The Public Policy Project

Northway Community Trust/TPPP Community and Advocacy Leadership Training

North Minneapolis Community and Advocacy Leadership Training 2011

Program Description:   The program prepares north Minneapolis residents to be proactive and make their voice/views on issues that affect them heard through direct organized action, to advocate for themselves in city, county, regional and state legislative decisions and build a powerful collective force of new leaders. 

 Times:  The program consists of twelve evening training sessions (from 6:00-9:00 PM)Tuesday nights beginning January 4, 2011 plus a twelve-week field work experience and participation in a final session Tuesday May 31^st 2011

Location:  Training sessions will be held at the Minneapolis Urban League - 2100 Plymouth Avenue North (corner of Plymouth and Penn avenues north) in Minneapolis.

Accommodations:  All training sessions are held in barrier free locations. Food will be provided at each session.

Requirements:  You must be at the first session to participate and can only miss one session. Participation in the twelve-week issues campaign is required to complete your training.  A stipend will be paid to successful participants completing the training, fieldwork and follow-up session.

Selection Process:  ONLY completed registration accompanied by a recommendation from a nonprofit staff, advocacy professional or prior training graduates will be considered for participation. ALL registrations MUST BE SUBMITTED BY THE DEADLINE TO BE CONSIDERED. Twenty-five participants will be selected on a “first come, first served” basis.

Registration:  Your registration and recommendation must be received by December 20^th 2010

• You may e-mail registration to James at James_PublicPolicyProject@msn.com.

• You can also mail it to The Public Policy Project 2533 14^th Avenue South Minneapolis MN, 55404

• Wesley Walker Northway Community Trust 1200 W Broadway Suite 210 Minneapolis, MN 55411

Contact:  James Trice at 612-722-1677 or  James_PublicPolicyProject@msn.com

Northway Community Trust/TPPP Training Session Description Winter 2011

Meeting One: Poverty

Tuesday, January 4^th 6:00-9:00 PM

Introduce participants to each other and provide an overview of the Training process. Discussion of what it means to be poor and how being poor has affected/is affecting your life.

Meeting Two: Who we are?

Tuesday January 11^th 6:00-9:00 PM

Participants will talk about themselves, how they view themselves and what they are willing to do to address issues that affect them. Participants will talk about the gifts, talents and abilities they have to address issues. Participants will also discuss forming a north MPLS grassroots-organizing group.

Meeting Three: History and Trends

Tuesday, January 18^th 6:00-9:00 PM

We examine the history of the north Minneapolis community and the specific assets, opportunities, challenges, and deficits in the community. Selected presenters speak to the question of which trends and which “actors” will shape the community’s future? When someone says “north Minneapolis” where, what and who are they talking about?

Meeting Four: Race

Tuesday, January 25^th 6:00-9:00 PM

View “Race: The Power of an Illusion” and discuss our experience of race, racism, discrimination, inequities and disparities.

Meeting Five: Poverty & Race

Tuesday, February 1^st 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Discussion of the intimate relationship of poverty and race: history, demographics and status.

Meeting Six: Organizing I Basic Principles

Tuesday, February 8^th 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Organizing, the basic principles and approaches - including an analysis of power (self power and collective power).

Meeting Seven: Organizing I Basic Principles

Tuesday, February 15^th 6:00-9:00 PM

Focus on building a grassroots community organizing campaign and the benefits and challenges of working in coalitions. We will also examine the techniques of message framing & re-framing and talk about the use of “one on ones.”

Meeting Eight: Organizing III Practice Makes Perfect

Tuesday, February 22^nd 6:00 – 9:00 PM

Participants will do a series of role-plays with each other using various methods and styles of organizing. Participants will assess the effectiveness of different styles of organizing to address various issues.

Meeting Nine: LIFT and Ladders out of Poverty

Tuesday, March 1^st 6:00-9:00 PM

Participants will talk with members of LIFT about what LIFT is working on now, its origin, mission and purpose. Participants will also talk about the history and purpose of Minnesota’s  “Ladders out of poverty” effort; what has it accomplished, what it is working on now, how can low-wealth and people of color engage the work.

Meeting Ten: Elected Officials

Tuesday, March 8^th 6:00-9:00 PM

Participants will meet with local elected officials to discuss the roles they play and the decision making power they have to address poverty.

Meeting Eleven: Managing Conflict

Tuesday, March 15^th 6:00 – 9:00PM

In this session the presenters focus on how we can effectively deal with conflict within organizations, between organizations and with the larger power structures and still get the work done. Participants will assess and increase their conflict management capacity.

Meeting Twelve: Planning for “Applied Practice” Field Work

Tuesday, March 22^nd 6:00-9:00 PM

Participants will identify a critical public policy decision on poverty to work on collectively in their eleven-week applied practice campaign.

Eleven-week Field Experience:

TPPP will be available to provide technical assistance (phone calls, meetings, networking and resource information sharing) as the participants work on their chosen public policy issue. Participants will decide how often to meet, times and location of meetings, how they will work together (who will do what?) and what they want to accomplish in the time they have.

Follow Up Session 

Tuesday, May 31st 6:00-9:00 PM (date may change depending upon work accomplished)

Participants meet to review the campaign, evaluate the training experience and participate in a graduation ceremony.

 Click here: Northway Community Trust/TPPP Community and Advocacy Leadership Training Registration