LeadershipPlenty

What is LeadershipPlenty?

The LeadershipPlenty program is a tool to help people work with others to solve problems in their communities. This program offers ten enjoyable, interactive sessions which will equip participants with key skills needed for community problem solving.

How was LeadershipPlenty developed?

LeadershipPlenty grew out of an ambitious experiment to broaden and deepen community leadership in cities throughout the nation. In 1997, the pew partnership for Civic Change launched a national leadership development program in 10 cities to identify and equip citizens from all aspects of the community to assume a greater role in civic problem solving. The Pew Partnership actively recruited people who did not consider themselves “leaders” but were already active in their communities and in groups that traditionally had been underrepresented in community decision-making.

For three years, the Pew Partnership worked closely with these communities to recruit and train 600 emerging leaders. LeadershipPlenty is based on the lessons learned from studying how citizens in these diverse communities worked together and took action on tough issues.

LeadershipPlenty Mississippi

In January 2003, the Pew Partnership for Civic Change chose Mississippi as the first state in the nation to implement the LeadershipPlenty training program on a statewide level. Twenty-tow Mississippi community organizations, including the Mississippi State University Extension Service, were selected to participate. Since then, a growing number of citizens have joined this effort as well.

Module content

The 10 sessions of LeadershipPlenty cover these topics:

• Finding leaders
• Identifying community assets
• Managing groups effectively
• Making meetings more productive
• Managing conflict
• Building strategic partnerships
• Moving from talk to action
• Valuing evaluation
• Communicating for change
• Facing the challenges of racism and race relations

What is involved?

A typical group will have 15 to 25 participants and will be led by a trained facilitator. LeadershipPlenty trainings are adaptable to local community needs and participant schedules. Each of the 10 modules is from three to five hours in length, except for the 8-hour practicum session on the challenges of racism and race relations. All sessions are interactive, encouraging discussion and offering opportunities to apply the learning to real community issues.

Who can participate?

The program is designed for people of all ages, backgrounds. And occupations. LeadershipPlenty participants should include representatives from a wide array of organizations, including civic and volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, religious organizations, educational institutions, regional planning groups, health care coalitions, social services agencies, and concerned citizens.

What will it cost?

This program is inexpensive considering the intensity and duration of the training. Mississippi State University Extension Service provides facilitators free of charge. A small fee of $25 per participant covers the cost of program materials for the entire program. Other local expenses such as food and/or facility rental fees may result in additional costs.

Pew Partnership for Civic Change

For more information, contact:

Community Resource Development
Box 9651
Mississippi State, MS 39762
Phone: 662-325-3144
Fax: 662-325-8954
E-mail: crd@ext.msstate.edu
Or contact your local county Extension office