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Communities of Practice starter pack

Looking to bring passionate people together to learn, collaborate and create meaningful change?

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are a powerful way to connect practitioners, leaders and changemakers around shared goals. They create opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen relationships, solve challenges collectively and drive systems change through shared leadership and action.

To help you get started, we have developed a free Communities of Practice starter pack filled with practical tools, templates and real-world guidance.

Have a copy of the pack sent straight to your inbox by completing the following form.

What's inside?

A guide for establishing a collectively led Community of Practice

Our guide provides step-by-step support to help you:

  • design and launch a successful CoP
  • build and engage your membership
  • establish governance and shared leadership approaches
  • facilitate meaningful discussions and reflective practice
  • measure impact and evaluate success
  • sustain your CoP over time.

In addition to the guide the pack includes related templates and tools to support you set up and run a CoP.

Who is it for?

This guide is designed for anyone interested in bringing people together to learn, share knowledge and create positive change, including:

  • practitioners and professionals
  • team and organisational leaders
  • project coordinators and facilitators
  • anyone passionate about fostering connection, collaboration and collective learning.

Get your free copy!

Access practical guidance to help turn your idea into a thriving community – request your Communities of Practice starter pack today.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

  • A Community of Practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common interest, challenge or area of expertise and come together regularly to learn from one another. Communities of Practice support knowledge sharing, professional development, reflective practice and collaboration, helping members improve their work and create positive change. The Emerging Minds guide explores how to establish and sustain a collectively led Community of Practice.

  • A collectively led Community of Practice is one where leadership is shared among members rather than held by a single individual or organisation. Members contribute their knowledge, experiences and perspectives to shape the direction of the group, identify priorities and influence practice. Emerging Minds developed its guide based on this approach, drawing on lessons learned through the Child Voice Community of Practice.

  • Communities of Practice help practitioners, researchers, leaders and people with lived experience learn together and build workforce capability. In children’s mental health, they can strengthen knowledge, improve collaboration across services and contribute to better outcomes for children and families through shared learning and collective action.

  • Starting a Community of Practice involves identifying a shared purpose, bringing together the right people, establishing ways of working, creating governance arrangements and planning meaningful learning activities. The Emerging Minds Communities of Practice starter pack provides practical guidance, templates and tools to support each stage of the process.

  • The free starter pack includes a step-by-step guide, Terms of Reference example, facilitation resources, planning templates and evaluation tools to help organisations establish, facilitate and sustain a Community of Practice.

  • Emerging Minds supports Communities of Practice because they create opportunities for shared learning, collaboration and collective leadership. By connecting professionals across sectors, Communities of Practice can help strengthen workforce capability and improve support for children’s mental health and wellbeing.

Request the Communities of Practice starter kit

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