Independent community service organisation, Windermere, provides practical assistance to over 22,000 Victorians each year navigating complex challenges, and works towards long-term wellbeing and safety. For the past 150 years, the organisation has provided specialist services to strengthen and protect children and families, many of whom face complex situations and require intensive support. The Black Summer bushfires, unprecedented floods, the pandemic, and now, the cost of living crisis, have exacerbated their needs and vulnerabilities.
With Windermere’s service delivery targeted towards emergency response, family wellbeing, trauma support, and childhood development, 60 people across Victoria require its services each day. Behind the scenes, Windermere’s corporate and service delivery teams work tirelessly to ensure these services are accessible to those who need them most.
“While our people are busy looking after others, it’s important that we look out for them,” said Carmela Sojo, Senior Learning & Development Partner at Windermere and Hellomonday participant.
Growth, training and development are an integral focus of Windermere’s senior leadership. Last year, the organisation updated its Employee Value Proposition to review employee experience and develop a capability framework designed to identify core skills required across the team. The development of its middle managers’ leadership capabilities emerged as a leading priority.
Comprised of team leaders, senior practitioners, senior coaches and coordinators, Windermere’s middle managers are typically responsible for up to 30 team members at a time on the frontline of service delivery or within its corporate operations. To help this cohort strengthen their leadership skills and develop their core competencies, Hellomonday was selected as the leading provider with the Transformational Leaders Program.
Carmela Sojo
Senior Learning & Development Partner, Windermere
Due to the complex nature of Windermere’s work, its middle managers are often at the forefront of service delivery handling very sensitive situations while providing support to their line reports and assistance to senior leaders above.
“Our senior leadership recognised the need not only to support our middle managers, but to empower us to delegate, lead and lean into challenging conversations,”said Vanessa Blaxhall, Family Support Services Team Leader and Hellomonday participant.
With an ongoing commitment to foster and promote employee learning and development, Windermere’s senior leadership championed the investment in leadership development training for middle managers. In response, over 20 individuals undertook Hellomonday’s program.
Hellomonday’s personalised coaching and learning circles that accompanied specific workshops stood out to the organisation. With the split of its middle managers across service delivery and corporate roles, it needed a solution that was customised to support both.
“It’s a relief to know I am not alone,” said Jenny Field, Program Counselling Coordinator and Hellomonday program participant. “Being new to leadership can be a little isolating. Hellomonday helped me get to know other leaders in our organisation and recognise they face similar challenges as me.”
Outside of personalised coaching, the learning circles provided an opportunity for small groups of middle managers in both service delivery and corporate to connect, discuss leadership development frameworks, and reflect on what they had learned throughout the program.
“Hellomonday connected us as a team. The learning circles were conversational and interactive which was an incredibly supportive environment. Without a doubt, this became a highlight of the program,” said Blaxhall.
“We now have greater empathy for each other,” she continued. “We realised we are all in the same boat, and we all need help to excel in our respective roles. After every learning circle, we would leave feeling incredibly positive with a stronger sense of connection as a team. In fact, it led to greater collaboration across our organisation.”
“Our Windermere team is dispersed across Victoria, from all the way out to Gippsland to the inner southeastern suburbs, we needed a leadership development solution that seamlessly fit within our hybrid working model. Hellomonday did just that,” said Sojo.
In parallel to the leadership program for middle managers, as an organisation, Windermere undertook separate training for its senior leadership and emerging leaders. However, a digital-first delivery from Hellomonday was a key differentiator.
“Similar to many not-for-profits, our small but mighty team is responsible for delivering big outcomes. Hellomonday’s digital leadership development program was flexible and easily slotted in, so it didn’t impact our day-to-day delivery of work. That was a huge win,” she continued.
In conclusion to the program, Windermere’s middle managers are more confident, collaborative and connected than ever before, with newfound capabilities to lead their teams and deliver important services to the community.
Agree they are likely to remain in their roles next year
Agree they feel more engaged at work
Return for every dollar organisations spend on coaching
Agree they have stronger working relationships
