collective leadership works

An Innovation Center initiativeWith funding from the Corporation for

National and Community Service

www.theinnovationcenter.org

COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP WORKS

COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP: A FRAMEWORK FOR SERVICE LEARNING

Collective Leadership Works

is a two-year initiative that supports

community-based service-learning


Community organizations are using collective leadership to design service-learning

projects


Collective leadership promotes youth civic engagement AND community wellness

Community-based organizations

Service-learning projects based on

collective leadership

Civic engagement outcomes

Community wellness outcomes


But what IS collective leadership?


Collective leadership is about…

Aligning diverse stakeholders around an

agenda, unleashing their talents, and using

local resources to create change.


Collective leadership occurs when…

Stakeholders cross boundaries to come together, commit to mutual learning and

leading, and embrace shared responsibility

and accountability

COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

Tohono O’odham Community Action in Sells, AZ

Young people are fighting the local diabetes epidemic by revitalizing cultural traditions

related to food and fitness.

Tohono O’odham leaders are reintroducing traditional foods and athletics as part of a healthy lifestyle.

On this farm Tohono O’odham youth and adult leaders are using traditional agriculture methods to plant and harvest

native crops for the community.

This man-made pond on the Tohono O’odham Reservation stores flood water, a traditional way to provide additional irrigation for crops.


What are the PRINCIPLES of

collective leadership?


Collective leadership is…

RELATIONAL

Leaders rely on person to person

interactions



FLUID

Leaders adapt and evolve as needed



TRANSFORMATIVE

Leaders seek fundamental change

“I don’t want students to leave our programs just knowing facts about the wetlands; I want them to be thinking

critically about what forces are actually driving environmental issues.”

– Amy Gunzelmann, adult leader


Monterey Bay Aquarium working in Watsonville, CA

High school students are leading conservation and restoration efforts to protect local

wetlands.

Youth and adults work together to register volunteers for a coastal cleanup.

W.A.T.C.H. alumni give instructions and lead their peers.

Youth participants give instructions and lead their peers in a coastal cleanup.

Trash found in the slough.

Trash and recyclables found in the slough during the coastal cleanup.

Youth and adult service-learners spent a morning in a local slough, picking up trash and recyclables.

“I feel that my group can impact the community and that each one of us contributes to the team – like public

speaking or task manager. I am proud that we are all dedicated and help each other.”

– Bruny Mora, youth leader

COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP:

A FRAMEWORK FOR SERVICE-LEARNING

What PRACTICES support



Collective leadership taps into

INDIVIDUAL GIFTS

by asking…

“What skills or abilities to leaders possess?”


Collective leadership mobilizes

COMMUNITY ASSETS

by asking…

“What strengths exist in this community?”


Collective leadership builds

TEAMWORK

by asking…

“How can we work together?”


Collective leadership fosters

YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIPS

by asking…

“How can youth and adults collaborate?”


Collective leadership supports

REFLECTION and LEARNING

by asking…

“What can we do to improve our work?”


Youth Development Training and Resource Center in New Haven, CT

Youth and adults are taking an active stance against violence in their community.

Leaders from New Haven are working to combat gun violence and bullying

in their community.

Leaders from New Haven meet weekly at the local YMCA to plan service projects that address gun

violence.

“I’m proud of doing something positive in life, of trying to make a difference around

me and for me!”

– Marquis Lowery, youth leader



Collective leadership takes place

at each STAGE of community building


Stage 1: Get Ready

Leaders prepare by building relationships

and systems to support change.


Stage 2: Plan

Leaders articulate common goals and methods for achieving them together.


Stage 3: Implement

Leaders work together to turn their plans into

reality.


Stage 4: Sustain

Leaders pursue strategies and partnerships to ensure long-term impact.

COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP RESOURCES

Want more info?

Visit www.theinnovationcenter.org/service-learning

This website features practical tools, activities,

and resources to support

community-based service learning.

An Innovation Center initiativeWith funding from the Corporation for

National and Community Service


COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP WORKS


Collective Leadership Works

is a two-year initiative that supports

community-based service-learning


Community organizations are using collective leadership to design service-learning

projects


Collective leadership promotes youth civic engagement AND community wellness

Community-based organizations

Service-learning projects based on

collective leadership

Civic engagement outcomes

Community wellness outcomes


But what IS collective leadership?


Collective leadership is about…

Aligning diverse stakeholders around an

agenda, unleashing their talents, and using

local resources to create change.


Collective leadership occurs when…

Stakeholders cross boundaries to come together, commit to mutual learning and

leading, and embrace shared responsibility

and accountability


Tohono O’odham Community Action in Sells, AZ

Young people are fighting the local diabetes epidemic by revitalizing cultural traditions

related to food and fitness.

Youth and adults working at the Desert Rain Café on the Tohono O’odham Reservation serve traditional meals made

from native foods grown on community farms.

Youth leaders with (left to right) Miss Tohono O’odham and her first attendant.

Mesquite coals kept youth leaders warm on a cool desert night on the Tohono O’odham Reservation.


What are the PRINCIPLES of




RELATIONAL

Leaders rely on person to person

interactions



FLUID

Leaders adapt and evolve as needed



TRANSFORMATIVE

Leaders seek fundamental change

“I look forward to working with my youth… I am extremely passionate

about allowing and teaching youth to play an active part in their

community. I want them to feel inspired and empowered to do great

things.”

– Maggie Scalzo, adult leader


Monterey Bay Aquarium working in Watsonville, CA

High school students are leading conservation and restoration efforts to protect local

wetlands.

Watsonville’s Mayor, Antonia Rivas, participated in the cleanup.

Watsonville, CA’s mayor, Antonio Rivas, participated in the coastal cleanup.

Trash and recyclables found

in the slough during the

coastal cleanup.

A layer of mulch hay prevents future weeds from growing.

Volunteers gather seeds native to the

wetlands.

“My goal is not to be that person who simply informs the public about the

[environmental] issues; I want to be that one person that fixes the issues… I want to get my hands dirty and make a difference

through action.”

– Jasmine Magaña, youth leader



What PRACTICES support



Collective leadership taps into

INDIVIDUAL GIFTS

by asking…

“What skills or abilities to leaders possess?”


Collective leadership mobilizes

COMMUNITY ASSETS

by asking…

“What strengths exist in this community?”


Collective leadership builds

TEAMWORK

by asking…

“How can we work together?”


Collective leadership fosters

YOUTH-ADULT PARTNERSHIPS

by asking…

“How can youth and adults collaborate?”


Collective leadership supports

REFLECTION and LEARNING

by asking…

“What can we do to improve our work?”


Youth Development Training and Resource Center in New Haven, CT

Youth and adults are taking an active stance against violence in their community.

Leaders from New Haven meet weekly at the local YMCA to plan service projects that address gun violence.

A youth-adult group at the New Haven YMCA work together on a service project to prevent gun violence.

“I now feel that nothing is impossible; it may be challenging, but never impossible.”

– Jasmine Magaña, youth leader



Collective leadership takes place

at each STAGE of community building


Stage 1: Get Ready

Leaders prepare by building relationships

and systems to support change.


Stage 2: Plan

Leaders articulate common goals and methods for achieving them together.


Stage 3: Implement

Leaders work together to turn their plans into

reality.


Stage 4: Sustain

Leaders pursue strategies and partnerships to ensure long-term impact.

COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP RESOURCES

Want more info?

Visit www.theinnovationcenter.org/service-learning

This website features practical tools, activities,

and resources to support

community-based service learning.

collective leadership works

Education

community service

servicelearning projects

communitybased service

service learningwhat

adult servicelearners

tomutual learning

tohono oodham leaders

farm tohono oodham youth