With funding provided by the Clarkston Development Foundation, during the week of March 26th – March 30th, five individuals residing and/or working in Clarkston, and two Clarkston Development Foundation staff members, attended the University of Missouri’s Community Development Academy in St. Louis, Missouri. The Community Development Academy consists of three week-long intensive, experiential courses that introduce participants to community development principles and practices and provide opportunities to develop community development skills.
Six individuals attended Course 1 of the Community Development Academy, “Building Communities From the Grassroots,” which introduces participants to fundamental community development principles, purposes and practices, such as inclusivity, public deliberation, action planning, leadership development, team-building, group processes and group facilitation, leadership development, and program evaluation.
One person attended Course 2, “Empowering Communities for the Future,” which course addresses collaborative processes, economic development principles, governance and civil society, sustainable development, and participatory research.
CDF hopes to engage community residents, and others, in community development by providing and/or otherwise funding educational opportunities such as the Community Development Academy. CDF believes that principles learned and skills developed at such venues as the Community Development Academy can empower community residents and facilitate appropriate and sustainable development in and around Clarkston.