Blog

My 20-Week Internship Experience: Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership

In this post blog, Olufemi Oloruntimehin (Law Student and CVSL Intern) shares his experience with the 20-week CVSL internship. He covers both the practical experience and reflects on his key takeaways. The cogs and machinery image symbolises how according to him, life is continuous, meaning that we must continuously learn and adapt, be resilient, and appreciate that collaboration and teamwork are vital. 

8th June 2025

Insights from the CVSL’s Belfast Minority Ethnic Leadership (MEL) Programme Learning Hub

In this blog, Olufemi (Femi) Oloruntimehin (law student and CVSL Intern) discusses his insights into the proceedings at a hybrid MEL Programme learning hub held in Belfast on May 7th, 2025. The session featured two OU alumni (Ana and Nandi) as motivational speakers. In this article, Femi shares his lessons from the session.

8th June 2025

Reflections from Minority Ethnic Leadership (MEL) Programme: Stories of Leadership, Identity, and Impact

In this blog post Aleigha Dunkley, Law Student and CVSL Student Intern, captures the key messages of two keynote speakers at the MEL Programme learning hub held on May 1st, 2025. 

The keynote speakers were Katija Dew (Acting Director for Wales, The British Red Cross and Board Member, Social Care Wales) and Helal Uddin (Co-Director - Head of Services & Partnerships, Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team - EYST Wales). Aleigha concludes the piece with her reflections.

8th June 2025

How Bristol became a natural host of the Hub for The OU’s Minority Ethnic Leadership (MEL) Programme

This blog Olufemi Oloruntimehin, Law student and Student Intern with CVSL, will explore continuing racial justice struggles in Bristol, highlighting events, figures, and their impact on society.

6th June 2025

Empowering Leadership: Insights from the CVSL London Learning Hub Event

In this blog, Aleigha Dunkley, Law Student and Student Intern with The OU's Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership (CVSL), discusses her takeaways from the CVSL’s Minority Ethnic Leadership (MEL) Programme learning hub session held in London on April 23, 2025.

3rd June 2025

Advancing anti-racism: civic society’s role

In this short blog, Dr Fidele Mutwarasibo, Director of The Open University's Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership, discusses his experience on a panel on anti-racism in the voluntary sector and encourages the sector to play its role in fighting against racism.

5th March 2025

Exploring Democracy in the English Voluntary Sector

This blog, written by Dr Daniel Haslam, reports on a pilot workshop held between CVSL and Voluntary Action Leicestershire (VAL) in July 2024.

31st January 2025

Gatekeeping and Inclusive Leadership: The Role of Racialised Minority Gatekeepers in Promoting Equity in the Post-2020 Black Lives Matter Protests-Era

In this post blog, Fidele Mutwarasibo, shares his insights and reflections on his experience as a racialised minority gatekeeper in the UK and Ireland, and the lessons he learnt as a pracademic (scholar-practitioner) at The OU researching the leadership of racialised minority networks in the past five years. 

28th October 2024

Leveraging Privilege to Advance Equity and Inclusion: The Importance of White Allyship in Advancing Racial Equity in the Post-2020 Black Lives Matter Protests-Era

In this blog post, Fidele Mutwarasibo shares insights and reflects on his experience as an activist in the UK and Ireland, and the lessons he has learned as a practitioner (scholar-practitioner).

28th October 2024

Lost the Plot - A Parting Eulogy to the Sector

Paul Streets, former CEO of Lloyds Bank Foundation England & Wales, picks up some big picture questions for the third sector, drawing on his recent lecture as a Visiting Professor at Bayes Centre for Charity Effectiveness ‘Reflecting Forwards’ which looked back on almost 40 years of working in the sector.

1st July 2024
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