Planning statewide cross-stream leadership training
Abstract
This National Service Fellows report details an effective and cost-efficient program model and leadership training curriculum called the "Leader Corps" to train national service leaders in leadership skills. The program, which was piloted in Washington state, is designed to create statewide, cross-stream collaborations; build capacity in the field by preparing service leaders to address critical needs; and provide advanced leadership training to national service leaders. Excerpted from Preparing Tomorrow's Community Leaders Today by 2000 National Service Fellow Nicole Trimble.Issue
Presently, many of the leadership training resources at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) are allocated to improve the management of programs. Just as the program managers need training, so do the program leaders. Many service leaders are lacking the critical skills needed to lead a team or an organization. There is a need for training that provides these leaders with facilitation, public speaking, team building, conflict resolution, and other necessary yet highly teachable skills.
Action
The Statewide Leader Corps, a competitive, cross-stream, statewide leadership development model, is one strategy for building leadership in communities and neighborhoods in order to sustain not only individual projects but also national service as a concept and way to serve the community. The program was created to be a collaborative effort between state commissions and CNCS state offices.
Based on the assessed needs of service leaders, the Leader Corps curriculum was developed as a two-part training. The first training is a four-day training to take place in the fall followed by a three-day training in the spring. The participants are given meaningful projects to work on during the time in between the trainings.
The participants are trained in the following four competency areas:
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Leadership, visions and community creation
- Motivation, coaching, and empowerment
- Verbal communication and public presentation
Leader Corps participants are trained to be trainers and encouraged to be training resources for their own programs and other programs needing their expertise. Structured activities and replicable training components are placed throughout the curriculum.
Participants are divided into small groups by geography at the beginning of the first training. This introduces them to the other participants serving near them. The small groups are comprised of roughly seven participants. This small number gives everybody an opportunity to speak, ask questions, and express their ideas.
Later, they self-select into a project-based group for the mid-year project and follow-up training in the spring. They form "action teams" for the mid-year projects to address critical needs in the state. During the pilot run of the program in Washington, Washington Commission for National and Community Service and the Washington State office developed a short list of critical needs in the state. From the list, the Corps developed specific projects to improve recruitment, public image of national service, and the state's InterCorps Council.
The groups used their facilitation and group decision-making skills to create goals as to what they would like to accomplish. Then, they used the "Project Planning Arrow" to develop their approach to the project. The last step of the process was for the participants to develop and commit to an "action plan."
The lead facilitators were trainers provided by the National Service Leadership Institute. They conducted the large group sessions and coached the small group facilitators. The small group facilitators were local service leaders who had participated in a CNCS leadership development program in the past. The small group facilitators served as coaches to the participants during the trainings and between the trainings while they worked on their projects.
Collaboration and relationship building were mindfully built into the curriculum through structured experiences and small group work. The format of the training allowed participants to formally and informally seek advice and technical assistance from their peers. Technical assistance and support were given during the entire program year to participants through a listserv and informal communication.
Context
Twenty-six service leaders participated in the Washington Leader Corps training. Each national service program in Washington was invited to nominate one member, preferably a team leader or second year member, who demonstrated exemplary service and leadership. Once nominated, each nominee had to complete a lengthy application and write an essay explaining why he or she wanted to participate in the Leader Corps and what they could offer the program. The full text includes a sample participant application.Citation
Trimble, Nicole. Preparing Tomorrow's Community Leaders Today. Corporation for National Service: Washington, DC. 2000.Evidence
The Leader Corps program and training were evaluated through the use of focus groups, interviews and surveys.The following are key findings of the research:- Supervisors appreciate the Leader Corps because it provides leadership development training beyond what their programs can provide.
- Service leaders gained confidence in their leadership skills and abilities due to their participation in the Leader Corps.
- Both supervisors and service leaders believed that the training provided is transferable beyond the national service experience.
- Both supervisors and service leaders agree that the Leader Corps improved project planning, facilitation, public speaking, and training skills of the participants.
- Both supervisors and service leaders agree that the Leader Corps created collaborations and partnerships between national service programs in the state of Washington.
Posted On
June 21, 2001For More Information
Resources
From The Resource Center library:
Preparing Tomorrow's Community Leaders Today
Item number: R1809