For more than two years, Collective Impact Lincoln’s Community Builder Workshops have lifted up emerging leaders in the Star City’s six core neighborhoods. Thanks to the training and resources at the workshops, dozens of Lincolnites have gained a wide range of technical, human, and conceptual skills to put toward community leadership.
Now, we’re taking our model to school.
On Nov. 24, Collective Impact Lincoln will host a Community Builder Workshop designed specifically for high schoolers who want to make a positive change in their communities. Students from Lincoln High, Lincoln Northeast, and Lincoln North Star are invited to participate in the free event, which will be noon to 3 p.m. at The Bay, 2005 Y St.
The workshop will zero in on what steps active students can take to identify assets in their community, how to organize for change, and make their dream projects a reality.
Collective Impact Lincoln – a Civic Nebraska-led nonprofit partnership that includes organizers from Civic Nebraska, Nebraska Appleseed, and the South of Downtown Community Development Organization – is offering the event in response to feedback from students in our school-based Community Learning Centers at Lincoln High and Lincoln Northeast.
“Our Community Learning Centers do an outstanding job of introducing youth to civic engagement, which then helps to develop strong critical thinking, civic leadership, and civil discourse skills,” Collective Impact Lincoln Program Manager Nancy Petitto said. “Civic Nebraska is committed to building engaged, informed citizens who can take action for positive change. This is a natural way for Collective Impact Lincoln, as part of our Civic Health Programs, to provide resources, information, and tools for Lincoln’s young civic leaders.”
The workshop will feature a series of small-group breakout sessions, including for those who want to affect change on a policy level. Collective Impact Lincoln staff will walk students through steps to take meaningful action on issues that matter to them. Students also can learn how to make their dream projects a reality by hearing from others who have made their projects a success – from the initial idea to finding investment and partners.
Students can RSVP for the Community Builder Workshop here. Questions can be directed to nancy.petitto@civicnebraska.org.
