Ambassadors: Year One - a quick look back (and forward)

All the ambassadors are meeting up next week to look back (briefly) at year one, and to concentrate on the concrete tasks to move year two (and three) forward. From a partner organisation's point of view, it's been a year of learning and evolving...and of outcomes we hadn't expected.

What's been interesting to me is that the programme has unfolded a little like a School for Social Entrepreneurs programme: the ambassadors get out what they (and the partners) put in; success looks different for different people; some outcomes are what you hoped and some are unintended; the cohort helps shape and design the programme (depending on their needs, skills, interests, areas of work etc)...and so on.

Generally, I think the programme has achieved much of what was hoped: creating a set of different and diverse ambassadors, who can promote and act as role models for the movement; ambassadors are authentic, credible practitioners; speaking opportunities to particular audiences in train (more to come here); utilise media  + existing networks....and so on.

There are some great examples of this. Who would have thought, a year ago, that Craig Dearden-Phillips would be profiled in the FT, that Ken Orchard would be on Working Lunch, or that Kresse Wessling would be the British Library's social entrepreneur advisor?

There is much more to do, of course, and the programme is shaping up well for the subsequent two years with some focused campaigns (starting with More for Your Money) and some targeting of specific audiences slotting into place. Also, relationships and networks between the ambassadors are starting to build, and I think that will begin to dividend in new initiatives and co-created projects as the next two years increase.

So, a brief pat on everyone's back; now let's plough on and spread the word.