Beacon Changemakers was founded in 2009 and nurtures exceptional young leaders across Eastern and Southern Africa. The initiative identifies high-potential students and supports them through high-quality education at leading UK universities. Each scholar follows a structured, multi-year ARLLS curriculum within a wider Beacon programme which includes mentoring, community service and self-efficacy development. The full programme is designed to shape scholars into ethical, committed and community-driven leaders who can progress into leading UK universities, excel academically and build the mindset to eventually return and drive change in their home communities.
Why They Use ARLLS
Transitioning into university brings a new set of leadership challenges: Scholars must manage independent living, navigate new academic cultures, collaborate with unfamiliar peers, and maintain wellbeing under pressure. ARLLS provides a leadership-learning solution that:
- Provides a structured and measurable leadership curriculum that supports Scholars’ development
- Equips learners with practical skills for university-level communication, teamwork, resilience and personal effectiveness
- Fits flexibly around demanding timetables, extracurricular involvement and service commitments
- Helps them apply leadership concepts directly to university tutorials, group work, presentations, society roles, community engagement and ultimately early work placements / professional environments.
What ARLLS Delivers
- Gold-Level Digital Modules: Scholars complete a suite of ARLLS Gold-level online lessons, each blending online lessons, quizzes, applied scenarios and structured reflections to help learners transfer leadership concepts into their everyday and academic settings
- Live Facilitated Workshops: Every module includes a live workshop delivered by ARLLS facilitators, where learners practise new behaviours through discussion, role-play and collaborative exercises. Facilitators provide tailored coaching and feedback, supporting scholars as they adapt ARLLS frameworks to real-life challenges.
- A Structured Leadership Curriculum Across the University Journey: Scholars complete ARLLS modules throughout their three or four-year degree programme, alongside academic study and service commitments. This steady progression enables them to revisit concepts with growing maturity, embed learning through lived experience and build a strong personal leadership identity as they prepare for internships, further study and early career opportunities.
- The Learning Pillar within the Beacon Model: ARLLS provides the structured curriculum that underpins a broader Beacon journey which includes additional pillars of Mentoring, Citizenship Service and Self-Efficacy Development. ARLLS supplies the research-informed leadership content, shared language and practical frameworks that strengthen those wider conversations and experiences, equipping scholars with the foundational skills and reflective insights that make the other three pillars more meaningful and effective.
Impact & Outcomes
The outcomes below are drawn from learner voice rather than self-reported claims by the programme team. Evidence was gathered through structured reflections completed by Beacon school students throughout their participation in ARLLS and synthesised through thematic analysis of 1,100 learner feedback comments.
- Stronger communication and influence. Learners describe becoming more intentional communicators across writing, speaking, and presenting. Common themes include structuring messages clearly, tailoring to audience needs, using techniques such as open questions and active listening, and improving delivery through tone, pace, and confidence. Many also reference practical transfer into academic presentations, interviews, networking, and team settings, including clearer email writing and more persuasive conclusions.
- More effective teamwork and collaborative leadership. Feedback repeatedly points to improved capability to work in teams, especially understanding group dynamics, clarifying roles, and building trust early. Learners describe applying frameworks such as team roles and team development stages, shifting leadership style to fit context, and creating conditions for productive collaboration. Several reflections highlight greater confidence contributing ideas, facilitating quieter voices, and balancing autonomy with coordination to improve team outcomes under time pressure.
- Better feedback, coaching, and mentoring practice. Learners report greater skill in giving and receiving feedback, using structured approaches (for example TAG and constructive “I” statements) and focusing on behaviours rather than personalities. Many describe learning to coach through questions rather than solutions, and to build trust and boundaries in coaching or mentoring relationships. Evidence includes reflections on practicing as coach and coachee, managing vulnerability, and applying these behaviours in peer support, leadership roles, and professional contexts.
- Increased capability to lead and cope with change. University learners describe clearer understanding of why people resist change and how leaders can create buy-in through early communication, stakeholder involvement, and realistic planning. Comments reference identifying “cheerleaders”, handling emotion and uncertainty, breaking change into manageable steps, and celebrating early wins. Several reflections also connect change management to personal transitions, including adjusting to university life, sustaining motivation, and responding constructively when outcomes do not go as planned.
- Stronger self-awareness and emotionally intelligent leadership. A consistent theme is leaders needing to understand themselves, manage emotions, and connect with others authentically. Learners mention reflection and journalling, balancing empathy with action, using body language and presence effectively, and recognising how “image” and first impressions shape leadership. Many describe becoming more mindful of team emotional dynamics, power behaviours, and their own triggers, with an emphasis on staying calm, fair, and prepared for difficult conversations.
- Sustaining performance through energy, resilience and purpose. Learners describe practical strategies for maintaining momentum during high-pressure periods (especially exams and deadlines), including routines, prioritisation, reframing setbacks, and seeking support. A subset of comments links resilience to meaning, values, and purpose, highlighting small consistent actions as a foundation for wellbeing and long-term performance. Reflections suggest learners are building habits that protect energy, strengthen coping capacity, and support sustained progress rather than short bursts of effort.
Learner feedback
“The lesson that impacted me the most in this course was how to repair trust and deal with conflict in teams… I learned how to recognise, manage, and leverage emotions for positive outcomes, and how EQ can turn potential conflicts into opportunities for growth and innovation.”
Student
“Going forward, I will apply these insights to foster stronger, more cohesive collaborations in both professional and personal contexts. This workshop not only equipped me with valuable strategies for building effective teams but also encouraged self-reflection on my role in team dynamics.”
Student
“This course was incredibly beneficial, equipping me with practical tools to navigate the challenges of university leadership. It improved my communication, decision-making, and conflict-resolution skills while fostering self-awareness and adaptability.”
Student
“It almost makes me excited to encounter challenging behaviour… having the proper tools makes it more manageable. Moving forward I feel ready to take on whatever challenges come my way.”
Student
“I now understand that resilience is not just about ‘bouncing back’ but about proactively building the mental and physical stamina to face challenges with clarity and calm.”
Student