Leadership + Assets = Community Economic Advantage

The Center for a Vital Community’s flagship program, the Sheridan CiViC Project, is designed to energize community economies by helping its citizens capitalize on its assets. Relying on Blandin Foundation coaches, this leadership program is designed to build community teams that reflect the diversity of the community in which we live and to deepen understanding of community dynamics and strengthen skills for initiating and managing change.

Leaders link people and assets. Leaders create climates that engage the community around issues and values, encourage creativity, and stretch the imagination to create a future beyond the limits of what is expected. It is entrepreneurial work: Leaders define realities, establish vision, set goals, generate action, and measure progress.

The Framework
This internationally recognized program is centered on three core competencies:

1. Framing opportunities and challenges that lead to effective action;
2. Building social capital for collaboration and resource sharing; and
3. Mobilizing a critical mass of resources to achieve specific outcomes.

The Skills
This program uses highly experiential learning techniques that allow participants to apply them to their own community settings. These skills include:
• Communication that fosters understanding, efficiency, and cooperation.
• Conflict management.
• Networking that brings together people, ideas, and solutions.
• Stakeholders analysis.
• Individual leadership development planning.

The Audience
The program is designed for community teams that reflect the diversity of their community – established and emerging leaders from many walks of life, including ducators, business owners, elected officials, executives, healthcare professionals, clergy, and retirees.

Recruitment

Recruitment efforts focus on individuals who are:
• Actively involved or want to be actively involved in community life.
• Willing to engage others in ongoing efforts to develop and sustain healthy community.
• Credible and open minded.
• Connected to diverse sectors of the community.
• Risk takers and problem solvers (the entrepreneurial minded).
• Passionate and driven to identify and mobilize community assets.
• Committed to working collaboratively to promote community economic viability and assure that the benefits are widely shared.

Retreat and Workshops
The Sheridan CiViC Project is a residential retreat that involves eight days of training: a five-day residential retreat, a two-day residential workshop, and a one-day workshop, all spread out over the course of a year.

Application

Check back for the 2009 Sheridan CiViC Project application. All are encouraged to apply!