Community Natural Leaders

Community Natural Leaders is a 10-week leadership development course aimed at people who have shown natural leadership ability but have never held an official leadership position. Participants are nominated by someone in an established community leadership position such as educators, government officials or clergy members.

Participants in the south suburban program attended the sessions. All of the participants lived in moderate income areas of Park Forest, Chicago Heights and University Park.

The program focuses on communities that are isolated or that have inadequate social service resources. The idea is to focus on am identifiable community and to help bring about change by getting more and more people involved with community life.

Community Natural Leaders teaches participants how to access community services and local government, how to work within a group to bring about change and how to take advantage of community volunteer opportunities. A team of Extension family life and youth development educators teach the bulk of the program. Guest speakers for the South suburban group included representatives from Ingalls Memorial Hospital, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, South Suburban P.A.D.S., and the Housing Coalition of East Hazelcrest.

Students who complete the training sessions must then complete a community service project before they are considered graduates of the program. Community service projects for the south suburban class included development of a support program for people recently released from prison, an educational program for teenage parents, establishment of a not-for-profit organization to assist substance abusers and the homeless, and an effort to strengthen an existing homeowners association.

If you would like more information about the Community Natural Leaders program, please contact your local Extension office.