Community Leadership Program, 4th Edition

   

It has been said that leadership is the prime force that makes positive things happen in a community. A primary goal of the Fanning Institute's Community Leadership Program (CLP) is the development of knowledgeable, skilled, committed, and action-oriented leaders. This involves bringing people together with diverse backgrounds and varying perspectives to enhance their leadership skills. There are several benefits that participants derive from community leadership programs: 1) they gain a better understanding of themselves and their role as community leaders, and 2) through the sharing of their ideas and concerns, they develop plans and strategies for implementing community betterment projects and initiatives. For ordering information please call Emily Davis at the Fanning Institute at 706-542-1108.

The 4th Edition CLP (revised 2006) curriculum provides 8 modules designed to assist participants in:

  • becoming more knowledgeable about themselves, leadership practices and their communities
  • developing skills needed to assist them in becoming stronger community leaders
  • coming together to use their newly acquired knowledge and enhanced leadership skills to address community issues, needs, problems and challenges
  • exercising leadership by engaging themselves in activities and undertaking projects to improve their communities

The core modules provided in this curriculum are:

  • Understanding Community Leadership
  • Effective Communication
  • Valuing Community Diversity
  • Group Dynamics
  • Conducting Successful Meetings
  • Group Problem Solving and Decision Making
  • Managing Conflict
  • Building Communities through Partnerships and Collaboration

Recommended Additional Sessions

   

To assist participants in learning more about their communities, the following three sessions should be included in a local program. Communities may tap local or regional resources to facilitate the program. If assistance is needed in identifying these resources, contact the Fanning Institute for suggestions.

   

Community Socio-demographic Profile

The goal of this session is to help participants learn about their community through the use of socioeconomic data. Your local cooperative extension agent can assist with this session in cooperation with the University of Georgia’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development. This session should be included early in the program because it provides a reference point for discussions throughout the program. Recommended objectives for this session are:

  1. To identify the types of data that a community leader needs to consider when making decisions.
  2. To identify sources of data and understand the meaning of data.
  3. To recognize the implications of data.
  4. To identify the comparative strengths/weaknesses of the community.
  5. To stimulate discussion of the community data and the leadership skills necessary to bring the community from “where are we now” to “where do we want to be.” These discussions can lead to identifying challenges, opportunities, partners, and resources.

   

Community Leaders Role in Local Economic Development

The goal of this session is to increase understanding and appreciation for economic development and the role of community leaders in that process.

Several resources are available to assist with this session. If a community has a professional staff leading the economic development initiatives look to this person for assistance in the development of the session. The Georgia Department of Economic Development has regional staff that can assist. Also, Fanning Institute faculty are available to facilitate a session on Economic Development. Recommended objectives for this session are:

  1. To understand what economic development is and is not
  2. To become familiar with the process and basic strategies of community economic development
  3. To access local community economic development environments
  4. To understand roles of community leaders in community economic development

   

Local Government

For local leaders to truly understand their communities they must have fundamental knowledge of local government, its function and how it is financed. Local government leaders, the Department of Community Affairs regional staff, the Georgia Municipal Association and the Georgia Association of County Commissioners are possible resources for this program. Also, Fanning Institute faculty are available to facilitate a session on local government. Recommended objectives for this session are:

  1. To understand the purposes of local governments
  2. To be able to describe the differences between county, city, and consolidated general purpose governments and special purpose governments
  3. To be able to identify governmental responses to quality of life needs
  4. To understand which governments tax for what purposes
  5. To understand the importance and necessity of cooperation among local governments

About The Curriculum

   

The Training Approach

All core modules, which have been designed to reflect knowledge of how adults learn best, are organized into five instructional segments: Getting Started; Sharing What We Know; Building on What We Know; Acting on What We Know; and Wrapping Up. A variety of instructional methods are used throughout to make the learning experience active, enjoyable, and memorable, including group discussion, role play, simulations, self-assessment, case studies, and more. The content is presented to participants gradually and in a logical way so they build new knowledge and skill on a foundation of previous understanding.

Each module is designed to occur in a 3-1/2 hour time period. This includes three instructional hours and two 15-minute breaks. Some activities can be completed in a shorter period of time if necessary and options for shortening the activity are suggested. An appendix provides alternative activities and additional focus points for the facilitator’s use.

   

Using the Facilitators Guide

In addition to offering a detailed instructional plan, the Facilitator’s Guide provides information and resources to help the facilitator better understand the topic and prepare to lead the training. Novices may want to follow the guide closely. More experienced facilitators, on the other hand, may want to use the Facilitator’s Guide as just that – a “guide” that can be adapted to local community concerns, to the particular needs of the group, or simply to reflect his or her personal creativity. This section explains standard features of the Facilitator’s Guide to help anyone get the most out of it.

   

Purpose and Overview

Each module begins with a purpose statement and an overview of the topic that emphasizes the most important issues addressed within it. By reading the overview, facilitators will be familiarized with the key instructional points to be made and the perspectives on leadership advanced by the curriculum.

   

Learner Objectives

Learner objectives are presented so that the facilitator will know what the session is designed to accomplish. Objectives are written in terms of what the participants should be able to “do” as a result of their participation. A copy of the learner objectives are included in the Participant Materials so participants, at the outset, will know what to expect and so, at the end, they can assess whether they achieved the objectives.

   

Learn More About the Topic

If facilitators want to know more about the leadership concepts presented in the module before leading the session, this section will point them toward a variety of helpful books and web sites.

   

Facilitation Guidelines

This section emphasizes the instructional process and gives an overview of how the session will unfold. The purpose of each major activity is explained so facilitators will understand how content and instructional processes interact to achieve the learning objectives. Three checklists are provided to make preparation easier: What you will need; Prepare Ahead of Time; and Participant Materials.

   

Session at a Glance

This table gives a “birds eye view” of the session emphasizing the time allotted for each major segment and breaks.

   

Participant Materials

Each participant should be provided a copy of the participant materials which contains worksheets and other information referred to as the module is taught. In some modules, there is also participant handouts included in the appendix of the facilitator’s guide. Make note of this as you prepare to teach the various modules.

   

A Note About Evaluation

The facilitator guides section on evaluation contains a suggested format for consistent, simple evaluation of each module. Your local program coordinator is responsible for the distribution and collection of these. Evaluation forms are also included. Each participant should complete the form following the final program. The Fanning Institute welcomes you as a partner and volunteer faculty member in the development of leaders throughout Georgia. Please share your suggestions, insights, and results with us so that together we can better serve others.