Overview

Academi Wales is delighted that Winter School is returning to the beautiful location of Nant Gwrtheyrn for 2025.

Building on its success since 2011, this year’s programme is designed to meet the key development needs of Wales’s senior / top-tier leaders and executives, such as Chief Executives and Directors from across the public service, third and voluntary sector in Wales.

Drawing upon knowledge and expertise of renowned speakers, the overarching theme for Winter School 2025 is 'Leading for Cohesion'. Focusing on how leaders can work together to help communities facing challenging times, Winter School 2025 will provide an opportunity for leaders to explore new approaches, behaviours and mind sets. The 2025 programme is designed to meet the key development needs of Wales’ most senior leaders.

For the first time ever, as part of the Winter School 2025 programme, delegates will have access to two hours of Executive Coaching. This will comprise of one-to-one Executive Coaching sessions before and after Winter School, to further support their learning.

Benefits to you

This unique 4 day ‘stretch’ programme will provide an opportunity to review and refresh your current skills and gain insight into cutting edge leadership practices. You will explore innovative ways to ‘deliver the business’, using a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Thoughts from delegates of Winter School 2024 were:

Speakers include

Leadership behaviours

This learning programme will help you to develop your leadership behaviours in the following areas:

Target audience

Winter School has been specifically developed for the senior / top-tier leaders and executives, such as Chief Executives and Directors from across the public service, third and voluntary sector in Wales.

Cost

Limited places for Winter School are available and the fee of £600 + VAT includes all learning and development provision, single occupancy on-site accommodation and full board. Successful candidates will receive full joining instructions once they have accepted their place.

Your travel costs will not be met by the programme.

Please note that should you be awarded and accept a place at Winter School and then withdraw from the programme, your organisation may be required to pay an administration charge.

Bursaries

We are offering a limited number of bursaries of up to 100% towards the delegate cost of Winter School 2025. We encourage applications from underrepresented, minoritised, and disadvantaged groups and/or where employing organisations have limited funds. Your travel costs will not be met by the programme.

To apply for a bursary

Please provide evidence that you meet the eligibility (50 to 100 words). Your response needs to align to the criteria below:

• You are part of an underrepresented, minoritised, or disadvantaged group within your organisation, and/or your organisation has limited funds.
• The size of your organisation.
• The value of the bursary you are applying for.

How to apply

Academi Wales equips public service leaders with the skills, knowledge, and networks to solve today’s most complex problems. Alongside the skills and knowledge we hope this course will give you, we are keen to emphasise the power of building connections with your peers in the room.  

There are limited places available for this event which will be offered through a competitive selection process with delegates selected from across the public sector to enable a wide range of viewpoints in the room and to support you in strengthening your professional networks. Places will be awarded to those applicants who provide strong objectives for participating in the Winter School and can evidence their return on investment.

Demonstrating return on investment has never been more important than in today’s climate. Return on investment is not simply about financial gain. It's the sustainable impact of the learning for both you and your organisation and how this links to services provided for the people of Wales. It is particularly relevant for those who are working through challenging times and seeking to make significant improvements to their organisational outcomes at a systemic level.

To apply for a place you will need to complete this online application form stating your objectives for attending the event by 16 December 2024.

Please hold the dates 4 to 7 February in your calendar until we confirm the outcome of your application.

More information