What Went Well?

Looking back over my LIA, I think that I have progressed considerably. From initially finding my feet with a new group of colleagues, place, and sector, to taking initiative and full responsibility for my work and outputs, including representing CulturePolis to different project partners. In the first week, I focused on understanding CulturePolis and the new GENESTIA initiative, which is directing the progress of the organisation, reviewing its website and beginning to learn about Erasmus+ and Horizon funding. Since then, I have been able to take on more and more independent work, including researching funding opportunities, analysing unsuccessful applications, identifying potential partners and donors, and contributing to the development of five Erasmus+ KA210 proposals for the October call.

One of the biggest changes I have noticed has been my confidence in taking initiative, and “taking the wheel”. I independently contacted over 20 potential Erasmus+ partners and received positive responses from organisations across Lithuania, Germany, the Netherlands, and Malta. I was particularly proud that I was trusted to communicate with established NGOs without needing to have every communication approved beforehand. I also went beyond what was initially asked of me by researching potential collaborators for future calls and events. 

More recently, I took the lead on revitalising the KELALP website. This required me to learn unfamiliar technical systems and gave me the opportunity to develop skills far outside my established skill set. Receiving positive feedback from a valued collaborator at CulturePoils was particularly motivating. 

Overall, I feel that I have made strong progress towards my SMART goals, as reflected in my final report. I have developed my research, communication, project management and technical skills, while gaining a much better understanding of how funding, partnerships, communications and promotion work together to support CulturePolis' wider objectives.

What Could Have Been Done Differently? 

The biggest challenge across my LiA has been learning to work at a pace that is different from what I am used to. Some of the Erasmus+ proposals progressed slowly because they depend on responses from partner organisations. This was particularly slowed down because August is a popular holiday month across Europe. At other times, technical problems with the website, newsletter, and Wi-Fi also slowed my progress, which I found quite frustrating. 

Over time, I became better at recognising that research, planning and waiting for the right information are also important parts of a project. I have also learnt that I cannot control every part of a project and that being a good leader sometimes means adapting rather than trying to force progress.

I have also found some tasks, particularly partner research, repetitive and tiring. Similarly, I was initially hesitant to contribute my own ideas because I did not feel experienced enough in the NGO and EU funding sector. I now feel much more comfortable offering my perspective while still recognising the value of the expertise of my colleagues.

Leadership Reflections (3Cs Model)

Values

The values that have been most visible throughout my LIA have been Curious, Determined, Brave and Ambitious. Curiosity was particularly important at the beginning, when I had to learn about CulturePolis, GENESTIA and a new sector that I did not have previous experience with. I have continued to be curious by researching EU funding, potential donors, AI education and different approaches to community development.

Determination was important when work progressed more slowly than I had thought, particularly whilst I was waiting for responses from partners or dealing with technical difficulties. I have also become a bit braver in taking responsibility. Contacting organisations independently and taking the lead on the KELALP website would have been much more intimidating in my first week. 

I mostly experienced tension between Fast and Good throughout the placement. I have sometimes wanted to see immediate progress, but I learnt that careful research and accurate work are more important than simply completing a task quickly.

Character

Humility, Courage, Judgment, Drive and Accountability have been particularly important to my development throughout my LiA. At the beginning of my LIA, humility meant recognising how much I did not know, and learning from colleagues who had considerably more experience in the sector and of the island. As I have become more confident, courage has increasingly meant being willing to contribute my own ideas and take responsibility for work independently.

Judgment has also become more important as my responsibilities have increased. I have had to assess which funding calls are suitable, which potential partners are relevant and when I can make decisions independently. I have learnt that taking initiative does not mean making every decision alone.

My drive has been tested by repetitive tasks, slow progress and technical problems. However, I feel that I have become better at managing these frustrations and focusing on what I can actually influence and improve. 

Capacities

The capacities I have developed most have been Research and Analysis, Communication and Influencing, Project Management, Problem-Solving and Strategy and Vision. My research skills were particularly useful when analysing funding calls, EU regulations and previous unsuccessful applications. Communication became increasingly important as I started to contact partners and work with colleagues to develop proposals.

I was most stretched by the technical aspects of my LiA. Learning to manage websites and other digital systems was outside my usual strengths. Communicating independently with organisations across Europe required a different level of confidence than academic work.

I feel that my strongest development has been in moving from simply completing tasks to understanding why those tasks matter and how they contribute to a wider organisational objective.

Ethical Engagement

One of the most important things I have learnt during my LIA is that my role is not to come into an established organisation and impose my own ideas. At the beginning, I spent a lot of time listening, learning about CulturePolis and understanding CorfuGEN before becoming more involved in its projects. This helped me appreciate the importance of working with existing knowledge and relationships rather than assuming that my perspective was necessarily the right one.

My work on KELALP has also changed how I think about impact. I initially saw the Erasmus+ proposals as the most significant outputs of my placement, but revitalising the website has shown me that a relatively small project can have a meaningful and lasting contribution. 

Overall, I have developed a greater appreciation for the importance of relationships, patience and trust in community and international development work. I have also learnt that ethical leadership can involve knowing when to lead, when to support and when simply to listen.

Adjustment & Development 

Looking beyond my LIA, I think the main area I need to develop is my confidence in taking my own ideas forward. I have become much more comfortable taking initiative during my placement, but I still sometimes question whether my perspective is valuable when I am working alongside people with considerably more experience. I want to carry the confidence I have developed into my future academic and professional work.

I also want to continue developing my Strategy and Vision capacity. My work with CulturePolis has shown me the importance of looking beyond the task immediately in front of me and understanding how individual actions contribute to a wider objective. 

Finally, I want to become better at managing uncertainty and maintaining motivation when progress is slower than expected. My experience with the Erasmus+ proposals showed me that I cannot always control the pace at which other people respond or projects develop. Going forward, I want to become more comfortable with this uncertainty and focus my energy on the things that I can influence.