The names of the 18 successful applicants to win a place on the 2013 Clore Social Leadership Programme have been announced today. The appointment takes the number of Clore Social Fellows to a total of 65.

The new Fellows will join the unique, personalised leadership development programme, described as ‘transformational’ by existing Fellows. Amongst the recruits, and for the first time this year, are aspiring leaders working internationally for UK-based organisations.

Rachael Smith has been named the 2013 Gulbenkian Fellow, succeeding  Gulbenkian Fellows  Omar Khan (2012)  and Mark Richardson (2011). Rachael has worked for Crisis, the national charity for single homeless people, striving to transform their lives through developing innovative engagement, education and employment programmes. She became Deputy Head of Crisis Christmas project in 2011, successfully delivering a range of holistic services to over 3000 homeless and vulnerably housed adults across nine London based temporary centres in her first year.

The new cohort will begin the programme in January 2013 and complete it over 12 or 24 months, on a full or part-time basis. During this time the Fellows will attend residential courses, experience coaching and mentoring, undertake an extended secondment and a practice-based research project, as well as engage in action learning sets and other opportunities for training and focused reflection.