Building Leadership in Rural Quebec Project Toolkit
From Activist Den
Format: PDF
Source: www.qcgn.ca
Welcome! This toolkit was created following an inspiring pilot project in which twenty-eight young women - across three different rural English-speaking communitites in Quebec - made a difference in their communities. At the same time, they developed their leadership skills, revitalized relationships, learned how to effect change and mobilize others, enhanced their networks, and developed confidence in themselves and each other. This toolkit contains our stories, successes, and lessons learned. It also contains samples and copies of reports, funding applications, press releases, and other tools that we hope will be usefull to you in your community and leadership development efforts.
In March 2009, the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) attempted to create a project specifically for the context of Quebec's English-speaking communities that could be implemented provincially, while being effective locally. They did so by allowing each location to adapt the project to their own unique needs. It could not have been done without the collaboration of provincial and regional partners who worked together in innovative, collaborative, and creative ways to tackle these issues. The goal was not only to contribute to change, but also to carefully document and reflect upon the process we experienced, in order to learn from this project and contribute to best practices, hopefully allowing others to benefit from this initiave.
This toolkit is separated in different sections. Click the heading of the chapters of interest to you.
[edit] 1. The Toolkit
[edit] 2. Workshop 1: Writing a proposal and budgeting basics
This workshop includes proposal writing, including how to create a basic budget, plan out a project, and write it in a cohesive and clear document that one can present to funders and partners. It also shows why a good proposal is a fundamental part of your project, and how these skills are transferable. More details are available in the appendix.
[edit] 3. Workshop 2: Presenting to a board
Following on the last, this workshop shows you how to present your proposal to a board of directors, potential funder, community partner, or other audience. It includes the process of creating speaking notes for your presentation and using Powerpoint effectively.
[edit] 4. Workshop 3: Community Engagement
Focusing on methods for small, rural communities, this workshop provides concrete tools and strategies for getting community support, engagement, obtaining resources and in-kind contributions, and explores what community outreach really means.
[edit] 4.1. Workshop 3: Press release sample
[edit] 4.2 Workshop 3: Community Flyer Sample
[edit] 4.3 Workshop 3: Agenda Sample
[edit] 5. Workshop 4: Publicity
Participants learn how to create a publicity plan with a timeline, and gain skills for creating publicity tools including press releases, advertisements, posters, and using radio and online methods.
[edit] 5.1. Workshop 4: PowerPoint Presentation
[edit] 6. Workshop 5: Progress Reports
This workshop explores ways to assess the strengths and challenges of your approach, and how to improve it. This informaton is then synthesized into a progress report that can be submitted to the person or organization overseeing your work.
[edit] 6.1. Workshop 5: PowerPoint Presentation
[edit] 6.2. Workshop 5: Sample Progress Report
[edit] 7. Workshop 6: Running effective meetings and troubleshooting in groups
With an introduction to group dynamics, this workshop helps those working with others to improve their effectiveness as a group. It includes effective meetings basics, dealing with conflict as a normal and healthy part of working in groups, identifying strengths and challenges, and implementing positive changes.
[edit] 8. Workshop 7: Exploring Leadership
This workshop provides some different ideas about the concept of leadership, how leadership can be shared, and the impact of different decision-making styles. An exploratory space is provided for participants to share and reflect with each other.
[edit] 9. Workshop 8: Event Planning
The challenges of event planning are reviewed, and participants are provided with strategies for overcoming them. This workshop shows how to create an event plan, including a schedule with individual responsibilities for clarity when planning as a group. In the context of planning a community celebration, some methods of promoting what you have done are discussed.
[edit] 9.1. Workshop 8: Concert Event Planning Sample
[edit] 9.2. Workshop 8: MayDay Event Plan Sample
[edit] 9.3. Workshop 8: Drawing Project Key Messages Sample
[edit] 9.4. Workshop 8: Drawing Worksheet Plan
[edit] 9.5 Workshop 8: Drawing Crew Job Sheet
[edit] 10. Workshop 9: Project Evaluation and Wrap-up
How do you assess your project and disseminate the results of your work? This project looks at aspects of wrapping up projects, including final reports, assessment, sustainability, dissemination... and celebration!
[edit] 10.1. Workshop 9: Developing an Evaluation Plan - PowerPoint Presentation
[edit] 10.2. Workshop 9: Evaluation Tables Sample
[edit] 10.3. Workshop 9: Evaluation Tools and Checklists
[edit] 11. Appendix
This document is the appendix to the document Building Leadership in Rural Quebec Toolkit, providing concrete samples to assist those working in community development. For more information about this initiative, or for contact information, please see the Toolkit document.
Of course, the pilot project this toolkit was based upon, and the toolkit itself, would not have been possible without dynamic and enthusiastic collaboration of the QCGN's multiple partners. We would like to extend our gratitude and recognition to Peter MacGibbon and the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation (3ci), Paule Langevin and the Community Learning Centres (CLC) Network, consultants Lise Palmer and Brenda Rooney, Heather Stronach of the Regional Association of West Quebercers (RAWQ), Michelle Gagnon of the CLC St-John's, Maria Chatterton and Cathy Brown of the Committee for Anglophone Social Action (CASA), and Ana Osborne, Melody Strickland, and Marie Anderson of the CLC Netagamiou. The QCGN is also extending its appreciation to Status of Women Canada for providing the funding that made this project possible.
These Leadership materials were prapared for the Quebec Community Groups Network (QCGN) by Lise Palmer, Brenda Rooney, and other partners. The materials are available for your use under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 2.5 Canada License.Click on this link to learn more.
