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Program Element 5 - Leadership development opportunities

Leadership development opportunities, including community service and peercentered activities encouraging responsibility and other positive social and civic behaviors

What are leadership development opportunities?

Leadership development opportunities are opportunities that encourage responsibility, confidence, employability, self‐determination and other positive social behaviors such as:
(a) Exposure to post‐secondary educational possibilities;
(b) Community and service learning projects;
(c) Peer‐centered activities, including peer mentoring and tutoring;
(d) Organizational and team work training, including team leadership training;
(e) Training in decision‐making, including determining priorities and problem solving;
(f) Citizenship training, including life skills training such as parenting and work behavior training;
(g) Civic engagement activities which promote the quality of life in a community; and
(h) Other leadership activities that place youth in a leadership role such as serving on youth leadership committees, such as a Standing Youth Committee. (WIOA sec. 129(c)(2)(F))

 

What are positive social and civic behaviors?

Positive social and civic behaviors are outcomes of leadership opportunities, which are incorporated by local programs as part of their menu of services. Positive social and civic behaviors focus on areas that may include the following:
(a) Positive attitudinal development;
(b) Self‐esteem building;
(c) Openness to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds;
(d) Maintaining healthy lifestyles, including being alcohol‐ and drug‐free;
(e) Maintaining positive social relationships with responsible adults and peers, and contributing to the well‐being of one’s community, including voting;
(f) Maintaining a commitment to learning and academic success;
(g) Avoiding delinquency;
(h) Postponing parenting and responsible parenting, including child support education;
(i) Positive job attitudes and work skills; and
(j) Keeping informed in community affairs and current events. (20 CFR 681.530)

 

Examples of Qualifying Activities

- Community volunteering
- Service learning
- Peer mentoring or tutoring
- Character education
- Citizenship education, including how and why to vote
- Serving on youth council, community or advocacy organization boards, etc.
- Leadership training, such as how to work in a team, how to run meetings, diversity training
- Life‐skills training, such as parent education, financial education, goal setting, conflict resolution

 

Examples of NonQualifying Activities

- Activities that do not encourage responsibility, employability, or positive social behaviors.