Neighborhood Leadership Institute

Citizens Committee for New York City is available to do free skill-building workshops  in your neighborhood and at a time convenient for your group. Each component of the workshops listed below can be offered as a single workshop. We can also  combine segments of different workshops. If you would like a workshop not on our list, please contact us. 
 
The workshops are tailored to meet the strengths, needs, and goals of your group.  All the workshops are structured in an interactive format that draws out the experiences and knowledge of participants. Workshops are for grassroots volunteer-driven community groups.

Please contact Arif Ullah or Lixian Hantover for more information: 212.989.0909/grants@citizensnyc.org 

Below is a description of the workshops we offer:

Community Organizing – Part 1

• Issue Identification: Identify needs in your community and select an issue to work on.
• Mission Statement: Establish your group’s purpose and vision.
• Strategy: Develop clear and realistic plans for your projects. Select the right combination of strategies and tools for each project.
• Outreach and Participation: Recruit new members using tools such as flyers, surveys, and announcements at neighborhood events.
• Evaluation: Strengthen your project by regularly evaluating and examining the effectiveness of strategies and tools used for the project.
• Community Meetings and Facilitation: Lead meetings that are exciting, focused, inclusive, and that make people want to stay or become involved in the project. 
 
Community Organizing – Part 2

• Root Causes: Identify the causes of issues your group is working on so that you can develop more informed and intelligent strategies. 
• Campaign Development: Build your group’s community improvement efforts into a project that mobilizes people to gain a voice in important discussions that directly impact your community.
• Messaging: Create a strong and clear message that clearly and briefly communicates your group’s work and goals.  
• Legislative Organizing: Communicate, meet, and build relations with elected representatives. Develop strategies to influence politicians to support policies that are good for your community. 
• Alliance Building: Identify and work with groups focused on similar issues. Outreach to groups that are not working on the same issues but that may be able to offer support.
 
Group Structure 

• Democratic Process: Keep people interested and involved in your group by ensuring that they have input in decision-making and that they are able to elect leaders.
• By-Laws: Develop a set of rules that spell out the group’s purpose, roles and responsibilities of members, election procedure, and process for making decisions. 
• Committees: Establish small groups within the organization to focus and take leadership on specific issues and projects.
 
Media Muscle

• Message Framing: Frame your group’s message about an issue in a way that is compelling and that generates support for your work and goals.
• Media Activism: Use newspapers, television, radio, and the internet to influence public opinion about issues important to your community, and to pressure elected representatives to support positive policies for your community.  
• Media Alerts and Events: Write press releases and organize press conferences to raise awareness about or generate support for an issue or event that your group is involved in.
 
Internet Toolbox

• Website: Create a useful and appropriate website for your group using free internet services.
• Web Tools: Learn about blogs, podcasts, listservs, etc., and whether it makes sense for your group to use these resources. 
 
Understanding City Government

• Government Agencies: Understand the roles and responsibilities of major city agencies and local public officials.
• Government Bureaucracy: Navigate the bureaucracy and determine who holds power on particular issues you are addressing.
• Legislative Process: Find out how a bill becomes a law.
 
Grassroots Fundraising

• Strategy: There are many ways to raise money. Exchange fundraising experiences and strategies with other workshop participants and develop a strategy that is most appropriate for your group’s work and goals.
• Looking Within: Tap into the resources within your own community. Identify potential donors in your community, increase their awareness about your group’s efforts and how it benefits the community, and cultivate a relationship with them.
• Fundraising Event: Organize an event that is interesting, well planned, and that brings people out. 
 
Working With Youth 

Young people can be a valuable resource for your group’s community strengthening efforts. Inviting youth to participate is also a great way for them to develop new skills. Learn concrete methods for recruiting youth, maintaining their involvement and supporting their development.  

To arrange a workshop, contact Arif Ullah or Lixian Hantover: 212.989.0909/grants@citizensnyc.org