LeadershipPlenty West Virginia

What is LeadershipPlenty?

LeadershipPlenty West Virginia is a tool for people who want to work with others to solve problems in their communities. LeadershipPlenty is about looking for leaders in different places, and providing them the training and encouragement needed for them to step up and lead.  

Who can benefit from LeadershipPlenty training?

LeadershipPlenty is appropriate for any community development group that is working to address such issues as healthcare, education, civic engagement, and economic development.  Participants in the LeadershipPlenty training could be individual citizens unaffiliated with any particular community group or representatives from organizations, including civic and volunteer groups, neighborhood associations, or religious organizations.  Ideally, LeadershipPlenty groups should reflect the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the community.

What does the LeadershipPlenty training cover?

LeadershipPlenty is a comprehensive program focusing on how groups of citizens can learn to work together and take action on behalf of their community.  It is a hands-on, interactive and enjoyable training that engages participants from the start in many small and large group activities.  The program offers nine sessions that equip participants with key skills.  A tenth session, a practicum on Facing the Challenge of Racism and Race Relations, is also available.

The nine sessions are:

• Finding Leaders Within
• Identifying Community Assets
• Managing Groups for Results
• Making Meetings Work Better
• Managing Conflict
• Building Strategic Partnerships
• Moving from Talk to Action
• Valuing Evaluation
• Communicating for Change

What will participants gain from LeadershipPlenty?

LeadershipPlenty teaches participants skills that will enhance their ability to lead in their community.  LeadershipPlenty prepares citizens with the skills, attitudes and relationships needed to make lasting changes in their community.  The primary focus of LeadershipPlenty is for people to understand that a community needs leadership from all levels.  This program can help people overcome obstacles that sometimes interfere in becoming a leader, whether it is lack of training, intimidation, or other reasons. 

What are the core values of LeadershipPlenty?

LeadershipPlenty West Virginia believes that there is no lack of leadership in communities, rather there is a lack of opportunity for people from different backgrounds to work together to tackle tough issues.  The LeadershipPlenty program is founded on the belief that people from different backgrounds can and must work together and it provides the tools to prepare them for the task.  The program is guided by a set of core values and assumptions:

• People working together can solve problems in a creative way
• Communities need a diverse perspective to address issues
• Problem-solving should be inclusive
• Learning is a life-long activity
• Working together to solve community issues builds relationships that benefit the overall health of the community

How do I bring this program to my community?

In West Virginia, trainers are ready to teach this nine-part skill-building program that can prepare citizens with the skills, attitudes, and relationships required to make lasting changes in their community.  Each topic takes three hours to present. 

Contact Moya Doneghy at the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service, 304-558-0111 or mdoneghy@mail.state.wv.us to begin this discussion.  Some money is available through a Flex-E-Grant from the WV Development Office to bring this training to ARC designated ‘distressed’ counties.

Descriptions of the modules:

• Finding Leaders Within
  This module introduces the theme of LeadershipPlenty that the plenty in community leadership comes from recognizing the wealth of capacities that people in the community possess.  Participants begin the exploration of leadership development by uncovering their own unique skills and reflecting on their experiences of community.

• Identifying Community Assets
  The concept of LeadershipPlenty highlights the diversity of people in every community who are potential leaders.  Participants develop an understanding and appreciation of the assets model for community change.

• Managing Groups for Results
  The ability of a group to accomplish results can be thwarted by the fact that it is difficult to work together as a team.Module Three increases participants’ understanding of group dynamics and familiarizes them with the issues and tensions that most groups experience. 

• Making Meetings Work Better
  Effective meeting-management skills are essential for leaders as they negotiate the complex interests of the community.  The purpose of Module Four is to provide participants with the organizational strategies and tools for achieving group purposes in community meetings.

• Managing Conflict
  The challenge for a community leader is to learn how to manage conflict and to channel its energy in a positive way.  The purpose of Module Five is to explore the necessity of conflict in group work and its role in the consensus-building process.

• Building Strategic Partnerships
  Building partnerships between diverse organizations and individuals marshals the community’s resources, talents, and assets for change.  Module Six will help community leaders understand partnerships better and engage in them more effectively as they strive to solve complex community problems.

• Moving from Talk to Action
  Ambitious visions are not realized in a day.  Module Seven examines strategies that help leaders chart the journey from community vision to concrete action.  The purpose of this module is to enable a group to get started, make measurable progress, celebrate accomplishments, and revise plans if necessary.

• Valuing Evaluation
  LeadershipPlenty introduces evaluation as an opportunity for groups to reflect on the results of their work.  Module Eight will help participants understand and value program evaluation and learn the main steps for determining the effectiveness of a program.

• Communicating for Change
  Community change does not occur in a vacuum or among an isolated group of citizens.  Module Nine introduces strategic communication as an important tool for achieving results by developing and sharing a powerful message with targeted audiences.

If you are interested in bringing all or part of this training to your community, contact Moya Doneghy at the West Virginia Commission for National and Community Service at mdoneghy@mail.state.wv.us or by phone at (304) 558-0111.