Citizen Leadership Toolkit

We know there is a need for citizens to be empowered to own their personal health and wellbeing, and it is important to build capacity in communities to shape the future together.

The Citizen Leadership programme supports participants to:

  • Grow in confidence as citizen leaders in order to effectively engage with key health and social care decision makers
  • Develop their communication skills enabling them to effectively engage with decision makers on behalf of themselves and others.
  • Have the opportunity to share their lived experiences
  • Explore the possibility of becoming members of decision making bodies and engage in the development of public services

Our Citizen Leadership toolkit has been designed to enable organisations and communities to access the Citizen Leadership programme content and learning materials. It will support you to deliver the programme within your own locality and across a range of different citizen groups.  Using the toolkit and resources, the programme can be delivered face to face or virtually.  

Inside the Toolkit

The below diagram showcases the materials inside each resource pack:

Download the Toolkit

The Citizen Leadership Toolkit is a free resource and each part of the resource pack can be downloaded below.

The Citizen Leadership Playbook includes all the session plans needed to run a Citizen Leadership programme. The simplicity of the book enables people with no facilitation experience to lead the sessions. However, good communication skills are essential. The activities are adaptable and can be changed to suit different groups.

Download the Playbook

Download the ‘365 days of Citizen Leadership’ Calendar

Download the Resource Pack Roadmap

The Citizen Leadership Facilitator Pack is designed to be simple to follow and should be used to support anyone who wants to run the programme. It is split into three key sections: Before you get started; During the programme; After the programme. Each section takes you through the things we know are important when running a Citizen Leadership Programme and provides you with checklists and resource links. 


Download the Facilitator Pack

The Facilitating Virtual Citizen Leadership Programmes – A Toolkit for Facilitators has been prepared as a companion resource to support the virtual delivery of the Citizen Leadership programme. This toolkit explores how to design your programme with the community whilst not being able to physically get together. What to consider before running your programme, how to recruit to your programme virtually and when running your programme; the art of hosting virtually, how to increase psychological safety in virtual spaces and how to design activities to maximise engagement. This toolkit is intended to be used alongside the other resources and we recommend utilising all the resources together to ensure you have access to all the great ideas and tips in these that can help you create your best programme virtually.


Download the Virtual Facilitation Pack

The Promotion Pack will support anyone who is running the NHS North West Leadership Academy Citizen Leadership Programme to empower people. We’ve created a step by-step guide to promoting your programme, with a range of supporting resources and materials to help you every step of the way.  


Download the Promotional Pack

Supporting Resources