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Niagara University offering free leadership program to Niagara Falls adults

by jmaloni
Thu, May 5th 2011 04:15 pm

On the verge of graduating its first class of youth participants, ReNU Niagara, a community outreach program of Niagara University, is now offering its new GreenRoots Leadership Development Program to Niagara Falls residents over the age of 20. The free, eight-week program is made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

Like the youth program, adults will take ownership of a local environmental issue and develop methods to implement the desired change. This track's differences lie in the fact that opportunities will be provided for adult participants to hear from community leaders and Niagara University's faculty and staff. The concepts that program participants glean from these presentations will be applied to their final projects.

The schedule will commence with an introduction of the program by members of the ReNU Niagara team along with an idea generation workshop and a lecture on community building. The following six sessions will allow participants to develop their projects and hear from presenters on topics such as grant writing, community building, cultural competency, volunteer management, fundraising for non-profits, public relations and several other subjects. The final week will consist of a graduation ceremony, featuring formal project presentations and a reception.

Schedule for the adult track of the GreenRoots Leadership Development Program:

  • Saturday, May 14, from 2-4 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 19, from 6-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, May 26, from 6-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 2, from 6-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 9, from 6-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 16, from 6-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 23, from 6-8 p.m.
  • Thursday, June 30, from 6-8 p.m.

The first session will take place at Niagara University in Bisgrove Hall, Room 350/351. Subsequent meeting locations will be announced prior to each session, but each will take place at NU.

ReNU Niagara, established in 2006 with government support and university investment, has worked in partnership with non-profits and other community-based organizations to build individual and organizational capacity in the City of Niagara Falls and surrounding areas. Consistent with the core values of Niagara University, its mission is to engage, empower and educate diverse community stakeholders to improve Niagara Falls and the surrounding areas.

Thanks to the Community Foundation of Greater Buffalo's grant, ReNU Niagara and its community partners, the Niagara Falls Housing Authority, and Niagara Falls Weed and Seed, have begun implementing the GreenRoots Program, which is aimed at building a youth and adult sustainable resident leadership base in Niagara Falls to help reduce existing demographic disparities.

The program's first youth track is set to graduate on May 10. 

The deadline for adult track applications is May 18. Spots are limited.

If you wish to participate and/or nominate someone for the GreenRoots Leadership Development Program or to obtain further information, contact Leehe Shmueli, an AmeriCorps VISTA member serving as a project coordinator with ReNU Niagara, at 205-0289 or [email protected].

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