Cultivating Champions

1

• Cultivating Champions
• The Bravery Factor.
• Family Leadership Development
• Eileen Forlenza

2
CULTIVATING CHAMPIONS WHY?
Developing family leaders is the next natural
step following family involvement. This is
evidenced by efforts of systems change that have
been effective because families partnered with
the agencies involved.



3
Cultivating Champions

• Families offer authentic experiences that help
  connect theory with implementation.
• When this experience is buoyed by professional
  expertise, training and supportsystems change
  happens.

4
Linking Leadership to Cause
As family leaders cultivate their skills, they
can and should be linked to appropriate
opportunities

• Advisory Councils
• Sub committee work
• Testimony
• Research
• Policy Development
• Train-the-Trainer
• Mentoring

5
Diversity Matters
Expanding the roster of family leaders assures a
diverse perspective




6
Strategies Taking a Closer Look
The Multi-Dimensional Perspective Who were you
the day before you received the diagnosis.
7

• Multi-Dimensional

Families, like many of you were/are skilled in
areas such as

• Fundraising
• Group Facilitation
• Cultural Brokering
• Health Care Administration
• Law
• Education
• Hospitality
• Marketing
• Print Materials Development
• Event Planning
• Business Development

8
Cultivating Champions

• Every encounter with a family is an opportunity
  to cultivate the champion that lives within them.

9
(No Transcript)
10
The Impact of Leadership

• As families cultivate their strengths they have
  a ripple effect on the system as whole.
• So What.Now What.

11
 
12

• IDENTIFICATION
• Whome?
• Not all people self-identify as a leader.
• However, many possess leadership abilities.

Sometimes, the only thing between leadership and
a leader is the chance to become one!
13
The Outer Ring
System stakeholders need families to be leaders
on the outer ring of leadership development.
This includes youth and siblings!
14
Strategies.Recruitment

• Believe in the power of cultivating family
  leaders
• Engage in inter-agency data sharing
• Notify participants during all trainings
• Share the impact!
• Seek out diverse perspectives
• Establish a central Leadership Registry

15
Strategies.Retention

• Believe in the investment of family leadership
• Compensate family leaders
• Establish family leaders as Project Consultants
• Prepare leaders for their specific role via
  training
• Track development of family leaders
• Maintain and promote central Leadership Registry

16
Recruitment StrategiesTaking a closer look

• How programs can lead the charge
• Broker leadership opportunities.
• Analyze current policies, by-laws, etc. with a
  leadership lens.
• Modify registration procedures to sustain
  leadership opportunities.
• Work with agencies/programs who have access to
  experienced families, ie. Health Disparities,
  Head Start, PTA, SEAC, ICC, MOPs, etc
• Follow-up with families progress especially
  youth and self advocates.

17
Retention Strategiestaking a closer look

• How programs assure sustainability
• Equitable stipend
• Establish professional expectations reports,
  trainings
• Maintain expansive roster
• Promote mentoring
• Assure competence
• Cross-agency impact reporting
• Implement corporate leadership strategies, ie.
  Management vs. Leadership principles
• Leadership Development is embedded in ALL grant
  proposals.

18
Summary




Weve moved from concept to implementation
regarding family involvement. The family
perspective is consistently requested in areas of
service design and delivery, policy development,
community building and systems development. This
perspective must be framed by knowledge,
articulation and core leadership principles.




19
Contact Information
Eileen Forlenza State Family Consultant
and Community Development Specialist Colorado
Department of Public Health and
Environment 303-692-2794 Eileen.Forlenza_at_state.co.
us
20

• Cultivating Champions
• The Bravery Factor.
• Family Leadership Development