Our team
Built by people who know how to make a community centre flourish.
We have built services from the ground up at West Faversham and other sites. Your venue gains that experience, a team trained to deliver safe, welcoming services, and a development pathway that prepares local people to become its future leaders.
80%
of staff lived within three miles of one of our centres.
2024–25
29%
of staff were on our leadership development programme.
2024–25
More than a decade of charity leadership
Our CEO, James Browning, brings more than ten years of charity leadership alongside a background in hospitality management. Our wider leadership combines community-service development, commercial operations, safeguarding and qualified financial expertise. We understand how to turn an idea into an affordable service and an operation that can sustain it.
A track record beyond one building
Our experience includes developing West Faversham's community programme and operating Herne Centre and Aylesham Welfare Leisure Centre. We have recruited and developed teams, introduced services and managed building improvements. That gives your venue experience of both establishing an operation and improving it as needs change.
Training that continues throughout a career
A well-trained team.
Kept ready for the job.
Your board gains an established training and development programme, backed by people who deliver it and support staff in practice. Building that breadth of training around a single venue takes time and specialist capacity. We bring it with us.
A safe start
Induction covers the role, safeguarding, safety and the way our charity works. Staff learn the procedures they need to use and the support available when something needs attention.
Skills kept current
Continuing professional development (CPD), refresher training and updates keep knowledge current as services, policies and practice change. Managers use personal development reviews to identify the next learning each person needs.
An annual training day
Our annual team training day gives staff dedicated time to refresh essential learning, work through practical situations and reconnect with our community purpose. It sits alongside the training and updates delivered throughout the year.
Developing the next generation of leaders
A career pathway
with substance.
We develop tomorrow’s managers while they are working in today’s team. Personal development reviews identify strengths, training needs and the next responsibilities a person is ready to take on. Our pathway combines workbooks, practical tasks, coaching and evidence of skills in use. Progression follows demonstrated competence and available roles.
A confident start
Day-one induction, role training and e-learning build the foundations in safety, safeguarding and service. Staff learn what is expected, how to raise a concern and where to get help.
Service and team leadership
A service leadership workbook develops the skills to lead colleagues, organise a safe shift and deliver a good experience. New leaders take responsibility for a team or service with guidance from an experienced senior leader.
Duty management
The Duty Manager Pack builds on team leadership with training in first aid, safeguarding, food safety and people management. Staff develop the judgement to deal with complaints, resolve problems and manage the wider operation during a shift.
Heads of service and senior leadership
A detailed leadership portfolio covers Inspiring People, Understanding the Wider Business, Developing and Delivering the Offer, and Being Safe and Compliant. Practical work and a business project demonstrate how the learning is applied before greater responsibility is taken on.
Director-level development
A further director development route deepens the skills needed to lead a substantial area of the charity, bringing together people, service quality, resources and longer-term planning.
Learning demonstrated in real work
Our safety and compliance portfolio includes reviewing a policy, preparing a safeguarding update with the safeguarding team, delivering part of a training session, and reviewing incidents and near misses. Managers review and sign off the work: the learning has to make a difference in practice.
Experienced staff developing others
Coaching and trainer routes allow skilled team members to share their knowledge and help colleagues improve, even when they do not want a management role. The centre keeps that experience and develops more people able to pass it on.
Confidence today. Continuity for the future.
Your community benefits from staff who are supported to do their jobs well, with future leaders developing alongside them. That gives the centre a stronger base for growth, changes in staffing and, where agreed, a planned handover to local management.
A corporate commitment to local people
“Employing, developing and retaining local people to deliver high quality and safe service.”
Careers within the community.
We put that aim into practice through local recruitment, structured induction and opportunities to develop. People gain a career within their community, and the centre retains staff who know its residents and care about its future.
How we develop trustee confidence and skills
Workforce figures relate to 2024–25, rather than a current headcount. WFCA accounts and reporting. The pathway reflects our staff training and leadership development materials. Progression depends on demonstrated skills and available roles.
Bring our experience to your venue
Email our team about your venue · 01795 537321