Ricardo Fonseca, President of Myos – the National Association against Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Portugal) and member of the board of ENFA, participated in the EPF Capacity Building Module on Empowering Leadership and Positive Governance, organised by the European Patient’s Forum, in 2019.
This training lasted 6 months and two face-to-face meetings were held (initial meeting to start the training and final meeting to conclude it), and in the months between the two face-to-face meetings, the participants had the support to carry out their project, through online coaching sessions. According to Ricardo, this training was one of the best and most important trainings he has participated in so far, as it was a month of great learning, where he acquired a lot of knowledge and used several tools that helped him to transform his leadership and the way in which he can work with all those involved in his association (patients, members, management, partners, volunteers, among others). Ricardo recommends this training to all leaders of patient organisations, as they will acquire knowledge that will help transform the way they work and lead, as well as helping in the transformation of organisations (their way of working, the way they communicate with their partners, the way they deal with all members of the association), in order to do their work in a more effective, efficient and positive way. Transformed leaders are needed to transform the mission of their association, to be the best representatives of the patients they represent, to improve their quality of life, to be listened to in the most diverse contexts of their lives.