Industry: Charity / Third sector 
Client: Birmingham Hospice 
Services used: A tailored version of the CAPE Developing brilliant people managers programme 

About Birmingham Hospice

Birmingham Hospice is a compassionate, community-driven organisation with a 157-year legacy of delivering exceptional care. Every day, they support more than 1,000 people and families across the West Midlands through inpatient care, Living Well Centres, and personalised bereavement counselling. 

Following the merger of two established hospices in 2021, Birmingham Hospice has continued to grow, with over 200 staff working across two main sites and mobile services in the community. At its heart, the organisation is powered by people. Supporting those people to lead effectively is essential to providing the patient-centred care that defines the hospice’s mission. 

The challenge: leading through complexity, change and compassion

In the hospice environment, leadership isn’t easy. Managers are responsible for not only operational outcomes, but also for holding space for emotion, challenge, and complexity, often in the most difficult moments of people’s lives. 

Following their merger, Birmingham Hospice identified the need to bring together leaders from across clinical and corporate teams to create a united, confident leadership community. But many managers had stepped into their roles without formal training, and the demands of daily delivery made development hard to prioritise. 

The goal: build confident people managers who could hold meaningful conversations, about performance, collaboration, change, and care, while creating a consistent, empowering culture across the organisation. 

Our solution: a bespoke people leadership programme for the charity sector 

CAPE People Development partnered with Birmingham Hospice to co-design a leadership development programme grounded in the real-world challenges of the charity and healthcare space. 

We began by working with the executive team to define what success would look and feel like. Then we designed a tailored journey for over 40 people leaders, combining experiential learning, individual coaching, and peer-based practice. 

Key focus areas included: 

• Leading with empathy while maintaining accountability 

• Using coaching conversations to support, challenge and develop teams 

• Building confidence around performance conversations 

• Communicating across functions and facilities 

Empowering others to lead, rather than rescuing rk with someone where they as a manager have no responsibility.

What we delivered

12-month programme structure: 

• 6 interactive in-person workshops focused on practical tools and scenarios 

• 1:1 coaching for all participants (3 sessions each) to provide space for reflection and growth 

• Cross-organisational peer learning to strengthen connections across teams 

• Final 6-month phase with external charity/non-profit coaching partners, giving managers real opportunities to practise their skills beyond the safety of their own teams 

The results: a cultural shift and stronger leadership across the hospice 

Since launching the programme, Birmingham Hospice has reported a clear shift in culture and confidence, with teams more connected, leaders more resilient, and conversations more effective across the board. 

Key outcomes included: 

✅ Greater collaboration between clinical and corporate teams 
✅ Managers stepping into leadership with more courage and clarity 
✅ Improved feedback, delegation, and ownership 
✅ A reduction in “rescuing” and a rise in team empowerment 
✅ Stronger adaptability to change in a high-pressure environment 

What participants said 

“I’m challenging more and believing in myself more. My team comes to me less now, not because I’m unavailable, but because they’re learning to problem-solve first.” 

“I’m giving less advice and asking more open questions. The team is more engaged and owns the solutions.” 

“I’ve stopped trying to solve every problem. That space has allowed my team to step up.” 

The charity partner coaching conversations 

The programme’s final phase paired each Birmingham Hospice manager with an individual from another charity, creating a low-stakes environment to practise coaching and development conversations. 

The impact on external partners was powerful: 

• 77% felt more confident after the conversations 

• 85% identified new strengths and leadership skills 

• 77% strongly agreed the space helped them think and grow 

• 70% said they were extremely likely to recommend the experience 

This approach not only accelerated learning for hospice managers, it also extended CAPE’s impact to the wider not-for-profit sector. 

Why it matters in mission-driven organisations 

In purpose-led environments like healthcare and charities, managers often face high emotional demands, limited time, and growing responsibility. They want to lead well, but the pressure of “getting it right”, for their team, their service, and their patients, can feel overwhelming. 

That’s why structured, human-centred development matters. 

With the right support, your managers can: 
✅ Hold difficult conversations with care and clarity 
✅ Build confidence in their leadership voice 
✅ Create high-performing, connected teams 
✅ Reduce reactivity and increase ownership 
✅ Feel supported, not isolated, in their leadership journey 

Want to strengthen collaboration and leadership in your charity or hospice? 

Let’s explore how a tailored programme could support your people and your mission. 
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