WELCOME TO SDSU'S COMMUNITY INNOVATION & LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

Sustainable rural communities are important to all of us. Research tells us that when you build leaders, you develop the foundation for healthy, vibrant communities.

SDSU Extension's Community Innovation & Leadership team can help your community by providing research-based educational resources and programs. SDSU Extension offers a mixture of programs to bring to your community including:

LeadershipPlenty® - A comprehensive leadership program, designed to give community members the tools needed to get things done. Topics covered include finding leaders in community, managing groups, dealing with conflict and moving from talk to action. To learn more about this nationally recognized program go to http://www.pew-partnership.org/lp/curriculum.html

Study Circles - A process that brings people together to talk about issues in their community, to come up with solutions and to create community change. Several South Dakota communities have used the Study Circles process on these topics: · Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All · Facing Racism in a Diverse Nation · See all of the Study Circle topics at http://www.everyday-democracy.org

Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) - Using a process called Appreciative Inquiry, communities can put all the building blocks together in creating community change. Learn how to build your community from within and to make the most of the assets that your community possesses. Learn more at http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx16003.pdf

Building Communities Through Civic Engagement - Learn why civic engagement of community members is vital to thriving communities. Build knowledge and skills, and increase the participation and engagement of community members in your community projects. Learn more at http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx16001.pdf

Community Capitals: Measuring Success in Communities - Evaluate your community's assets based on the Community Capitals Framework. This program will help your community determine the best use of assets to cause community change; including people, money, resources, buildings, and more. To learn more about the Community Capitals, read the Community Capitals series of Extension Extras at http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx16005.pdf

Leadership for Today - Every community leader needs skills to work efficiently and effectively on community projects. The Leadership for Today series offers hands-on tools and skill building for all leaders in community.

• Manageable Meetings -http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx16013.pdf
• Effective Group Communication - http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx16014.pdf
• Managing Conflict Within Groups - http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx16015.pdf

Youth in the Community - Youth are an important partner in community change. Learn to include youth in decision making, recruit youth to join adults in community projects and take advantage of the wealth of knowledge and energy that youth have to offer. Learn more at http://agbiopubs.sdstate.edu/articles/ExEx16003.pdf

SDSU's Cooperative Extension Service has many more programs and services to fit your community's needs. We can also create in-depth and community specific programs, tailored to your needs, just ask! Please contact us with your questions or program requests, we look forward to serving the citizens of South Dakota.