Future Leaders Programme 2025 kicks off with an inspiring first session in Wembley

On Thursday, 31st July, we welcomed the 2025 Future Leaders Programme (FLP) cohort to their first session at Sovereign Network Group (SNG) Headquarters, The Hive in Wembley.

This year's participants come from a diverse range of professional backgrounds in England and Wales: policy, communications, data, customer experience, housing strategy, technical services, research, and more. What they share is a commitment to shaping our future age-friendly homes and neighbourhoods and a desire to grow as authentic, impact-driven leaders.

The session opened with introductions, where each participant had the opportunity to share their journey so far, their reasons for applying, and what they hope to take away from the experience. It was a powerful reminder of the breadth of talent and perspective within our sector.

Our CEO, Jeremy Porteus, introduced the structure of this year’s FLP, an immersive mix of in-person and online sessions designed to offer meaningful, real-world leadership insights. Building on our successful format from previous years, each session will feature senior leaders who speak honestly about their careers, the obstacles they’ve overcome, and the values that guide their leadership approach.

We were honoured to hear from Sarah Mitton, Head of Customer Engagement at this year’s programme sponsor, SNG. Sarah, a member of the very first FLP cohort, shared her own reflections on leadership and the impact the programme had on her development.

Our guest speaker, Harry Hobson, Co-founder and Director of Neighbourly Lab, offered an inspiring and thought-provoking session. Harry explored taking personal risks, following one’s quest, the power of human connection, AI, and interventions to combat loneliness and build community belonging, principles that strongly resonate within the social housing sector. 

We were also joined by Hannah Gibson, SNG’s Head of Organisational Effectiveness, who led an exercise on social styles theory.

We are deeply grateful to SNG for supporting this year’s programme. Their values and commitment to social purpose make them the ideal partner in helping us equip the next generation of leaders with the confidence, resilience and empathy needed to lead meaningful change.

This was just the beginning. As the programme continues, we’ll follow our 2025 cohort’s journey across future sessions, sharing key takeaways, personal reflections, and leadership insights, right here and on our LinkedIn and Bluesky channels.

And speaking of leadership wins, just like the Lionesses brought it home in the Women’s Euros final this July, we’re confident our FLP cohort is ready to bring it home for housing!