CPIL to be piloted in October

In our summer edition of the Community Leader Online, we asked you to tell us “What differences make a difference in your community?” A significant number of you responded that the largest concern was economic differences (see chart), which create barriers to building and sustaining a healthy community.

Communities both large and small are faced with the challenges created from economic differences. In 2006, the leadership team began working with the Grand Rapids area to develop a leadership program that builds leadership capacity to increase access to goods, services and opportunities to those in poverty. The program is titled “Community Partners in Leadership.” CPIL is designed to enhance the following:

• Increase the ability of participants to access networks across economic status.
• Deepen participant understanding of the challenges and opportunities present to those of differing economic status.
• Be able to organize a focused community effort to increase access to goods and services for those in poverty.

CPIL will be piloted in October 2007, in partnership with the Grand Rapids community. CPIL opens up a new leadership opportunity for all of our alumni communities. We are currently looking for communities that may be interested in taking part in the CPIL program for 2008. If you think your community could benefit from building leadership capacity around the issue of economic difference, please call Malissa Bahr at 877-882-2257 or Email Malissa.