Connected to Lead

Our flagship programs are Lead NOW and YOUTH Lead.

Lead NOW - Participants attend a nine week program, meeting weekly. This program is separated into three groups: youth ages 12-17 years old, young adults ages 18-26 years old, and adults age 27 and older. Participants receive trainings on leadership development, professional development, mental health, goal setting, financial literacy, civic engagement, etc. All participants attend an activity (i.e. bowling, miniature golf, paintball, virtual game night, virtual canvas painting, etc.) to strengthen their relationships and develop a base of support. During the program, participants make an impact by coordinating a service and fundraising project. Due to COVID-19, most programming and activities are virtual.

YOUTH Lead - Youth in the justice system and those on track of going into the justice system receive leadership development, individual and family counseling, and case management. We encourage youth to envision themselves living out their potential and support them in achieving their purpose and goals. They develop meaningful connections with other participants to provide support and encouragement. Additionally, youth are connected with leadership and service opportunities to apply what they have learned and further their development.

Additionally, we make sure our programs are accessible, accommodating, focused on developing resilient leaders, and emphasizes special populations. Through accessible programming, we provide accommodations for people with both physical and learning disabilities. We offer ASL, large print, closed captioning, etc. Additionally, we offer language interpretation for those who need it. Our programs are offered at no-cost to the participants. This provides an opportunity for people who identify as low-income or those who can't financially invest in a quality leadership development program to develop as resilient leaders without the stress of another financial obligation. We prioritize developing programming for special populations that include girls and women; Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC); youth in foster care, on probation, and in the justice system; and disabled persons.

Our Impact - Our programming is diverse and accessible. Our organization has a solid mission, vision, values, and foundation, which helps us develop quality programming and increase our impact. We value collaboration and have had an opportunity to collaborate with numerous organizations in a short period of time. Though COVID-19 has been challenging for most, we were able to pivot. We've successfully transitioned our programming to a virtual platform, which has helped us reach a wider audience and develop resilient leaders in other counties.

Testimonials

"I learned how to get out of my comfort zone. This program really helped me learn what I need to know about being a leader. It definitely helped me to get out of that mindset of self-doubt and fear - to go ahead and take positive risks. It helped me with my growth and career-wise as well." - Alyssa S., 2020 Lead NOW Participant

"I feel like I had the leadership skills there, but Lead NOW really helped me refine them. It helped me figure out what are some areas of growth that I have and what areas I'm really strong in. Even figuring out things that might make me uncomfortable - that can be challenged and really enhance my growth." - Alex B., 2020 Lead NOW Participant