Lead Yourself First; You will Lead your Life, Health, Business, Career, & Community with Ease
This Level 3 accredited course enables you to gain command over your own life first, before supporting you to find, and set up, a career, study, or new business that will have you feeling resilient and being purposeful in no time!

Course Aims
The Self-Leadership programme includes a Level 3 accredited course, and aims to support those who are seeking purposeful occupation, such as part or full time employment; Study/Training; Setting up a small business, to:
- find and follow a career path
- set up a small business
- follow a course of study
- overcome barriers to the above
- regain confidence in their ability to gain or regain work following the effects from the global pandemic
- improve emotional/mental wellness that might be getting in the way of being purposeful
When
Where
What Next
The first cohort of the programme will start week beginning 21st June 2021
We will be running 4 cohorts in total starting every 12 weeks until June 2022
The programmes will be run online via zoom
- Read all of the information below and contact us if you have any queries or questions
- Complete a registration form by pressing the ‘registration form’ button on this page, downloading, and sending to us
- Have an initial chat with us to talk through next steps and confirm acceptance on the programme
Funded Places
We are delighted to be able to offer a number of fully funded places, thanks to funding from the European Social Fund (ESF); the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA); and the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership (SEMLEP)
These places are for people living in Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton (ie all Bedfordshire regions).
In order to be eligible for a place, you must be able to provide evidence that you live in Bedfordshire/Luton; that you are currently ‘economically inactive’ that is, that you can prove you are not earning any income from work (you may be supported by a partner or relative or be in receipt of benefits, for example); and that you are legally allowed to live and work in the UK.
You will also be expected, encouraged, and supported, to gain part/full time employment, set up a small business; follow a course of study; or gain contract work, by the end of the full project.

Please download and complete a registration form and email it back to us at : contact@alfcic.org
We will call you for an initial chat on the telephone or via zoom and take things from there. We look forward to meeting you.
NB If you are not eligible for a fully funded place, as per above, you may still be able to gain a subsidised place on the programme, through ALF – please contact us for more information at: contact@alfcic.org




Course Information
At ALF, we know that people are happier and healthier when they are purposeful, and it is one of our core aims to support people to overcome the emotional and practical barriers to becoming purposeful.
We have been running resilience programmes for a number of years and we have now combined the resilience model with our enterprise support, to help people tackle their personal and professional futures at the same time.
Many people are finding themselves dealing with emotional challenges, perhaps for the first time, in the wake of the pandemic, which may have caused new challenges or exacerbated existing ones. In addition, many people have lost jobs or businesses and may need some additional support to either gain or regain, what we call, purposeful occupation.
Course Content
The course consists of 6 core units and 2 elective units. All students must complete the core units and then chose one of the elective units – if you are unsure, you are welcome to take both elective units.
Essential needs & the era model
You will learn about Emotional Resilience, identify unmet needs & begin to consider solutions to core life challenges that may be holding you back.
purposeful health
You will learn how finding and becoming purposeful will not only improve health, but is vital to it, and also increased plays an important role in increasing motivation
identifying & calming stress & trauma
You will identify how various forms of stress affect us all, how it affects yourself, and learn tools/techniques to calm it. If needed you will have access to trauma resolution sessions.
facing change & taking responsibility
You will learn the basic elements of peer support – SHAPE – gain understanding of the change process, where you are, where you are going, and how to get there
making the past, present, & future support you
You will learn a process for clarifying your personal story (your past & present situations) so that it healthily supports your goals and aspirations
creating a vision for your life
You will complete a Healthy Intentions to Action Plan (HITAP) & use it to imagine your life vision & see yourself as a successful & purposeful contributor in the world
Elective Unit 1 - for setting up a small business
You will learn the basic skills and information needed to set up your small business from scratch, fully supported by experienced business owners and coaches
elective unit 2 - for planning your career or study path
You will plan for your career by clarifying what you want for your career, planning for study, if necessary, fully supported by people who have employed staff for their own businesses
Programme Structure
The Main Programme is 12 weeks long as follows:
- Core Course – 6 weeks – 2 x 1.5 hours per week (one session teaching, one session discussion/ Q&A)
- Elective Units – 2 weeks – 2 x 1.5 hours per week (one session teaching, one session discussion/ Q&A)
- Supporting Weeks – 4 weeks – during these weeks you will continue to attend a weekly peer group in which you will be supported to compete your coursework.
- You will receive one to one peer coaching, business/career coaching, and trauma resolution therapy, if necessary.
- You may remain in the peer group for as long as you want to, after the 12 weeks are over.

Support from us
course tutors
Your course is taught by qualified teachers who are also experts in their fields of psychology, counselling, peer support, coaching, careers support, business and finance who will equip you with the knowledge & skills necessary to move forwards
Peer support
You will have access to an ongoing peer support group led by experienced facilitators who have lived experience of life challenges, as well as professional expertise in psychology, counselling, and peer coaching
Business/career coaching
In the second half of the programme you will receive one to one business or career coaching, depending on which route you choose to follow. We are privileged to have staff who have been leaders in business from large blue chip corporations to small community based organisations
Peer Coaching
In the second half of the programme you will receive one to one peer coaching with an experienced peer coach who will help you to progress your life goals
Counselling
You will have access to a specialist trauma therapist who will provide some sessions of counselling if it is deemed that trauma is a factor that has affected your ability to gain or retain purposeful occupation in your life

Contact Us
Please do contact us if you want to chat this all through. We are friendly and approachable and can help you to decide which path is best for you at this time. We look forward to hearing from you!
contact@alfcic.org
Emma : 07791 520388/ Keith: 07834 655171