Case Study: How Citizens Advice Rotherham is strengthening leadership with CMI Level 5 and NLT

    “CMI is the gold standard. It represents the highest standard in leadership training and, for us, the opportunity for managers to pursue Chartered Manager status was incredibly important. NLT made that gold standard accessible, personal and relevant to our local mission.” Mel Craw, Citizens Advice Rotherham

As demand for advice services continues to rise, charities are under increasing pressure to deliver more, with limited resources, while maintaining quality, consistency and strong leadership.

For organisations like Citizens Advice Rotherham, investing in management capability is no longer optional; it is central to sustaining impact and supporting both staff and volunteers.

Rotherham Citizens Advice supports around 15,000 people each year, helping them navigate more than 40,000 issues across areas including debt, housing, employment and benefits.

With a team of 38 staff and 40 volunteers, effective leadership is critical to ensuring services remain responsive, resilient and people-focused.

As part of its commitment to strengthening its management culture, the charity has enrolled six managers onto the Level 5 CMI Diploma with NLT Training Services.

At the start of their CMI journey, we spoke to Director Mel Craw about the drivers behind the investment, the challenges facing the organisation, and how developing leadership capability through CMI aligns with its long-term people strategy.

What prompted the decision to invest in leadership training now?

Over recent years we realised we were sometimes slipping into the classic trap of developing ‘accidental managers’; brilliant frontline staff who, at times,found themselves promoted without structured leadership support. This had created a reactive culture focused on immediate pressures rather than strategic planning. Staff surveys also revealed that some team members didn’t feel as supported as they had, so strengthening leadership capability became essential.

Why is CMI the right qualification for your managers?

CMI represents the highest standard in leadership training and, for us, the opportunity for managers to pursue Chartered Manager status was incredibly important. We chose CMI because it is the gold standard. Its emphasis on ethical, values‑driven leadership aligns perfectly with our organisational culture.

Why choose NLT as your training provider?

We chose CMI because it is the gold standard, but we chose NLT because they made that gold standard accessible, personal and relevant to our local mission.  We wanted a training partner, not a call centre or a faceless online system. NLT offered practical, hands‑on delivery which included offered face‑to‑face workshops. It was really important to us that our managers learnt as a cohort. Working together helps them understand each other better and adapt communication styles to their teams’ needs. We’re already seeing ‘process-focused’ managers starting to build warmer, more personal connections with staff because they now understand personality differences.

How does this programme support your long‑term people strategy?

We’re in the final year of a three‑year strategy that has transformed our organisation. Staff turnover has dropped from more than 50% to 20%, and sickness levels have reduced from 15% to 2%. CMI is the final piece in the puzzle. It embeds a shared language of leadership, encourages reflection, and supports managers in balancing performance with wellbeing.

What early impact have you seen on your managers since starting the programme?

Even after one assignment our managers are showing more self‑awareness, better understanding of team dynamics and more effective delegation. They are stepping away from micromanagement and recognising that leadership is not about doing everything themselves but enabling others to thrive.

How have you structured the timeframe for managers to complete the Level 5 qualification, and why have you taken that approach?

Because of various learning styles and personal commitments, we’ve allowed up to three years for the managers to complete CMI level 5. We know that some managers will do it sooner, around 12 months, while some may require the full three years.

How will the programme be supported and monitored to ensure long-term impact and progression for your managers?

NLT will be checking in regularly with us and delivering the workshops which will evaluate progress on an ongoing basis. This will ensure learning is embedded with our managers.

Longer term, we hope several will progress to Chartered Manager status, strengthening the organisation even further.

Discover more

We’ll be following the progress of Rotherham Citizens Advice on their CMI journey and catching up with them regularly. Make sure you follow NLT on LinkedIn and Facebook for updates, or fill in the form and subscribe to our newsletter here.

To learn more about NLT can help you incorporate CMI’s industry-recognised Leadership and Management courses into your organisation or career, call Sarah Temperton on 0333 8803540 or contact us here.