Is the program right for me?

The ideal Leadership Victoria program participant is a person who demonstrates

• creativity and innovation
• initiative and integrity
• a strong sense of community
• an ability to collaborate with others and build relationships
• a commitment and willingness to serve others
• strong interpersonal skills
• good communication skills

You must also have the time. Full attendance in the program is vital. It is essential that both you and your employer understand and honour the commitment required. Approximately 12-15 full days of program time over nine months is needed to complete the curriculum. In addition, participants must be able to make the time to complete all assignments and to participate fully in a team project.

Is the program right for my organization? Why Community Leadership? 

Employers often ask, “Why does it make sense for me to train my employees in community leadership? After all, we are not a community organization. What difference will this make for us?”

It’s a good question for which we believe there is a very good answer. We call it “Leadership Plus,” and it is the direct result of the intense experiential learning in the community context that our participants receive. Leadership Plus has five parts, all of them relevant to leadership in any organizations

Leadership plus one — skills: First, Leadership Victoria program participants get an exceptional grounding in fundamental leadership skills common to all organizations. They learn how to build and lead teams, inspire others, articulate a motivating project vision, negotiate partnerships, and define the path to success, to take just a few examples. And because their skills are developed in learning by doing, their knowledge is hands-on, not just theoretical.

Leadership plus two — collaboration: Through their Community Action Projects, our program participants develop the ability to manage and lead collaboration — within teams, between organizations, and sometimes even between sectors.

Leadership plus three — innovation: Again through Community Action Projects, Leadership Victoria learners hone their abilities to conceive and implement innovative solutions to difficult problems in a hands-on, directly practical learning situation, with real partners expecting real outcomes.

Leadership plus four — community awareness: The challenges facing our community affect all organizations, not just community groups. More and more even businesses must learn to effectively mange their role within the communities that sustain them. Leadership Victoria learners develop a solid grounding in community systems that will help any organization in managing their community relations.

Leadership plus five — confidence: More than anything Leadership Victoria learners, through practical hands-on experience, develop the deep confidence they need to imagine, plan, and follow through on innovative ideas and projects decisively and energetically.

What organization does not need employees like this? And how any leadership training programs can claim to deliver so much?