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Leadership training addresses city hardships

April 15, 2009

East Carbon City , Utah — The economic outlook is bleak across the nation and East Carbon City , Utah offers no exception. However, East Carbon City doesn’t have to wait for a bailout. Residents from all sectors of the community can acquire valuable tools to create their own solutions.

East Carbon residents interested in facilitating positive change in their community are invited to take part in a unique leadership development training program. Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) staff members, who are certified to deliver the respected Ford Institute Leadership Program, will conduct the training. East Carbon city officials and VISTA volunteers are partnering with RCAC to host the program.

They are looking for young leaders, high school and college students, emerging leaders, established leaders, elders, educators, financially savvy community members, experienced volunteers, board members and others who truly want to learn, mentor, improve their leadership skills and improve their community to participate in this program.

Taught over the course of four weekends in four months, the leadership development curriculum involves 60 hours of classes that give participants the skills and tools they need to become better leaders who effectively collaborate to get things done.

Thus far, RCAC has trained 220 new leaders in communities from Hawaii to New Mexico . As part of the training, the group conceives, designs and executes a class project that directly benefits their community.

Leadership Training class projects give participants real experience using the tools and concepts they learn in the course. Projects from leadership classes have included the creation of a community web site; the formation of a nonprofit social services agency; community beautification programs; park renovation and improvement; a youth summit; a street-scaping venture; an “Artist of the Month” project to foster a community arts program, shade tree-planting in an arid community and a senior center revitalization effort.

RCAC created its Loan Fund in 1988 and was later certified as a Community Development Financial Institution. As of December 31, 2008 , RCAC had closed 526 short- and long-term loans which totaled more than $261.5 million and leveraged more than $1.1 billion for rural projects. The Loan Fund provides low-interest loans for affordable housing, community facilities, water and wastewater systems and more. Today, the RCAC Loan Fund is capitalized at more than $66 million.

Applications for participation are now available. Contact Lisa Miller, East Carbon City Vista Volunteer, via phone at 435/888-6613 or e-mail her at lisagaye7@hotmail.com to obtain an application. Because space is limited, interested residents should complete an application as quickly as possible. For more information about RCAC’s leadership training program, visit www.rcac.org. ###

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