Empowering Place
The Role of Women’s Leadership in Driving Regional Development through the Leeds, UK, #WECAN Project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18060/29461Keywords:
Leeds Beckett University, women’s leadership, community engagement, regional development, leadership development, anchor institutionsAbstract
Leeds Beckett University is a member of the Leeds Anchor Network, the most prominent anchor network in the UK. The #WECAN (Women Empowered through Coaching and Networking) project highlights the transformative power of place-based interventions by advancing women’s leadership and breaking systemic barriers across the Leeds City Region. Through fully funded training, accredited leadership qualifications, and structured networking opportunities, #WECAN empowered a significant number of women from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), charities, and social enterprises to strengthen their leadership capabilities, navigate social, cultural and economic challenges and thereby catalyse regional growth. To ensure that #WECAN’s impact extended beyond that of a standard training and support programme, the initiative incorporated a structured research component that included an onboarding diagnostic questionnaire, followed by a survey and participant observation during the interventions. This paper examines how this anchor institution-led initiative leveraged regional assets, engaged stakeholders, and enhanced socioeconomic mobility, creating a legacy of impact beyond its funded period. The analysis highlights the project’s vision, challenges, and key outcomes, including leadership resilience, SME development, and the establishment of a sustainable model for the #WECAN network.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Peter Slee, Anastasia Konstantopoulou, Lebene Soga, George Lodorfos, Martel Martel Reynolds, Costas Gabrielatos
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