Leading with purpose: scholarships for emerging talent

Not-for-profit employment services provider WISE Employment has agreed to fund 90 scholarships in the MBS Emerging Social Purpose Leaders program.

Under the arrangement, the company would become a partner of the MBS Centre for Social Purpose Organisations.

Centre director Libby Ward-Christie said the Emerging Social Purpose Leaders Program addressed the unique business needs and complex systems that social purpose organisations operate in.

“By educating emerging leaders in social purpose organisations to leverage best practice management principles to achieve sustainable social impact, we can help secure the long-term financial viability of these organisations,” she said.

“This in turn will support development of strategic leadership capability at all levels.”

Ward-Christie said collaboration between academia and industry was instrumental in producing meaningful social impact.

Along with helping to develop new NFP leaders, the funding injection will enable the Centre to undertake important research.

“This partnership brings together the business education and research acumen of MBS with WISE Employment’s not-for-profit experience in driving significant financial growth and scaling social impact," said Ward-Christie.

The first research project will be a case study on WISE Employments growth.

“Understanding the successes and challenges faced by WISE will help other social purpose organisations grow their impact in a financially sustainable way, with findings from the research used to inform future educational initiatives for the sector,” said Ward-Christie.

The group CEO of WISE Employment, Matthew Lambelle, said his own organisation and MBS shared a vision of advancing the social purpose sector to deliver a more equitable and sustainable world.

“Through this partnership, WISE is actively contributing to a future where employment, education and well-being are accessible to all.”

This includes paying for WISE employees to complete the Emerging Social Purpose Leaders Program.

“We have undergone significant growth in the past few years which has allowed us to set the standard for inclusion and innovation in the sector,” said Lambelle.

“However, it has also shown us first-hand the unique challenges our sector faces.

“By participating in MBS’s leadership programs, our people gain cutting-edge skills to drive change and inclusion that will ultimately help our communities thrive.”

Applications for the 2025 Emerging Social Purpose Leaders program are now open.