggled with confidence, public speaking, and even the idea of stepping up. Fast forward to today, and I’m proud to graduate from the Manchester 10/10 Black Leadership Programme (BLP). Over the course of the programme, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to lead societies, speak at national (and soon international👀) conferences, and more. Today, I hand over the torch to the next cohort of BLP Scholars. Key Highlights: ✨We heard from Georgia Riley, who shared how the programme shaped her leadership journey, and Temiloluwa A.., who reminded us that leadership is about staying authentic to yourself. Raymond Evans, CEO of SRi Forensics Ltd, delivered a powerful message on leading with purpose, encouraging us to overcome challenges and keep striving forward. 💡We were fortunate to hear from Professor Duncan Ivison, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, who shared his inspiring view on leadership as service, about empowering others and creating lasting impact. After his speech, we had the privilege of speaking with him directly. It was a pleasure to engage in a rich conversation about our society, and an honour to advocate for improvements to the Black student experience at the university. I was proud to do so alongside my fellow African & Caribbean Medical Society (ACMS) University of Manchester committee members, Farrah Adegunle and Deborah (Tomi) Olayiwole. 🎤 I was also honoured to share my experiences on a student panel alongside Tolulope Odunlami, Mikhail Adeyelu, and Israel Oluwagbemiga, guided by the remarkable Oluchi Ijeh, this year’s BLP Award Winner🏆. Reflecting on our collective growth as a cohort was both humbling and inspiring, and reminded me of the power of community in shaping our leadership journeys. 🤝🏾 Meeting the new cohort was truly a highlight of the evening. To the next generation of leaders, my advice is simple: seize every opportunity that comes your way, trust in your abilities, and embrace the challenges that will shape you. Leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room; it’s about stepping into your own strengths, empowering others, and making a lasting impact. To the current cohort, thank you for being such an inspiring and supportive community. I’m excited to see where your journeys take you, and I have no doubt you’ll achieve incredible things. A special thanks to Ayoola Johnson and the entire M10/10 team aswell as Grit: breakthrough programmes for providing invaluable leadership workshops. and to mentors like Jesy who have guided and supported me along this journey. I’m also deeply grateful to the many inspirational figures and mentors I’ve encountered along this journey, including Jesy Mamputu, Dr. Emmanuel Oladipo, Dr D., and more, for their guidance and support. #BlackLeadership #BLP #LeadershipJourney #UniversityOfManchester #BlackExcellence #M1010 #StudentLeadership

💫I am so blessed to have received the Manchester 10/10 Black Leadership Programme Award!💫 👩🏾🎓 This comes after graduating from the programme as a Black Leadership Scholar! 🗣️Engaging in Grit: breakthrough programmes and reflective sessions over the year has taught me to feel the fear of new opportunities and do them anyway. For example, who would’ve thought that I would have given a TEDx Talk about the black student experience at The University of Manchester this year? ♥️Throughout, I have been reminded that leadership is about serving others and President and Vice Chancellor Duncan Ivison echoed this in the celebration event where my cohort was celebrated for our achievements and we welcomed the new cohort of students. It’s about serving each other with love (Galatians 5:13). 🫂One of my highlights has been the wonderful people that I have met on this journey. We’ve grown and laughed together to become a community who have achieved so much in such short time: starting businesses, societies, completing internships and collaborating with fashion brands to name a few. Congratulations to you all and I can’t wait to celebrate more of your achievements! ⚡️I would love to thank Ayoola Johnson and the rest of Team 10/10 for facilitating such a great experience on the programme. Your energy and support has been amazing! 📸I also want to thank Sara Buadi for the incredible photos that she took, your photography business is going to be unstoppable! 🎊Finally, I wish all the best to the next cohort. Be open, feel the fear of the opportunities that will come your way and do them whilst supporting each other. I can’t wait to see everyone’s progress over the next year! 🙏🏾What a blessed year 2024 has been! #Manchester1010 #Leadership #Community #Growth

I’ve just graduated!!!🥳🎓 From the Manchester 10/10 Black Leadership Programme, I still have 7 months left of my undergraduate degree🫢 But I have to say that this programme has played such an integral part of my university experience as well as my personal development, and I cannot thank Team Manchester 10/10 enough. When I first got admitted into this programme I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I knew that there were things that I wanted to achieve, and being able to see and develop myself as a Black leader was integral to this journey. Over the past year, I had the opportunity to engage in workshops pioneered by Grit: breakthrough programmes which fueled SUCH a strong shift in perspective for me. These workshops empowered me to view myself as the catalyst in everything that I do, stick to my values, empathise with my past experiences, and really take control of my actions. Additionally, I was able to see the direct impact that one conversation, one action, one compliment, referral or even recommendation can make in the journey of someone else- providing support and having genuine care of the journey of others can translate into immeasurable rewards🌟 Last Thursday I received my certificate of achievement, presented to me by the President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Manchester Duncan Ivison to commemorate my conclusion of this programme. I want to give a special thank you to Jesy Mamputu for encouraging me to apply, Ayoola Johnson, and the rest of the team for the support you have given myself and the rest of my peers on this programme. BLP, you will be missed! #Manchester1010 #Leadership #UniversityofManchester #BlackLeadershipProgramme

🎓 Proud to share that I’ve officially graduated from the Manchester Black Leadership Programme!👩🏾🎓 This journey has been more than just leadership sessions – it’s been about community, empowerment, and stepping boldly into spaces where we belong. From connecting with inspiring mentors to growing alongside like-minded peers, I’ve gained tools, confidence, and a fire to keep pushing forward. As a future solicitor, I’m determined to carry this experience with me – to lead with purpose, advocate for change, and uplift others along the way. A huge thank you to Ayoola Johnson, Grit: breakthrough programmes and everyone who believed in me during the programme. Here’s to Black leadership, breaking barriers, and building futures. This is just the beginning. If you’re ever unsure of your path – take up space anyway. #Leadership #BlackExcellence #ManchesterBlackLeadership #Law

“I am a graduate!” I did not think I would be saying anything like this until 2027, but I am now a graduate of The University of Manchester Manchester 10/10 Black Leadership Programme (BLP). Last Wednesday, I attended the BLP Celebration Event, where we recognised our achievements and welcomed the next group of students onto the programme. At this event, I delivered a small speech reflecting on my time in the programme, and I would like to share some of my reflections here. I have already detailed my experience with Grit: breakthrough programmes in a previous post, but there is still more to this programme. I have gained: 🫂 A new sense of community – I did not know anyone in my cohort before the programme, but this challenge allowed me to expand my network and talk to people from different years and faculties. I have made new connections and had exciting conversations with people I may have never crossed paths with. 📣 New confidence – one experience I am very proud of is the TEDx Talk I delivered as a BLP student titled ‘Making Room: The Importance of Creating Spaces for Black Students.’ If you want to hear more about what I had to say, here is a link to a recording of the talk: https://lnkd.in/eEDQTnXC 💡 The ability to reflect – the programme scheduled in sessions where we could reflect on the progress we made. By encouraging me to consider my time on the programme, I have retained more of the information I learned so that I can put these ideas into practice and continue to be a strong leader. Thank you to my lovely cohort for being such inspiring and encouraging people. Thank you to everyone who made this programme a reality. Finally, good luck to the next cohort! Maximise this opportunity, and you will be able to look back on your progress this time next year and be proud of how far you have come. #manchester1010 #leadership #blackleadership #unviversity #student

Really excited to launch our new Widening Access and Student Success Strategy! Looking forward to delivering our ambitious commitments with my team, wonderful colleagues, our partners, and students. National Network for the Education of Care Leavers, Shaping Futures (Uni Connect Programme), Hello Future , Care Leaver Covenant, Grit: breakthrough programmes, Future U (Uni Connect Programme)

Hello network! I’m excited to share the incredible experience I had last week at the Grit: breakthrough programmes workshop, presented to us by the Black Leadership Programme at Nottingham Trent University. It was an invaluable opportunity to connect with fellow leaders and strengthen relationships with like-minded individuals. One key takeaway for me was learning that we do not lack confidence; we simply need to unlock it within ourselves and bring it to the surface. The workshop also provided a powerful space to reflect on the societal pressures that often impact Black students and how these challenges can hinder our full potential as leaders. A huge thank you to Dionne and Tony for the wisdom and guidance you shared; I feel more empowered than ever. Your insights reinforced my belief that I am destined for greatness. Additionally, I would like to express my gratitude to Kim for her dedication in ensuring everything ran smoothly and for keeping us all on track. As I look ahead to the upcoming year, I’m excited about the journey I’ll embark on with such an inspiring group of Black leaders. I'm ready to continue growing and becoming the most resilient version of myself. #BlackLeadership #Resilience #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #NottinghamTrentUniversity

🎉I’ve had the incredible opportunity to be part of this year’s ongoing Black Leadership Programme at Nottingham Trent University. The event began with an opening session led by the BLP leaders and student panelists, followed by an inspiring story of two amazing sisters; Dr Abigail Otchere and Donna Otchere who founded 👩🏽💻SISTEM, a platform championing women in STEM and navigating inclusive networks. We also heard from the talented artist Kenneth, aka Shocka Artist who shared his moving journey of perseverance and the importance of mental health—a reminder that resilience and self-care are crucial in every pursuit.👏🏽 ⚡️⚡️Reflecting on Growth and Empowerment : The three-day Grit: breakthrough programmes workshop itself was equally enriching. With a vibrant and supportive group, I explored the values and skills of leaders. 🗝️💡Key takeaways: ✔️Honoring commitments and keeping our word. ✔️ Cultivating confidence and responsibility. ✔️ Understanding the importance of communication and core values. ✔️Celebrating progress and appreciating how far we’ve come. ✨We also learned about remarkable Black heroes, both celebrated and unsung whose sacrifices and journeys have paved the way for us today. Their stories were a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength we carry forward in shaping our own paths. 🙌🏽A huge THANK YOU to the amazing facilitators, mentors, and panelists who guided us throughout this workshop. Your wisdom and encouragement made this journey unforgettable. I'm also deeply grateful to my peers, whose energy and collaboration made every moment more fun and exciting!🤩 🚀One of the most impactful moments for me was making a personal positive declaration, a statement that now serves as a powerful reminder of my strengths and values. This workshop has reinforced my belief in the importance of representation, self-reflection, and continuous growth as a leader. To anyone considering such workshops: take the leap!💃🏽 #leadership #BlackLeadershipProgramme #LeadershipDevelopment #NTU #RepresentationMatters #STEM #MentalHealth

Anisha had just started the first year of a Social Work degree at the University of Leeds when she did a 1-day Grit programme. “The transition from college to uni was difficult. I didn’t know anyone and I was sure I wasn’t as clever as everyone else. In the workshop it was one of the ice breakers, having to stand up and talk about myself, that got the ball rolling. It got the ball rolling in the workshop and it got the ball rolling for my life at university. The workshop gave me the confidence to just go out and get it. Now in class I put my hand up and get involved. I take part in the debates and discussions. I make sure my voice is always heard. I don’t feel left behind anymore. Now I know I’m just as good as everyone else.   In college I didn’t think about goals. I didn’t have any plan other than to get to uni. But when I arrived the thought of being part of university, of getting involved, was overwhelming. I just didn’t know where to start. In the workshop there was a lot of reflecting on the big questions for me. What do I see myself doing? What opportunities do I want to explore? As we talked about these questions I began to see the bigger possibilities it could offer me. I saw a different dimension to university. The workshop kick started my uni journey. On the Social Work course we have to do a lot of presentations to lecturers and everyone else on your course. So I keep going back to the Grit ice-breaker, t0 when I first talked to a room of new people. It gives me the confidence to just get up and do it. As part of the course we have to work on a reflection piece. So, again, I go back to the self-reflection that the Grit workshop sparked in me, the time when reflection started being part of my everyday life. Grit helps me think through what I wanted in my life outside university. I really wanted to get my own flat – this is a big deal when you’re a care leaver, setting up in life. I also have to think getting my finances sorted, getting a job so I can pay the bills, figuring out how I’m going travel around. There are so many options and decisions, it’s difficult to think about what to do, how to prioritise. The goal setting, the breaking down of goals in smaller achievable steps that we did in the workshop, made things achievable. So now I’ve just moved into my first flat, I’m learning to drive, I’ve written a CV and I’m about to actively start searching for a job. Grit kick started my university journey and it kick started my life as an adult.” University of Leeds Plus Programme Rachael O'Connor Louise Banahene PFHEA MBE Bridgette Bewick Jenn Coates Lilly Butt Professor Louise D Bryant Lucy Bentley Sarah Harvey Richardson Lauren Huxley Niall Hayes Greg Elliott Jane Dickinson Rebecca O'Hare Sitara Akram, PhD. Yvonne Griffiths #studentsuccess #studentexperience #careexperienced #university #student