Solace

Solace (The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and Senior Managers – Solace Group Ltd) is the UK’s leading membership network for public sector and local government professionals, representing more than 1,600 senior leaders across the country. Through its role as an approved apprenticeship training provider, Solace delivers leadership and management apprenticeships that are tailored to a local government and wider public sector context. According to the Department for Education’s Find Apprenticeship Training service, Solace has been an approved provider since 2017 and is rated “Good” by Ofsted. Its apprenticeship offer currently focuses on Level 5 Coaching Professional and Level 5 Operations or Departmental Manager standards; these programmes are delivered in cohorts, including in‑house and regional Emerging Leaders cohorts, and incorporate ILM Level 5 Diplomas in Effective Coaching and Mentoring or in Leadership and Management. Solace works with local authorities and partners in the private and not‑for‑profit sectors, aligning apprenticeship content with organisational priorities and individual development needs. Apprenticeships are designed to build leadership capability, enhance coaching practice, and strengthen the talent pipeline for critical management roles in local government and the wider public sector, with delivery models that support learners to apply their learning directly in the workplace.