Leadership is often spoken about in terms of growth, visibility, momentum and impact. But what does it take to keep leading when the work is emotionally demanding, under-resourced and rooted in systems that do not always move quickly?

That was the focus of a recent Network for Black Women Leaders Elevate Session with Mollin Delve, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of P.H.O.E.B.E., the only charity supporting Black and minoritised women and children fleeing domestic abuse in East Anglia. Since establishing the organisation in 2008, Mollin has led the development of a specialist women and children’s hub in Ipswich, alongside the region’s only specialist refuge and safe space for survivors of violence.

The session explored what it means to sustain purpose-driven leadership over many years. Not just how to start something, but how to protect it, grow it and remain connected to the mission through uncertainty, resistance and change.

For many Black women leaders working in social justice, community, feminist, advocacy and anti-violence spaces, the question is rarely only: How do we lead? It is also: How do we keep leading without becoming depleted?

Passion is powerful, but it is not enough

Passion may begin the work, but it cannot sustain it alone. In the early years of P.H.O.E.B.E., Mollin and others volunteered for many years before regular salaries were possible. She spoke honestly about the dedication, commitment and personal sacrifice required to build a charity from the ground up, particularly when funding is limited or inaccessible.

She was clear that passion has to be matched with structure. From the beginning, P.H.O.E.B.E. put systems in place: managing finances properly, building policies and procedures, strengthening safeguarding and ensuring the organisation could be trusted by funders, local authorities and partner agencies.

For organisations led by and for Black and minoritised women, having strong systems is not about becoming less community-rooted. It is about protecting the work, strengthening credibility and making sure the organisation can keep going.

Be part of the solution, without losing your purpose

Mollin spoke about the importance of being known within local systems. As a social worker, she understood the value of multi-agency working and built relationships with social services, local authorities, Citizens Advice and other agencies.

This was not about assimilation. It was about making sure P.H.O.E.B.E. was recognised as a vital part of the local support ecosystem.

She described the importance of being able to say to mainstream agencies: we are here, we are part of this community, we contribute and we need support. She also highlighted how specialist organisations can become a crucial bridge for women who are not being reached or understood by mainstream services.

Working with systems does not mean accepting their limitations. It can mean finding ways to influence them, challenge them and ensure women are not left outside the support they need.

“The difficult work, the work that nobody else wants to do, is what we do at P.H.O.E.B.E. We can’t be the door that we shut as well.”

Learn when to say no

Mollin spoke openly about being asked to deliver work that was underfunded, under-resourced or unrealistic. She described how local authorities and agencies can sometimes expect small organisations to deliver far more than a contract or grant can genuinely cover.

Her advice was clear: recognise when a piece of work is not viable and be willing to say no.

That can be difficult, especially when the needs are urgent. But saying yes to everything can drain staff, stretch resources and pull organisations away from their mission. For leaders carrying community-based work, this is a crucial boundary to enforce.

Build honest relationships with funders

Mollin also spoke about the importance of building strong, honest relationships with funders; being transparent when things are difficult, asking questions, communicating challenges and being clear about what is or is not possible.

In a funding landscape that often creates pressure to overpromise, this kind of honesty is a leadership strength. It requires confidence: the confidence to push back when the terms are unfair and to insist that Black and minoritised women’s organisations are not treated as symbolic partners, but as expert, essential and properly resourced organisations.

Tokenism, access and strategic presence

The discussion raised questions about tokenism and the use of small Black organisations by larger institutions.

Mollin acknowledged that tokenistic practice happens often, whether through research, meetings or invitations where Black women’s organisations are expected to provide presence without power.

But she also spoke about the complexity of deciding when to attend, when to challenge and when to use access strategically. Sometimes being in the room can build relationships, create future opportunities and help an organisation become more visible.

“I learned from that. And now I say no, and ask for us to be properly included.”

The key is to keep asking: What is in this for the community we serve? Are we being included meaningfully, or used symbolically?

Wellbeing has to be built into the work

The session also explored burnout, emotional labour and the pressure many Black women leaders carry in supporting organisations, families and communities.

Mollin spoke honestly about the toll of the work. She shared that P.H.O.E.B.E. has built wellbeing into the organisation through activities such as walking groups, Zumba, away days, shared meals and opportunities for staff to care for themselves.

This was an important reminder that wellbeing cannot be treated as an afterthought. In organisations supporting survivors of violence and trauma, the emotional weight is real. Leaders need structures that support staff, protect capacity and allow people to be human inside the work environment.

Building legacy, not just visibility

For P.H.O.E.B.E., legacy is not only about organisational growth. It is about ownership, continuity and ensuring the work can continue for future generations. Mollin spoke about the importance of having a physical space, involving young people and making sure the community sees the organisation as something that belongs to them.

The purchase of P.H.O.E.B.E.’s building was a significant moment. It gave the organisation security, visibility and the ability to shape its space around the needs of women and children.

Legacy, in this sense, is practical. It is systems, bricks, relationships, policies, trust, memory and the next generation stepping into the work.

Leadership for the long haul

Leadership for the long haul requires more than resilience in the sense of pushing through.

It requires grounding, support, boundaries, reflection, courage and a real commitment to protecting our own wellbeing as part of the work.

For Black women leaders, especially those leading work that is personal, political, emotional and often under-supported, this matters deeply.

The mission may be urgent. The needs may be endless. The systems may be slow to change. But the person carrying the work matters too.

We do not sustain the work by disappearing into it. We sustain it by building the structures, relationships and practices that allow both the mission and the people behind it to survive, grow and continue.

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