The scarce resource for the 21st Century is good leadership. Businesses, governments, voluntary organizations, and communities all require experienced and committed leaders to thrive and prosper in a rapidly changing and challenging world. We need leaders who can quickly understand and take into account the viewpoints of others who may see the world differently. In an increasingly diverse world, leaders need to know how to challenge, broaden and update existing frameworks to incorporate new knowledge and challenging perspectives. They need to prepare for surprising possibilities. While engaging in effective action learning, they need to know how to learn from peers and build trust.
Our approach to this community leadership program in the Sea to Sky Corridor is based on the very successful 13-year record ofLeadership Vancouver. There are now twelve other community leadership programs across Canada , seeded by the McConnell Foundation. The newly formed national umbrella group is the Canadian Community Leadership Network.
Leadership Sea to Sky now in its fifth year works to develop and foster a network of community leaders across the various sectors and geography of our diverse region. We identify and energize individuals in the broader community through collaborations and shared understandings, enhancing our collective strength for a healthy and prosperous regional community.
Based on the success of our inaugural year with Owen Carney as our Honorary Chair, we now annually offer the program for a cohort of 20 participants from the region identified as having outstanding potential for leadership development. Participants are people who:
- demonstrate self-awareness, and are viewed as creative, responsible, and effective in their endeavours,
- are personally committed to going beyond conventional thinking to search for new opportunities for change and growth,
- are motivated to assume a leadership role in our region and are committed to working collaboratively toward community action.
The Four Pillars: Knowing Yourself; Knowing the Region; Engaging with Others; Taking Action
Participants work together in an examination and exploration of these four pillars. They do this through a number of program elements consisting of a Breakfast Launch in late September, followed with a two-day retreat in October on the "Challenges of Leadership". From November to June are monthly "Learning Days" that focus on building skills and awareness in specific subject areas. The cohort also is required in teams to select and work on a project that addresses an unmet community need. By June, with the full range of experiential learning days and the completion of the "pro bono" community project, participants graduate in a special celebration. The program is evaluated with them, as plans are developed for the next cohort of Sea to Sky Leaders.
Tuition is $2,900 of which $2,600 can be covered by employers, supporters or a limited number of bursaries. Each participant is asked to pay $300 from their own resources. Foundations, businesses and other organizations can contribute directly to the costs of the program or sponsor participants or events within it. Through it all the Whistler Forum and the Sea to Sky Leadership Committee will ensure that:
- personal leadership is developed to mobilize people, cultivate common ground, and build effective teams,
- the ability to identify and analyze challenges and assets in the Sea to Sky region at a strategic level is strengthened,
- the quality of life in the Sea to Sky is enhanced by leaders who can draw from pools of social capital and trust to serve the region's best interests.
More information
LeadershipSeaToSkyCohortProgram.pdf
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There are many ways you can assist. Contact us to discuss in more detail:
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