DCG Success Stories

Furthering her management qualifications remotely via Derby College Group was a good move for Leanne Brice, Joint CEO of North East Derbyshire Citizens Advice. 

Leanne, who was promoted to her post while on her DCG course, took the ILM level 5 Operational Management Diploma with Apprenticeship Standards. 

She said: “I enjoyed the assignments and portfolio building. A lot of what we were taught about management came naturally to me, but I found learning the theory behind it and how to put what we’d learnt into context really useful.” 

Leanne, who got a distinction for her course project, joined Citizens Advice as a volunteer adviser nearly 20 years ago and has gradually worked her way up the organisation to CEO. 

A former nurse, she holds several professional qualifications and is used to academic study but still found the End Point Assessment quite challenging.  

She added: “I wasn’t expecting it to be quite that tough, although I have heard people with master’s degrees say it can be hard going.  

“I had a good assessor though and she helped get me through it – I didn’t miss any deadlines. I had to juggle studying with work and home life too; my youngest child is only six. 

“I’m a morning person – I work best earlier in the day – so there were plenty of 5am starts. 

“I’d definitely recommend my DCG course and I’m now considering taking the level 7 in strategic management to progress my career.” 

In her demanding CEO role Leanne jointly heads up a team of 26 staff and 20 volunteers.

The Clay Cross-based Citizens Advice North East Derbyshire office handles around 6000 enquiries a year, and supports people with issues around debt, benefits, immigration, housing, employment law, consumer, energy and legal matters.

Due to the cost-of-living crisis Leanne and her team have seen enquiry numbers grow by 118% over the past 12 months.