Community Development Academy

Posted by on October 28, 2013

Community Development Academy

The Community Development Academy is an intensive, experiential, five-day course offered by the University of Missouri Extension Community Development Program. Our three courses combine leading edge thinking with practical applications. We enhance the capacity of people to work effectively with a broad range of community issues. The Community Development Academy provides a conceptual base and develops the skills necessary to successfully bring people (often with diverse views and opinions) together around common issues. Course participants learn how to deal collectively with their issues of concern and give purposeful direction to their own futures.

The Academy

• Offers a state-of-the-art, three course, community-based development curriculum
• Utilizes interactive, hands-on learning experiences
• Establishes a valuable resource network for those working in communities
• Shares methods for involving people at the local level of a community and/or neighborhood
• Develops the knowledge and skills necessary for empowering people to build their own futures
• Provides a forum for learning and sharing with a diversity of people

The Academy is designed for those working in:

• Not-for-profit organizations
• Urban/rural development
• Regional planning councils
• Extension and outreach programs
• Utilities, telephone and electric cooperatives
• Chambers of Commerce
• Local, state, and federal government
• Community art/cultural affairs agencies
• Community Betterment and Main Street programs
• Neighborhood associations (housing programs and departments)
• Local health, social services and youth development agencies
• Churches and faith-based organizations
• Through this dynamic, results-oriented curriculum, learn how to:
• Use the tools needed to sustain communities
• Focus on capacities of communities/neighborhoods
• Promote responsibility and involvement of the entire community
• Develop a holistic community focus
• Harness the community’s expertise to determine needs, vision and actions

March 24-28, 2014
The Mercy Center, St. Louis, MO

The Mercy Center is a 70-acre retreat setting situated in West St. Louis with a hospitable environment for interaction, networking, partnership building and informal teamwork.

Lodging with Meals: Fees $450 per person, based on double occupancy Monday through Thursday (includes Monday dinner through Friday breakfast, except Wednesday evening). The MU Conference Office will arrange lodging.

Commuters: Fees $175 includes lunches, breaks and Monday evening event.

http://muconf.missouri.edu/commdevelopmentacademy/index.html