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Positive changes in communities happen when youth and adults are engaged civically as volunteers and leaders. Successful community involvement hinges on the development of leadership skills and mentoring. NDSU Extension has always provided programs to assist in civic engagement but wanted to take another step after the community forums to develop and deliver an effective civic engagement program.

So…. Lead Local was born. Community Vitality specialists developed this one-day “boardsmanship”-type training in the fall of 2015 and piloted it originally in Ransom County. NDSU Extension responded to the needs and the comments of citizens during the community forums about the issue of citizens being effective on boards, councils, committees, etc.

Participants feel better prepared to serve on a board, council or committee Lead Local is a training for emerging, elected and appointed leaders serving on boards, councils and committees. The overall goal is that participants feel better prepared to serve. They receive education on multiple items including ethics and leadership, dealing with conflict, open meeting laws, and more. (Tim – this group was in Ransom county – our pilot site).

Participants learn basic parliamentary procedure and how to use it. A second key objective of Lead Local is to help participants with parliamentary procedure. We have partnered with our FFA chapters in Ward County, Foster County and Ransom County to deliver the parli pro message. They have been great partners to help teach basic parli pro. (Tim – this group of FFA’ers is from Minot/Ward County) Participants learn basic parliamentary procedure and how to use it.

Joel Lemer, Extension agent in Foster County has been instrumental in working with the FFA groups to help deliver an effective Lead Local parli pro program. He has developed a local script that can be used by the youth but makes sense to the adult participants and their volunteer activities.

Parliamentary procedure is one of the big reasons that people attend Lead Local. They are uncertain of how to use it or want to brush up on their skills. Skills that are taught are very basic, but in follow up evaluations, participants report making more motions in meetings as they are now more comfortable with parliamentary proceedure.

Participants recognize the components of an effective meeting. Another objective of Lead Local is to learn and understand the basic meeting components. Participants learn about Robert’s Rules of Order and the importance of following those guidelines to ensure a successful and productive meeting. Participants recognize the components of an effective meeting. Participants recognize the components of an effective meeting.

Participants recognize effective tools to use when dealing with conflict While we’d rather not ever deal with conflict, it is inevitable and a part of boards, councils and committees. Specialist Jodi Bruns is taking this group of Lead Local participants through an exercise on conflict and providing them with tools help them see conflict through in a group. (This group was walking through the agree/disagree conflict activity in Cavalier).

Participants understand different personality styles and how they can work together effectively. The Real Colors personality profile is used with participants so they can better understand their own personality style as well as recognizing the personality style of others. They work through exercises to help them honor the differences in individuals within their community organization in which they are involved.

To date: Lead Local sites 220 Participants 10 county sites and Garrison Diversion Board of Directors 220 Participants Participants included legislators, county commissioners, city council members, township officers, school board members, school administrators, bankers, ag producers, business owners and more. Just a little information on who we’ve reached so far. There are many more requests for the program and this summer it is being reviewed and will again be offered to additional counties, organizations and groups. Community Vitality specialists partner with local Extension agents to recruit participants, deliver the program and evaluate the program.

We’ve found that participants in Lead Local have to deal with some difficult issues in their organizations. They also want their learning to be relevant and practical and all of the examples used in Lead Local are issues that have come up in local places.

89% understand their board member tasks 77% feel comfortable handling conflict during a meeting 89% feel prepared to serve on a board, council or committee

Impacts I have a better way to filter what is happening in a conflict with understanding of the colors and other lead local info. This has been helpful in recognizing real needs in a conflict. Sometimes that has been all it took to resolve is to just help everyone get their needs met. Part of being courageous for me is realizing when we're spreading our people too thin to do what we're doing well. Any new leadership positions since Lead Local? I am now chairperson for our local Food pantry. I chair a soils committee and county officers association I joined/helped start a garden club in our community Currently nominated for chair-elect position for the ND Library Association. I recently got put on a planning committee for something I didn't feel I had the time to commit myself to. It helped to be an effective follower and do my part that I was asked and contribute where needed. I feel that I am more inclined to lead in a situation like this, but learning to be an effective follower greatly helped me not over commit myself and my time. I was able to be much more effective on this planning committee. A follow-up survey was sent to participants in the Lead Local program. Results continue to come in, but anecdotal evidence shows that people are getting more involved, they are handling conflict more effectively, and they are serving as effective leaders as well as followers.

Over 350 volunteer groups impacted

Contact: Your local NDSU Extension office or lynette. flage@ndsu Contact: Your local NDSU Extension office or lynette.flage@ndsu.edu at 701-231-7782

Extending Knowledge Changing Lives Thank you – it has been great to work on community engagement projects in my county. Explain why in your own words…. 