Homegrown Leaders

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New Bern community meeting with residents sitting around tables

Homegrown Leaders is a regional leadership and economic development training program that supports and advances highly skilled, motivated existing and emerging leaders who are committed to regional collaboration. Designed and developed by the NC Rural Center, the program equips community leaders with the skills needed to lead long-term economic development in their region, including tools to gain an understanding of the importance of resiliency and a regional lens for both building long-term solutions to common problems and innovative opportunities for growth.

Objectives:

  • Gain an understanding of the importance of resiliency and a regional lens for both building long-term solutions to common problems and innovative opportunities for growth.
  • Build relationships by networking with other leaders from the region. 
  • Learn and apply skills needed to address current and emerging critical issues and economic trends that will impact the future of their communities and regions:
    • Economic development: Participate in an in-depth examination of the building blocks of community economic development; receive an analysis of current data and regional economic trends; and take part in an exploration of critical local/regional economic development issues and opportunities.
    • Leadership development: Learn collaborative leadership skills; explore emotional intelligence; and learn strategies for working with others and leading in difficult conversations.
    • Economic impact of racial inequity: Engage in an analysis of the historical impact of social structures and power relationships on specific economic issues, social conditions, and marginalized populations; and participate in an in-depth conversation on how rural community leaders can eliminate barriers and expand opportunity for the future economic well-being of all rural North Carolinians and their communities.

Homegrown Leaders seeks to increase cooperation, collaboration and coordination across a broad array of organizations and sectors. Homegrown Leaders East will include five trainings. Each training will have approximately 40 participants, training a total of up to 200 leaders upon the completion of the Homegrown Leaders East series in 2022.

Learn more about the program at the NC Rural Center's Homegrown Leaders website.

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