We believe that everyone has something to contribute, and that everyone can be a leader. ACF is committed to elevating individuals who are acting to making a positive impact as engaged citizens and professionals. This includes existing and emerging leaders, adult and youth leaders.
Leaders who are members of the communities and issues they serve are the ones who have the experience, relationships, and knowledge essential for developing solutions with measurable and sustainable impacts. Importantly, these local leaders also have the ability to recognize and leverage assets within their communities.
Recognizing the value of local leaders in Athens County has shaped the approach of Athens County Foundation in recent years. We have intentionally invested in the people and organizations in the county, building up their leadership, investing in their initiatives, and building careful partnerships that are bolstered by their expertise. We have seen actors in the county collaborate on complex challenges and make meaningful and swift progress.
One way we elevate leaders in Athens County is through programming specifically designed to build strong community leaders through our Leadership Athens County programs: Leadership Athens County – Flagship and Leadership Athens County – Youth.
Leadership Athens County (LAC) is a place-based and asset-focused leadership program, aimed at developing a corps of informed citizens to provide dynamic community leadership. LAC brings together emerging leaders to inform, connect, and inspire community-minded individuals to engage in service. LAC also helps participants develop and understand their own leadership styles.
Leadership Athens County Goals
Connect to:
Self – Initiate exploration of personal transformation and mastery with self-reflection and awareness. Understand individual strengths and themes of talent.
Each Other – Build relationships within the cohort and alumni to co-create an informed and connected web of community leaders.
Leadership – Engage in practices and techniques that foster participation and collaboration while mastering core competencies and creative problem solving. Broaden individual capacity with an understanding of social capital, civic participation, and change movements.
Community – Develop and strengthen a sense of pride of Athens County and Appalachian Ohio while leveraging knowledge of its assets and challenges.
Purpose – Pursue progress so that everyone in Athens County is engaged and working together to ensure a healthy, thriving community for all.
Leadership Athens County Objectives
Participants in LAC will:
Assess, relate, and integrate themes of talent into their personal and professional lives. Reflect on their individual values, perceptions and explain how they are and have been informed.
Identify collaborators and combine talents and expertise toward a shared goal or project. Form deep bonds with cohort members with shared experience.
Demonstrate and practice a variety of techniques to facilitate dialogue. Summarize different leadership styles and personas to deploy the appropriate one.
Identify the unique cultural and social assets found in Athens County. Explain opportunities and challenges that exist. Perform civic engagement activities and influence others to do the same.
Reflect on individual areas of influence and strength to practice change-making and participatory leadership to affect progress in organizations, systems, and community.
Youth Program |
Flagship Program |
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Testimonials |
F.A.Q.’s |
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