Overview
Purpose: This year-long applied learning program aims to facilitate the development of collaborative leadership and public health skills among teams of individuals who are mobilizing communities to identify and solve health problems.
Overview: The program involves a twelve-month commitment for teams of individuals who are leading community health initiatives. Participants take part in a curriculum delivered through a series of face-to-face workshops and distance-based educational sessions taught by outstanding national and state faculty. They also apply new skills as they work on health improvement projects in their home communities. The curriculum includes training in leadership as well as technical and scientific skills that equip learners to successfully impact local community health improvement initiatives.
Learning Model and Schedule: The program is offered annually and the application period begins in the spring. Teams are selected during the summer begin the program in the fall. Three two-day on-site workshops are held during which university and community faculty offer guidance and instruction in the theory and practice of community health improvement and collaborative leadership. The sessions are designed for adult learners and include discussions, interactive exercises, team work periods and networking opportunities.
In the months between workshops, teams work together on real community health problems within their own communities. Teams share progress with each other and participate in distance-based instruction on selected content areas. Both on-site and distance-based coaching and advice are offered to teams at key times during the year.
Curriculum: The curriculum includes training in collaborative leadership and technical and scientific skills that equip learners to more successfully impact community health improvement initiatives. Through participation in this program, learners will:
- Build individual and collaborative leadership skills
- Apply community health improvement models
- Use practical evidence-based approaches to address health issues
- Enhance program planning, evaluation and grant writing skills
- Advance skills needed to effectively communicate with the public, policy makers and the media
- Gain insight into maintaining strong workgroups and coalitions
- Create personal leadership and professional development plans
- Benefit from access to a network of colleagues and other experts
