The United Congregational Church of Southern Africa at its Assembly I September 2005 agreed to the formation of a Leadership Academy whose role shall be to be a training wing of the denomination.  Subsequent to the Assembly decision the Executive Committee charged the General Secretary to engage in a process of consultation to develop the Leadership Academy concept and bring a more consolidated report to this meeting.

The objectives of the UCCSA Leadership Academy have been articulated in the following way:

a) Empower and equip the UCCSA leadership for service in Church and Society.
b) To strengthen the ministerial formation of the ordained ministers in order for there to ensure that there be a quality leadership in the church.
c) That there is provision of relevant and contextual theological and leadership development.
d) Enable the development of a ‘healing ministry’ in the UCCSA
e) The Academy to serve as an instrument of cohesion for the UCCSA.
f) Equips the church for diakonal and prophetic ministry
g) Be an instrument of research for the UCCSA

The proposed concept of the Leadership is basically that this would be denominationally wide institute.  It is envisioned that the Leadership Academy will operate along the following bases:

a) Training centres will be established in each country where the UCCSA is present.  There may be several training centres in a particular synod, depending on the size and capacity of that particular country.
b) There shall be a roving faculty, drawn from the UCCSA personnel resources and partner churches that will provide tuition and leadership to the Academy.
c) The Academy shall establish Library facilities in the different training centres.

It is believed that The Leadership Academy will be a great benefit to all the sectors of the UCCSA and beyond.  Some of those anticipated to benefit from this programme are organizations, theological students, ministers, ministers’ spouses, interns, lay leaders such as deacons and preachers, community development leaders, youth leaders, Sunday school teachers, chaplains and Adult Christian Education leaders.

The Leadership Academy will employ different educational methodologies in order to facilitate a contextual and culturally sensitive epistemology.  These will include distance education, block release courses, evening courses, seminars, and practicum.

It is proposed that the UCCSA would employ a Director for Training to establish begin the process of establishing and developing the Leadership Academy.  The role of the Director shall be to:

• Coordinate the training within the UCCSA
• Recruit staff for the Leadership Academy
• Have oversight on the development of educational materials
• Coordinate post-ordination training within the UCCSA
• Manage the Leadership Academy
• Liaise and network with partners and stakeholders of the Academy
• Be a part of the work of the Training for Ministry Committee

The Director shall include a person with the zeal for training and leadership development, theological competence, proven leadership skills, creative and initiative, and must have at least a Masters’ degree or its equivalent.

A Board shall be appointment to have oversight of the Leadership of the Academy.

The development of the Leadership Academy will be done in stages and these will include the following the following action plan:

Stage One (2007):

• Appointment of a Director
• Perform needs assessment
• Development of a Business Plan
• Identify and Develop a database of Expertise Resources
• Appointment of Initial Faculty
• Initial outline of courses (establish initial courses)
• Market the Leadership Academy
• Establish Partnerships and Networks
• Appoint a Board
• Start the Clinical Pastoral Education Course
• Continue with the Counselling and Shepherding Programme

Stage Two (2008):

• Establish and/or Consolidate Library Resources
• Emergence of Core Curriculum
• Introduce more programs
• Establish Internship Course
• Completion of Establishing Training Centres
• Exploration of options to Register the Academy
• Begin Process of Registering Students

Stage Three (2009):

• Register the Academy
• Working towards acquiring accreditation of programmes
• Initial Evaluation
• Full Functioning of the Academy
• Continuation of Objectives