Leadership and management

New Zealand's mental health and addiction sector requires inspirational leadership across all parts of the system. Recognising, nurturing and supporting people to take on the mantle of leadership are essential to growing and sustaining the sector.

Te Pou provides emerging and current leaders with the opportunity to access excellent national mental health leadership and management development programmes, through sponsoring programmes delivered by Blueprint for Learning.

These programmes target mental health and addiction managers, and clinical and service user leaders.

The Blueprint Executive Leadership and Management Programme (ELMP)

The ELMP was established in 2004, specifically to identify and support future leaders of the mental health and addiction sector. It is a unique professional development opportunity, delivered over a 12 month period. The ELMP aims to maximise opportunities for participants to translate theoretical learning into practice and establish networks within the mental health and addiction sector.

Expert national and international facilitators create provocative and challenging workshops that stretch participants. Coupled with postgraduate management papers delivered by the Waikato Management School, the ELMP provides a comprehensive learning experience.

The ELMP and AELMP are run on alternate years.

The Blueprint Advanced Executive Leadership and Management Programme (AELMP)

Blueprint for Learning’s Advanced Executive Leadership and Management Programme is available for anyone who has already completed the Blueprint Executive Leadership and Management Programme (ELMP).

AELMP is a programme that incorporates the Let's get real framework and builds on the learning, networks, self reflection and academic experience of the ELMP. The year long programme provides the opportunity for enhanced sector specific learning and the opportunity to complete two more university papers. It’s a practical programme that promotes sustainable leadership outcomes.

On completion of the AELMP, programme participants will also have a Postgraduate Certificate in Management Studies from the University of Waikato.

Blueprint has released their 2010 timetable for AELMP. Applications have now closed.

Programme improvements and achievements

Both the ELMP and AELMP are continuously reviewed and refreshed. The leadership aspects of Let’s get real have been incorporated into the programmes, and there is now greater emphasis on the significance of outcomes and the reality of operating in an environment with fiscal challenges and responsibilities. Since their inception, 157 leaders have undertaken the ELMP and 38 have completed the AELMP and acquired a Postgraduate Certificate in Management Studies (PgCertMgtst). The average completion rate for the ELMP is 89 per cent and 92 per cent for the AELMP.

The ELMP is one of the only leadership programmes internationally that has service user leaders and clinical leaders learning alongside one another.

Blueprint Leadership Network

The Blueprint Leadership Network is the alumnus of Blueprint executive programme graduates. The most recent gathering in November was a huge success. Apart from networking and reinforcing relationships, graduates heard from a number of speakers.

Performance coach Craig Lewis spoke about values and influence, the Office of Ethic Affair’s Mervin Singh spoke about leading in a diverse society, Joyologist Pat Armistead entertained with her presentation about raising joy in the workplace and Taruni Falconer talked about how we can recruit and retain culturally diverse employees. The network also heard from sector leaders including the Ministry of Health’s Janice Wilson. Common themes amongst all speakers were around using the current environment to the best possible advantage, maintaining a positive attitude, the power of communication and the value of difference.

Many of those who attended the 2009 alumni gathering left feeling refreshed, inspired, excited and motivated to be even better leaders.

Further information

For details on any of the information above please visit Blueprint's website or contact:

Sally Pitts-Brown
Chief executive
Blueprint for Learning

Page last updated: 12 February 2010

New! Graduate profiles

Graduates share their experiences of the ELMP and the AELMP programmes.