Transformative Leadership

Community Transformation Course (CTC)

CTC is a journey; we will create a safe and brave space to build trust, connection, and relationships to learn from each other and practice humanization to develop a sense of belonging. 

Every CTC journey is unique. Facilitators listen to participants' interests, issues, concerns, and feelings to customize the course for each group. For example, a group of funders and foundation executives might be interested and focus on different topics and issues than public health practitioners.  

Transforming Leaders into Animators

We will examine and ignite our critical thinking and inner consciousness. Critical Consciousness is learning the history of inequity and its impact on the current situation to envision an equitable community and society. This is not a traditional course. Participants are asked to enter with an open mind and enthusiasm to learn about themselves and each other while simultaneously practicing humanization and hands-on facilitation skills. Merriam-Webster dictionary. Define humanization as "increasing human interaction and repairing a relationship," free of oppression."

Objectives

• Actively listen to self and community of learners / participants 
• Develop training material, practice facilitation, and receive feedback for a change
• Strengthen skills in planning and implementation of work within the community
• Examine approaches to facilitating community dialogue
• Learn to ask the “right” questions
• Be introspective (derun-nigar*: to look at one’s inner being)
• Raise consciousness of intersectionality (the different facets of our identities)

* Farsi translation

Why Community Transformation?

The short answer is that it works! When we use community, we refer to the group of participants attend in the course. Our combined experiences have allowed us to understand that our emotions fuel us to open ourselves, listen, and reflect on ourselves and our relationships with family, colleagues, communities, and the world. Through our transformations and bursts of enlightenment, we aim to create a safe space and foster hope, justice, and equity.

Methodology

Paulo Freire’s philosophy and methods will serve as a foundation and framework to guide our collective learning. Traditional education ignores feelings, but this methodology focuses on feelings, (heart), analysis (mind) and action (body or doing) for change. We believe that feelings connected to motivation lead to motivation breaking through apathy. When apathy is broken, then it naturally leads to action on a personal, organizational, and/or community level.

Course Structure

(Time required for this course is 40 hours.)

Day 1, the learner builds the foundation to create a space where people feel safe and brave to connect, build relationships through sharing, and be open-minded and vulnerable.

Day 2, the learner will experience facilitation through dialogue and active participation.

Day 3, small groups work together to identify and examine a generative theme that impacts their personal lives and those of their families and chosen communities.

Days 4 and 5, group members will facilitate their identified theme and practice facilitation skills.