Over the past two weeks my journey as a Laidlaw scholar began, in the form of the Leadership Training sessions that preceded the beginning of my research project. In all honesty, I was approaching these sessions with a lot of apprehension, not knowing what it would be like to meet my fellow scholars for the first time and to take part in these activities together. I'm delighted to say that said activities have brought myself and my cohort so much closer, and that I greatly enjoyed being able to spend this time with them. My takeaways from these sessions fall into three categories: the sense of community we've formed, the confidence I've gained in the face of tackling my own project, and the skills I've learned that are relevant to both my project and other areas of life.

Our Leadership Training began with a substantial focus on the importance of bonding as a cohort. Our first activity took the form of a comedic icebreaker in which we, in small groups, had to pitch something to everyone else: in my group's case, 'something that makes a simple process unnecessarily complicated'. After many jokes made at the expense of Microsoft Authenticator, I already felt very comfortable laughing along with people who were, until now, complete strangers. We also spent our first day devising a contract to outline how we would behave with each other, emphasising the importance of effective and respectful communication, striving to help every person feel seen and heard in their opinions and ideas. Another particular highlight was a formal dinner after a day spent at the beautiful Ushaw College, providing a perfect opportunity to chat in-depth with other scholars over delicious food in the ornate parlour.

My training has also equipped me with the skills necessary to feel confident in completing both my research project and LiA. On our second day, we received a session led by Helen Costello from the Durham Centre for Academic Development, focusing on top tips for creating and presenting our research in the form of the report and accompanying poster. Especially in the case of the poster, the advice we received on stylistic choices was incredibly helpful as this is not something I've ever done before. Our final day, led by Guy Richardson from EIGER Performance, was a perfect example of how to effectively plan an LiA project at each stage of the planning process.

All of the activities I have described so far are also very well-suited to any future projects I may wish to undertake, be they in further study or the workplace. They encompass both practical methods for tangible work outputs, and more personal skills relating to communication. We received as well a series of activities further relevant to wider areas, one of particular value being a chance to reflect on our cohesion with the Laidlaw 3Cs, exploring where both strengths and weaknesses lie. I found it especially valuable to reflect on this, and to establish what would help me to improve myself.

All in all, my experience in the Laidlaw Programme thus far has been undoubtedly worthwhile, and I'm so excited to embark on the next part of my journey: my research project.