February was a busy and reflective month for the National Leadership Network (NLN).
Members of the Steering Group met in Perth and online to review proposals for the external evaluation of the NLN. Applications were scored and discussed using an agreed process, and details of the successful proposal will be shared soon. Steering Group members have also signed new contracts through to January 2027 and are now formally recognised as Consultants within the NLN Steering Group.
The team engaged in a number of events and partnerships this month. Representatives attended Project Change’s The Way Forward event, contributed to discussions with Falkirk Champs about their upcoming Care Revolution – young voices leading the way event in April, and met with the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration following last year’s Staf conference. Further engagement included participation in the Lived Experience Network Scotland (LENS) session, ongoing involvement in the Participation Network, and early conversations with Compass and MCR Pathways about potential collaboration.
Looking to the future, members took part in a session on The Jigsaw report, exploring its findings and reflecting on the impact of the NLN to date. A companion report, Beyond the Pieces, has also been produced to support thinking about the Network’s direction beyond 2026. Feedback on both reports is welcomed.
The team has begun developing a workshop for this year’s Children in Scotland conference, titled Shifting from co-production to production: insights on participation.
For more info on the NLN, please contact gary@thenln.org.
| 
