S1 | Ep 1 – Catherine McLeod on propelling a local charity to the national stage.

In this week’s episode, I was joined by Catherine McLeod, CEO of Dingley’s Promise - a charity that support children in the early years with special educational needs and disabilities to achieve their full potential.

Have you ever dreamed of transforming your local charity into a national force for good? In this episode of the Charity Changemakers Podcast, Adam Stacey sits down with Catherine McLeod, CEO of Dingley's Promise.

Catherine shares her remarkable story, from founding a charity in Asia to leading Dingley's Promise on a mission to revolutionise early years support for children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).

Catherine discusses the challenges she faced in the early days at Dingley’s Promise and the mindset change needed to focus on inclusion.

Catherine also talks about the importance of bringing people along on the journey of change and the growth and impact of Dingley's Promise over the years.
Catherine reflects on the importance of embracing change and involving stakeholders in decision-making. She discusses how Dingley's Promise adapted during the pandemic, expanding their training programs and opening new centres.

The organisation's reputation as experts in early years SEND has led to increased support and funding. Catherine emphasises the need to maintain the organisation's culture and values as they continue to grow.
She also highlights the importance of having a supportive senior leadership team and a business coach for guidance and perspective.

In this episode Catherine talks about how she has been able to grow Dingley’s Promise from a small local charity, to one that is now influencing national policy and expanding its services across the country.

If you would like to know more about how she executes on a daily basis then feel free to reach out to her directly on LinkedIn!
Chapters

00:00 Journey into the Charity Sector

15:14 Challenges of Transitioning Back to the UK

26:51 Involving the Team in Strategy Development

28:10 The Impact of the Pandemic on Organisational Adaptation

32:09 Organisational Growth and Board Relationships

36:57 The Role of Peer Support and Coaching in Leadership

49:09 Career Advice: The Value of Listening and Openness