W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Post

Learn the the foundational approaches of building relationships; identifying problems and stakeholders; analyzing root causes including racial, class and other systemic injustice; and nurturing community leadership and solidarity. We will explore these methods through small and large group discussion, interactive exercises, and case studies. This training is intended for staff members and community leaders who have little to no experience in community engagement and organizing.

At Leadership Howard County, in our quest to nurture effective community leadership, we recognize the significance of trust at scale. As highlighted in this thought-provoking article, metrics alone cannot cultivate trust. Instead, fostering a deeper understanding of community dynamics and complex systems through active participation at the local level is key. We aim to empower participants to engage meaningfully with their communities, fostering a sense of efficacy and trust that transcends numbers. A lot to chew on in this article: "There's something about local community engagement that really matters for the health of a democracy, and something is really getting lost there. This leads me to the question that I'm trying to figure out now: “When we institutionalize all these abstract and quantified forms of knowing and engaging in civil society, does that cause our civic or democratic muscles to atrophy?” The follow up question is: “How? And how do we get back from that?”" Can we reshape the landscape of leadership by prioritizing local involvement and empowering individuals to influence their communities positively? I surely hope so: "Prioritizing more hands-on, engaged forms of participation and accountability are essential for a vibrant civic life" #LeadershipDevelopment #TrustBuilding #CommunityEngagement #LocalInvolvement #LeadershipHowardCounty https://lnkd.in/e2rhixum

We are more than just this generation... (Open Dream's Anthem) "As Open Dreams celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, we are thrilled to reflect on a decade of empowering individuals and making positive contributions to communities worldwide. We believe in nurturing not only academic brilliance but also fostering a spirit of service and leadership within our scholar community.  As you watch this video, you'll witness stories of resilience, determination, and the transformative power of community engagement. Each passing of the phone symbolizes a journey of inspiration and growth. From empowering youth through mentorship programs to leading initiatives for social change, our scholars embody the values of excellence, compassion, and community building. " Open Dreams Educational NGO At the end of the day, we are all we need to make a change. #OpenDreams #Empowerment #CommunityEngagement #Leadership #Service #Resilience #Determination #SocialChange #Mentorship #Excellence #Compassion #DecadeofImpact #YouthEmpowerment #GlobalCommunity #10thAnniversary #KET #Kinlo

Are you looking to get students involved in community service? Start with a needs assessment and build a program that resonates with your youth. 💡 Our blog post offers practical tips to create impactful volunteer opportunities that foster leadership and a sense of belonging. Invest in your community’s future today: @CivicPlus #LocalGovernment #StateGovernment #CommunityEngagement #ResidentExperience #MakeADifference #GoodGovernment https://lnkd.in/gQ-STktN

Anyone who joins this Every Hour Counts webinar can "count" on seeing the potential impact when the professionals genuinely collaborate as colleagues with young thought leaders and co-creators. #youthleadership #intergenerational #afterschoolprograms #equityineducation #civicengagement #teens #communitybuilding #inclusion #livedexperience  #PoweredByYouthVoice #FutureOfAfterschool

Have you ever thought of how much the world needs you to make it a better place for everyone? It loudly calls upon all leaders to be part of community development efforts! Your community is waiting for you and the world needs more volunteers. Fellow leader, if you feel a deep passion for fostering positive change and empowering communities, it's a sign that community development is your field of service. It's your thing! Identify your role by assessing your commitment to social impact, empathy, and collaboration. If you find fulfillment in uplifting others, you're on the right path. Now do this to swing into action: 1. Embrace Self-awareness: Understand your strengths, values, and the specific issues you are passionate about within community development. 2. Educate Yourself: Stay informed about local challenges, socio-economic factors, and effective community-building strategies. 3. Network: Connect with like-minded individuals and organizations to amplify your impact. 4. Have Actionable Plans: Develop concrete, achievable goals that align with the community's needs. 5. Stick to Adaptability: Be open to learning, adapting strategies, and evolving as community dynamics change. By combining vision with action, you can catalyze meaningful change and inspire others to join the journey. Together, we can create communities that thrive! #CommunityDevelopment #Leadership #SocialImpact #ChangeAgents #BuildingCommunities #volunteeringopportunities #volunteersneeded

💡 It's rare to see real, authentic stewardship in 2024. 🤔 While I don't think it's necessarily wrong to lean in to stewardship activities when there are potential self serving benefits...I think it is tokenistic and lacks integrity when personal gain or exposure is a primary driver. No one would be likely to admit it, but what tools do you use to determine authentic stewardship or otherwise? Who is authenticly stewarding your region?

We are excited to announce our new board of directors! Our board members bring together extensive experience in nonprofit management, planning, and fundraising and in-depth intersectional diversity, and we’d like to introduce you to board member, Jana Luft. ... Jana Luft is a former high school special education teacher and a White mother of two girls from Oakland, California. Through her education career, Jana became aware of the challenge progressive White parents often pose to education equity. She saw how resource hoarding affects our education system and how platitudes fail unless they’re followed up by direct progressive action. Alongside her personal activism, through her career, Jana has worked in education philanthropy, research, and advocacy to support education justice and has helped develop organizational best practices to create a culture in which staff and volunteers feel seen, included, and appreciated as full human beings. ... We are immensely excited to work alongside Jana and for what we can accomplish together at this pivotal stage in our organization! Learn more about each board member on our blog https://buff.ly/48coYTb ... #IntegratedSchools #BlackandWhite #Interracial #Multiracial #Identity #CivilRightsMovement #HumanRights #AntiRacism #DeSegregation #WealthEquity #DiversityandInclusion #inclusion #community #redlining #diversity #socialjustice #socialjusticeeducation #wealthgap #local #publicschools #parenting #parent #momlife #dadlife #boymom #girlmom #schoolchoice #privateschool #publicschool #class #classism

I have been working with public libraries for a long time and currently about half of my clients are public libraries. I work with the CEOs, boards, and senior management as a leadership coach and as a facilitator for team gatherings, strategic discussions, and board development. This piece from Tommi Laitio captures what I am witnessing as the heart of leadership succession/recruitment, retainment, and growth challenges and opportunities: 📌 What is the unique role and value of the public library? In other words, what is the calling or why would I want to have a career in public library leadership? 📌 How do I show up for the success of the public library, for myself, for those around me, and for the communities we serve? 📌 How and where do I gather my resources (internally and externally), for doing this work? Public libraries are cherished community organizations with a unique role and value built on equitable access, privacy, and intellectual freedom. They are for everyone and I'm here for them. So much love for public libraries and the people who open their doors every day. 💖 #PublicLibraries #DoingLeadershipDifferently

ARE YOU STEWARDING YOUR PLACE? Stewardship is a mindset that used to predominate among Americans, Canadians, Australians, and other developed countries, but which has yielded to more self-interested consumption and self-interest. This leaves fewer community leaders—“stewards”—ready to step in when someone has a problem, fewer mentors for couples and children who need them, and fewer institutions that can organize residents to tackle common challenges. Stewardship entails leaning into place and taking responsibility for both leading and uplifting residents as well as enhancing resources so that others can use them (and not just consuming them). This requires intimate knowledge of the local landscape—everyone from local officials to religious leaders to businesspeople to senior members of the community—and a willingness to sacrifice one’s time and sometimes resources for the greater good. It means acting as investors, philanthropists, advisers, mentors, matchmakers, and participants in the countless efforts, big and small, that improve a place. Human scale is essential: we are more likely to feel a sense of obligation to others and seek to steward a place and its resources when our lives are deeply intertwined. In a country as vast as the United States (and Australia and Canada), we should aim to structure society in such a way as to give each of us—whether rich or poor, prominent or ordinary—a stake in smaller social units where we matter to the unit’s success. Smaller cities offer many more opportunities than larger places but ultimately only strong neighborhoods can achieve this. #society #placematters #leadership #neighborhoods #impactinvesting #placemaking Placemaking Education PlacemakingX Jerry Foster