The We Lead! curriculum is
designed to offer participants (with and without disabilities) practical
experience in becoming a leader. We Lead offers participants information about
disability history, disability pride, awareness of personal talent, and leadership
skills. We Lead! also serves as a laboratory where, working together, participants
use what they have learned to identify, design, and deliver a community service
project.
Gaining any skill takes
practice, and leadership development is no different.
Any person in a position of leadership has gained skills
from their life experience, usually while working with others. Whether it is
in a family, at school, at work, or in the community, those of us who take on
leadership have had practice.
We Lead! draws from evidence-based
practice that tells us leadership skills emerge from application. Our
curriculum is based on an active learning model. Our curriculum addresses the
skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to provide people (with and without
disabilities) with practical experience that they may use as they become
leaders within the disability rights movement and/or within generic community
environments.
The greatest challenge to those who staff this
curriculum is to establish an environment in which the expectation is that
participants assume leadership. The success of the outcome of the curriculum
is measured by the number of decisions made, relationships developed, and
problems solved by the participants rather than what the t-shirts look like or
whether the community project was pulled off with grace.
It takes a leap of faith and
a great deal of self-discipline of the staff to understand the difference
between a facilitator and a teacher. The curriculum will develop the skills,
the facilitator will create the environment.
The goal of We Lead! is to
develop new leaders. We Lead! Creates a safe environment that provides each
participant with the opportunity to practice skills where they see themselves as
competent and active members of their community. Participants explore their natural
leadership gifts, gain new insight into their own ability, identify new skills
to improve their leadership, and recognize and support different leadership
styles in their peers.
Participants will actively
use their leadership skills. They will know how to work with others toward a
common goal as well as communicate with established leaders in their
communities, with the media and the general public. They will identify and
articulate their personal vision of a just society.
The flow of the We Lead!
program is evidenced by the percent of leadership assumed by facilitator-staff
and participants throughout the planning and implementation of We Lead!.
Program staff make 100% of the program decisions before the participants arrive
(site, recruitment, purchase of materials, etc.). As the program begins,
facilitators set the agenda and the daily activities. Each week, participants
are expected to assume more responsibility for planning activities and program
decisions. During the final week, where the community service project is
delivered and the celebration is planned, participants actively drive the
activities and make decisions while facilitators follow directions, track
details, and frame problems to be solved.
We Lead! is designed as a three week program (some
groups may want to expand to four weeks) that meets with participants four days
a week for five hours a day, including lunch. An additional day each week is
suggested for staff preparation. We suggest the program meets from 10:00am to 3:00pm, but you may have to work around public transportation schedules.
Participants engage in
activities to build relationships and form a community. The activities for the
week combine disability-specific information with leadership and interpersonal
skill building. During this week the facilitators slowly step back and offer
the participants opportunities to lead the curriculum.
Facilitator leadership 70%, participant
leadership 30%
Participants engage in
activities to develop their leadership skills, build their self-esteem, develop
trust with on another, explore their community, and learn how to put an idea
into action. Participants will also begin planning their leadership project.
Facilitator leadership 50%, participant
leadership 50%
Participants finish the planning of their community
service project and take the necessary steps to put their ideas to action. The
participants will participate in their project and be active leaders in their
communities. After the project has finished, participants will participate in
activities to reflect on their experiences.
Facilitator leadership 10%, participant
leadership 90%
There are many things to
think about when planning a program. Where will it take place? Who will be
the facilitators? How will we recruit participants? How will we ensure full
inclusion for all participants? What do I have to do to protect participants
and the program?
The most important factor in looking for a facility
is to be sure it is accessible. Some questions to ask are: Is the building
wheelchair accessible? Do the doors have automatic openers? Can the bathrooms
be used independently? Is the location near a public transportation stop? Do
we need to accommodate participants who are visually impaired or deaf?
The meeting room should be
flexible. Can all participants meet around a table? Is there room to form
small work groups? Is there space to spread out and play active games? Is
there shady grass outside to relax on? Is there space to enjoy your lunch? Is
there open space to hold a private conversation? Is there audio visual
technology available?
Your staff may include paid
and volunteer staff. The number will depend on the size and composition of
your participant group. You will need more staff when working with youth or
people with more complex disabilities. Whether you work with youth or adults we
suggest a minimum of two staff. In a program like this you need partners to
discuss the progression and outcome of the activities.
When looking for
facilitators it would be helpful to find people that have disabilities
themselves, or who know about the disability rights movement. You want a
facilitator that understands the goals of the program, is willing to hand over
control of the activities to the participants, and is committed to an inclusive
and empowering environment for participants with and without disabilities.
Look for people who have experience working with youth.
We recommend that you schedule
an orientation day for staff and volunteers to during which you focus on creation
of a shared understanding of expectations. During this day solicit ideas from
the facilitators. Discover their talents or experience that would be helpful
to the program. We Lead! curriculum is designed to be flexible and to meet the
specific composition of your group. We want to hear of your adjustments so we
might learn from your experience and make the We Lead! curriculum better.
Because of the climate in which we find ourselves, we
encourage you to talk with other youth programs in your community about
background checks on all facilitators and volunteers. Protect the program and
your reputation by never having one adult meet with a youth in private. If it
is necessary to have private conversations with a youth make sure it occurs
within sight of another staff person.
It is essential that you
have more than one facilitator and have at least one of each gender. There
will be times when you will specifically need either a female or male to help a
participant. Example: A young man that hides out in the male restroom would
need a male to enter the restroom and another participant to accompany him.
If you plan to use We Lead! in the summer, start your
marketing and recruitment in April and May. To recruit people with
disabilities target schools, your local Disability Network (Center for
Independent Living) affiliate, ARC, or RICC. To recruit people without
disabilities community look at groups interested in developing a leadership
program - local scout programs, neighborhood community centers, churches, or,
for adults, Chamber of Commerce and the local extension service. There is a
sample invitation letter in Appendix I, p. 24).
We Lead! strives to be all
inclusive – participants should vary by disability, gender, race, sexual
orientation and other types of community diversity. Contact local groups that
represent these diverse communities.
The We Lead! program uses
local community people to bring information to the participants by inviting
guests to speak to participants. Speakers are used during the first week to
explore the history and culture of the disability rights movement. Throughout
the first and second week speakers from local organizations who may anchor the
community service project are invited to present information about their group.
Throughout the written
curriculum we have indicated specific days that, in our experience, a speaker
would have the most impact.
The adult learning theory
that We Lead! uses says that the main work of the teacher, or in our case
facilitator, happens before the participants arrive. We have already talked
about a site, recruiting staff, recruiting participants and recruiting speakers.
Below we discuss additional details that should be arranged before the
participants arrive.
Although we expect the
participants to identify the issue and program for their community service
project the staff can identify community organizations that work on specific
issues. The staff may also contact those organizations to see if someone may
be available during the first days of the program.
The We Lead! curriculum
encourages you to experiment with your own ideas and adjust the curriculum to
meet the needs of the individuals in your program. Although we have filled the
days with activities we also encourage you to arrange, before the participants
arrive, one or two field trips during the program. The scheduling of these
events will often depend on the availability of the programs you are visiting and/or
the unique make-up and needs of your participants.
Some programs have planned
an outing to a rope course during the first week. It is an excellent way for
participants to get to know one another and to begin developing community trust.
Others have toured a local college campus, still others make a site visit to an
organization that may be chosen for the community service project.
The curriculum has a
significant emphasis on learning about disability pride and history. Speakers
from the disability rights community should be scheduled before the
participants arrive. Speakers may be found at your local Disability Network
organization (Center for Independent Living), a college disability office, or a
statewide disability advocacy organization. As much as possible speakers
should be people with disabilities.
The participants must have
the T-shirt to wear when they are working in the community. Thus the design
and production of the T-shirt has a very short turnaround. The design of the
t-shirt and interaction with the printing company is a participant activity.
Before the program begins staff
should identify the printing company to use. The company can then put this job
on its schedule. That pre-arranged schedule will determine the deadline for
the t-shirt design committee. Although the arrangements have been made, once
the design is chosen the participants are the ones to communicate with the
t-shirt company.
We Lead! strongly encourages
local sites to offer stipends to participants who fully participate in the
program. At the end of the orientation ask participants to sign a contract (Appendix
I p. 27) that spells out terms of completion. After fulfilling the terms to
fully participate in the program, participants will receive a T-shirt and a
$100 stipend.
If you are sponsoring We
Lead! as a youth program all participants must have a permission slip signed by
a parent or guardian that allows participation (Appendix I p.25). The slip
should include:
·
An emergency contact if the youth
should need immediate care
·
A copy of the participant’s
health care card in case of emergency.
Make this information
available in a central location for staff and volunteer access.
Earlier we spoke of choosing
an accessible site. We recognize that the activities in the We Lead!
curriculum may have to be adjusted to meet the accessibility needs of your participants.
Example: If you know there are youth that have a particularly difficult time
reading (such as some youth with learning disabilities or youth who are
blind/have visual impairments), be sure they have adequate support such as a
reader. Or, if there is reading in the activity ask those who are comfortable
with reading to read out loud. Make sure that each reader only reads for a
paragraph and that everyone has an opportunity to either read or decline from
reading.
Goal for
the Week: Identify the Community Service Project Issue
Day One:
Participants and
Parents become familiar with the
program and with to each other
Words of the Day: Discipline and Clarity (Appendix 2
p. 67)
Parent and Participant
Orientation
·
Welcome
·
Introduction of Staff: Make it
Fun! Do a skit. Have the staff introduce themselves as a type of shoe and why.
·
Pass out a We Lead! program calendar
- to each parent and participant
·
Review philosophy and goals of We
Lead!
·
Clarify expectations of participants
o
Behavior
o
Contract
o
Consequences
·
Excuse participants for their
orientation.
(Lead
staff person remains with adults while other staff and volunteers move with
youth to another room to start the day’s activities)
Continue with Parent Orientation
- Discussion on developing
youth leadership by encouraging participants to assume the
responsibilities of young adults.
- Suggest ways parents can
support the program goals in the home.
- Review Paperwork
- Contact information
- Insurance information
- Media and Picture
permission slips
- Program / Staff contact
info
- Describe what they might
expect if an emergency arises
- Invite parent’s questions
and concerns
Continue
with Participant Orientation
·
Introduce Word of the day
·
Descriptor and Gesture Name Game
(Appendix II p. 33 )
·
Break (Lunch?)
·
Establish Community Guidelines
- Group discusses
guidelines of how they will behave during the three week term
- “What will make We
Lead! a safe place for all of us?(Guidelines become central to the
contract participants sign on second day)
- Guidelines are posted on
flip chart that all participants sign.
- Chart is prominently
posted and can be referred to throughout the 3 week term
- Importance of
Communication (Appendix II p. 93)
Day Two:
Building Community
Participants continue to build relationships &
learn the importance of inclusive community
Words
of the day: Approachability, Knowledge
Activity: Introduction
interview
We all have talents & we
all need help (Appendix II p. 75)
Introduce the We Lead!
T-shirt
·
Everyone who fully participates in the program will
receive a T-shirt.
·
The T-shirts will be worn on the
days we are working in the community. They will make participants visible as
they represent the We Lead! program.
·
Ask for volunteers to serve on a
committee to design the We Lead! logo and order the shirts.
·
Review the commitment to We Lead!
o
Each person must fully
participate to receive the $100 stipend and the T-shirt.
View
and discuss the video: “Ten Commandments”
Copies
of this video may be borrowed from:
MI.
Youth Leadership Forum
Bill
Milzarski, Esq.
MI.
Commission on Disability Concerns
517-335-6399
Milzarskiw@michigan.gov
Connections
for Community Leadership (CCL)
MI.
Disability Rights Coalition
Theresa
Christmas
5178-333-2477
x 315
TChirstmas@prosynergy.org
Suggested Questions for
Discussion
- Do we let labels define
us?
- How do labels make us
feel?
- Introduce and practice
positive self talk - Turning the negative to positive
Following the video and the
discussion use one or both of the following activities:
- Inclusion Role Play
(Appendix II p. 55)
- Label Game (Appendix II p.
57)
Invited Speaker?
The
first of many existing leaders with a disability speak to the group about their
own story and relate it to disability pride.
Community Service Project
Begin a discussion of
planning a community service project. The questions listed below are
suggestions only.
Define community & ask what they know of
community service projects?- How do the participants
receive from the community?
- How might they want to
give back to the community?
- Break in to groups of 3-4
- Each person identifies
the issues of interest to them. The small group chooses one to bring
back to the group.
- In the large group have
each group present their issue. The large group chooses 2-3 issues.
- Who in the community is
working on these concerns?
- What kind of service
project might We Lead! do with them?
Day
Three: What is Leadership?
Continue
getting acquainted. Introduce leadership traits.
Word of day: Humility and Competence
Activity: Leadership
Connection Game (Appendix II p. 53)
Discussion Questions
- Who are leaders?
- What traits do leaders
have?
- What traits do I have?
Self-Reflection: Who are
You?
·
Make a list of the words that
describe you
(honest,
shy, loud, etc.)
·
List the words you think you
would hear if you had a cloak of invisibility and were listening to what other
people would say about you.
·
Do you match your words?
·
What have you done that shows you
are those words?
·
What do you still need to do to
be the words you want to be?
Leadership Styles
Just as each of us learns in
different ways, each of us can lead in different ways. As our world and
communities have changed, we have learned that the old style of top down
leadership simply doesn’t work in all situations. In many places leadership is
collaborative. To work in collaboration, you need people with a variety of
skills, because variety creates the best whole.
Activity: The Leadership Compass (Appendix II p. 83)
Community Service Project
- Participants practice a
role play that practices making the contact calls.
- Identify a volunteer to contact
the organizations identified yesterday to arrange for someone to speak
with We Lead! participants.
- Try scheduling one group
for each of the next 3-4 days.
Activity: Alternative
Learn to independently ride
public transportation
Leaders are busy people who
often serve are multiple committees and are involved in multiple projects. The
ability to independently navigate the transportation system is not only
practical, but will build self-confidence and self-esteem.
Day Four: Becoming a Team
Participants grow their
trust in each other and recognize how individual gifts and talents strengthen
the team
Words of the day: Charisma and Direction
2nd Guest
speaker Leader with Disability
Subject:
Disability Pride & History (Call either your local CIL or MDRC for
suggestions)
Activity: Decorating Your
Bag of Individuality (Appendix II p. 63)
Community Service Project
Either
participants continue to contact organizations to arrange for someone to speak
with We Lead! participants, or an invited speaker from an organization meets
with the participants. After the representative leaves participants should
discuss the possibilities and challenges of the proposed service project.
Activity: Building trust and
using communication
Mine Field Game
(Appendix II p. 73)
Discussion
questions:
What
made this task difficult?
Which
was easier: the first try or the second try?
What
did you and your partner do to get the goal done? What did you learn?
Committee Report
T-shirt committee brings logo ideas to large group for decision. Coach individuals to
give positive feedback. First what they like about the design and proposed
changes that begin with “what about…”
Goal for the Week: Planning
the community service project
Day One: Power of Working Together
Participants
recognize the power of leadership in action. Start brainstorming issues in
their own communities
Words
of the Day: Conviction and Decisiveness
Activity: “The Star
Thrower” (Appendix II p. 71)
Read aloud and discuss the
story that represents what one person can do to make the world a better place.
The discussion speaks to what might be possible if a group of people work
together.
Discussion
Questions:
- What would have happened
if it had been not one but many youth picking up the starfish?
- What do you imagine would
be the impact of many working together?
- Is this boy a leader? Why
or why not?
- How does this story relate
to our community service project?
Community Service Project
Host a speaker from a
community organization
After the representative
leaves participants should discuss the possibilities and challenges of the
proposed service project.
Activity: Fear in a Hat
(Appendix II p. 39)
Set
the tone by introducing the topic of fear. Explain how it is normal and
natural at this stage of the program that people are experiencing all sorts of
anxieties, worries and fears about making decisions and organizing a community
project.
(This activity can be
adopted to be used whenever the team has an issue)
Activity: How Teams
Succeed or Fail (Appendix II p. 65)
- Connect these
characteristics to the community guidelines created the first day.
- How are we developing as a
team?
- When have we seen the
Succeed characteristics in We Lead?
- Have there been times in
this community that we have participated in the Fail characteristic?
- Do we want to check into
our own habits and make any changes?
Day Two: Continued
Focus on Building Leadership Skills
Group increases confidence
in their self-esteem and self-confidence
Words
of the Day: Review – See Activity Below
Activity: Leadership Characteristics
(Appendix II p. 67)
The
purpose of this activity is to boost the youth participants’ confidence in
their own ability as advocates and organizers. We can give them praise and
compliments regularly, but it can be just as, if not more meaningful, coming
from a peer.
Prepare for the session
by writing all participant names on pieces of paper and place in hat. (this
is a We Lead! adjustment from the directions you will find in the appendix). Put
the leadership characteristics on one side of the card stock. On the reverse
side, print the definition of the characteristic.
During
the session:
·
Review the words of the day.
·
Ask participants to define the
words.
·
After the review, each
participant randomly picks the name of another participant.
·
After reviewing the
characteristics, ask each to choose one characteristic that stands out in their
minds when they think of the person whose name they drew.
·
Encourage participants to think
about why that quality will help the group when they plan their community
service project.
Community Service Project
·
In the large group review the
three possible issues for the service project.
·
Have the champions of each idea
plan and produce a commercial skit for their issue.
·
Make a group decision.
·
Introduce service activity
planning process (Appendix III p.134)
·
Determine if you want to arrange
a site visit
(At end of the day ask
for a pair of volunteers to lead tomorrow’s morning game.)
Day
Three: Practice, Practice, Practice.
Word of the Day: Review
Staff
works with yesterday’s volunteers to shift the Word of the Day from
introduction of a new word to a review of all the words.
·
What do the words mean?
·
Offer an example of a word in
action by a participant in the We Lead! program.
·
Identify another participant to
lead this review tomorrow morning (and each day afterward.)
Community Service Project
Follow the service activity
planning process planning (Appendix III p.134)
·
In large group go through service
planning process.
·
Identify sub-committees to work
on various aspects of the plan.
·
Sub-committees gather to work on
their tasks. Make a work plan.
o
Identify individual
responsibilities.
o
Establish due dates.
o
Work in minute detail.
·
Finish each planning day with a
group meeting reporting on the progress of each sub-committee.
·
Identify decisions that should be
made by the entire group and those that should be made by the sub-committee.
·
Site Visit (if one is to be made)
o
Group Prepares by making a list
of information needed and assignments are made.
(Identify
participant volunteers to lead tomorrow’s word of the day.)
Day
Four: More Practice…
Group is working on final
plans for the community service project
Word of the day: Participant Lead
Individuals identify a word they want to model and
why.
Community Service Project
- Large group meeting
- report committee progress
- make project related
decisions
- Make site visit
- Continue sub-committee
work
Goal for the Week: Delivering the Community Service
Project
Day One: Details
Word of the Day: Participant
Lead
Suggestion: Name places in
the project that each leadership word was demonstrated.
Final Planning of Project
The large group meets to
hear the progress of the subcommittees. Those who are finished should offer to
help others who are not. The banquet and awards committees are formed from
those who have time to contribute. The large group should decide the scope of
the banquet (who to Invite – participants only, family members, invited
speakers, representatives from the service organization, media, etc.) and
charge the committee to move forward with the details. The committee may
request assistance at specific points in the activity.
Banquet Committee
Formed to plan a celebration
for the final day.
Paper Plate Awards:
A committee of participants and staff is organized to
recognize the talents and contributions of each member. Each person will
receive a paper plate award in a presentation during the banquet.
T-Shirts
Representatives from the
T-shirt Committee pick up and distribute the shirts.
Day Two: Details
Word of the Day: Participant Lead
Plan
or deliver project
Day
Three: Details
Word of the Day: Participant Lead
Deliver
project or plan banquet.
Day
Four: Details
Word of the Day: Participant Lead
Banquet &
Celebration
Invitation
Letter
Permission
Form
Participant
Emergency Information Form
Participant
Contract
Parent
Evaluation of We Lead!
Youth
Evaluation of We Lead!
Example
Logo
Dear parents and youth,
With
summer sunshine comes summer activities and busy days for young people. The (name
of your organization) knows that summer can be the perfect time for youth
to learn grow and explore. This is why we are pleased to provide a summer
leadership development project for youth called WE LEAD (name of your
geographic area)!
WE
LEAD (name of your geographic area)! is an inclusive leadership
development project that includes different youth from across (name of your
geographic area) in a challenging and informative 3 week project. The
leadership project is designed to help youth understand each other, each
other’s disabilities, civil rights, their personal leadership potential and the
community in which they live.
Activities of WE LEAD (name
of your geographic area)! include:
- Goal Setting
- Leadership style
assessment
- Civil rights and
disability history
- Games
- Self-esteem building
- Lunch and Snacks Provided
- Meeting new teens
- A leadership service
project in (name of your geographic area)
- And $150.00 for
participating!!
WE
LEAD (name of your geographic area)! Runs from (dates). Sessions
are held Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at (name of site),
lunch is included. Those who complete the project will receive $150.00
stipend.
If you have any further
questions or comments please do not hesitate to contact me at ________ or via
email at _________(lead staff contact number and email).
Thanks!
Signature lead staff
(Insert your
organization’s letterhead here)
The signed form below
gives my son/daughter permission to participate in the scheduled We Lead (name
of your organization)! activities. The named participant/parent below
understands that (name of your organization) program are not liable.
(Please attach a copy of your youths medical insurance card to this permission
form.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~