Testimonials

our clients and FEEDBACK

LEAD is fortunate to have had the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse spectrum of organisations of the years, spanning from local grassroots initiatives to large multinational not-for-profit entities. Here is a sample of the various groups with which we have recently taught, coached, or mentored, as well as some feedback on the impact of our work.

"Thank you for this fantastic training, as well as for your support, empathy, and commitment. The external speakers were great as well. Kia ora!"

Managing & Leading Community Organisations - May 2025
David Marcon - Belong Aotearoa
I want to pass on that I have had nothing but glowing feedback from the participants that I have spoken to. Thank you so much, we hope to work with you again in the future and will certainly be recommending your services.

Holly Cole - National Project Manager
Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust - Winter 2025
"Thank you for creating a safe space for us to be able to talk openly about the Programmes. It felt very liberating to be heard and we really valued your facilitation skills. Your prior knowledge made such a difference, as you were more readily able to make connections and link to your experiences engaging with us over the years."

LEAD client - May 2025
"Your expertise, dedication, and thoughtful approach were evident in every aspect of the retreat. The engaging sessions, insightful discussions, and well-organised activities provided our leaders with invaluable opportunities for growth and development. Your ability to create a supportive and inspiring environment allowed everyone to fully participate and benefit from the experience. We are incredibly grateful for the time and effort you invested in making the retreat a success. Your contribution has had a profound impact on our community, and we are confident that the knowledge and skills gained will continue to benefit us in the future. Thank you for being such an integral part of our leadership development. We look forward to the possibility of working with you again."

One Day Mentoring Retreat May 2025 - Run by Sandy Thompson
Michelle Wise
President, Beth Shalom progressive synagogue in Auckland - May 2025
I highly recommend this course. Garth was a terrific presenter, is highly experienced and has many real world Lobbying experiences to draw on."

Smart Lobbying Skills Workshop Nov 2024 - run by Garth Nowland-Forman.
Andrew Hall - NZ Spinal Trust
“We left the Governance course with a sound idea of the principles of good governance and how it can make a difference to an organisation’s effectiveness…. We have been able to plan and implement our own infrastructure using the different elements, and are more focused on the vision and strategic purpose of our organisation.”

— SERENA LEWIS (DEPUTY CHAIR) & DANIELLE SANDERS (COMMITTEE MEMBER), TRCC
"Sandy is skilled at navigating new and complex environments, dealing with sensitive issues, and managing diverse groups of stakeholders. She is able to work across cultures and languages, ensuring all those present are heard and feel included and valued."

-Lachlan Keating, Chief Executive, Deaf Aotearoa Tāngata Turi
“I would recommend Ruth Osborne as a mentor and coach to anyone taking on a management or leadership role. I continued coaching with Ruth beyond the initial coaching package, because I found her wisdom, insights and experience invaluable. She was perceptive and empathetic as well as having great technical and practical advice! Whether it was fundraising, workplace dynamics, personal well-being, or strategy - Ruth always had incredibly valuable advice and guidance.”

— ANNA DE ROO
“This course has been inspirational in terms of focusing me on what kind of leader I want to be; to do more things deliberately, and under high pressure; taking time to reflect and to focus. Lots of the frameworks help with this, as well as being more proactive in reflective practice. It makes me feel like it is possible to be more intentional about how I lead and work.”

— MELISSA ANSELL-BRIDGES, NATIONAL SECRETARY NZCTU (LEARNING COHORT 2020 FOR "MANAGING & LEADING COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS")
“Hilary left such a positive mark on us all and there was not one person who felt threatened, chastised or inadequate (which can so easily happen with such a topic) following her workshop - that counts for a lot.”

— SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND "TE TIRITI - PARTNERING WITH MAORI" WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT
“The marketing workshop gave me a great framework to be able to go away and implement my ideas.”

— COURSE ATTENDEE
“Volunteer Wellington has collaborated with LEAD for more than a decade to offer high quality professional development workshops and programmes to community and voluntary groups in the Wellington region. The LEAD team’s dedication to excellence and expertise in providing tailored training solutions have empowered our members with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in their roles. Their engaging delivery style encourages an environment of active learning and collaboration, sparking meaningful discussions and sharing of innovative ideas and resources. Participants go away with practical tools and strategies they can implement in their workplace. We are grateful for LEAD’s ongoing support and highly recommend their services to any Not for Profit seeking to enhance their governance and leadership practices.”

- Julie Thomson, Regional Manager, Volunteer Wellington Te Puna Tautoko
“I was so pleased to have had that chat with Garth - it really helped my thinking and that afternoon I felt on fire.”

— CISSY ROCK, FACILITATOR, COMMUNITY THINK
“Working with LEAD has been an absolute game-changer for not only our organisation in the not-for-profit sector, but also our staff and volunteer development. Their expertise in governance training, leadership, people capacity building, and strategic planning has raised our operations to next level. They enable us to response to our clients’ needs and the forever changing external environment. The diverse range of services they offer, from leadership short courses to individual coaching has been instrumental in our team's growth and Development. What sets LEAD apart is not just their breadth of knowledge but also their ability to tailor their delivery to suit diverse groups. Whether it's a board of directors or frontline staff, they have a knack for engaging and empowering everyone in the room. Their style of delivery is not only informative but also inspiring, leaving our staff and volunteers motivated to implement positive change. I cannot recommend LEAD highly enough. Their dedication, expertise, and ability to deliver results have made them an indispensable partner for our organization.”

- Rochana Sheward (New Zealand Order of Merit), Belong Aotearoa Chief Executive
"This is the best professional development I have received in a long time. The content, facilitators and structure were amazing."

Lesley-Ann
Leading Community Organisations Programme - Autumn 2025
"Thanks for a brilliant 'Keeping it Legal' session with some super useful points, Garth did a wonderful job of making what could have been a very dry topic very engaging!"

Frank Cowie - Resourceful Craft - May 2026
I really enjoyed the session and found it very informative. Garth was professional and engaging, and the workshop was exceptionally well delivered. I’ll definitely be attending more of these events in the future. Thanks again. Andrea Velandia

Andrea Velandia - Christchurch EnviroHub ‍ ‍
Governance Bites Workshops 2026
"This programme gave me the confidence to step into leading an NGO from an informed point of view, and the tutors were very knowledgable. The peer-support from the group setting with people experiencing similar across Aotearoa was a rewarding space to be in, being able to contrast and compare ways of leadership and try out different approaches to see what worked for me. I highly recommend this for any NGO leader to support them in the role."

Ashlyn Hornsby - Nelson Women’s Centre - Aug 2026

our clients and FEEDBACK

TESTIMONIALS

"Thank you for this fantastic training, as well as for your support, empathy, and commitment. The external speakers were great as well. Kia ora!"

I want to pass on that I have had nothing but glowing feedback from the participants that I have spoken to. Thank you so much, we hope to work with you again in the future and will certainly be recommending your services.

I highly recommend this course. Garth was a terrific presenter, is highly experienced and has many real world Lobbying experiences to draw on."

"Sandy is skilled at navigating new and complex environments, dealing with sensitive issues, and managing diverse groups of stakeholders. She is able to work across cultures and languages, ensuring all those present are heard and feel included and valued."

“Hilary left such a positive mark on us all and there was not one person who felt threatened, chastised or inadequate (which can so easily happen with such a topic) following her workshop - that counts for a lot.”

“The marketing workshop gave me a great framework to be able to go away and implement my ideas.”

“I was so pleased to have had that chat with Garth - it really helped my thinking and that afternoon I felt on fire.”

"This is the best professional development I have received in a long time. The content, facilitators and structure were amazing."

"Thanks for a brilliant 'Keeping it Legal' session with some super useful points, Garth did a wonderful job of making what could have been a very dry topic very engaging!"

I really enjoyed the session and found it very informative. Garth was professional and engaging, and the workshop was exceptionally well delivered. I’ll definitely be attending more of these events in the future. Thanks again. Andrea Velandia

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