Lead Organizer Training

About the Program

Workers and community members across California are working to ensure that families can thrive where they work, live, and learn. While our economy grows, many communities are disproportionately and systematically left behind. Labor and community organizations that are able to launch effective campaigns that achieve high participation from their members and build solidarity with allies are able to win and sustain important advances that improve conditions for workers, their families, and communities.

Is this training for you?

This workshop is offered to individuals in labor and community-based organizations who are leading organizers and want to strengthen their skills in effectively managing their team. Groups entering contract bargaining, conducting campaigns, or undertaking issue-oriented activities during 2021 and beyond should consider sending their lead organizers to this training.

Different organizations use different titles. Participants may be operating as a Lead Organizer, Director, or Regional Coordinator. The focus of the training is to understand leadership approaches that will bring the best out of your team and ensure that you can advance your campaign goals. By the end of the training, all participants will have developed a leadership development plan for one of their organizers or member organizers that is integrated into their campaign plan.

Selection Criteria: You are leading at least one organizer on an active campaign with clear goals and a timeline. If not, please apply in the future when you’ve met the criteria.

Topics we will cover include:

• Organizing Plans that Build Power
• Creating Leadership Development Plans and Accountability
• Leadership Self-Evaluation and Assessment
• Giving/Receiving Feedback
• Introduction to somatic practices that will help you better understand the leadership you want to embody and how your reactions to stress may get in the way

Topics subject to change.

Registration Deadline: Thursday October 8, 2021

Selection Process: Space is limited. There is a selection process after the application deadline. To be considered, your application must be received by the deadline on October 8. Applicants will be notified if they have been accepted or not by October 14.

Payments: Due to the selection process we will not process payments without acceptance packets, please do not submit payments prior to the registration deadline and without being notified of acceptance into the training.

Cost: $500 per participant. Limited scholarships available based on need. Reminder for participants who were a part of our yearlong program your fee has already been paid.

Program Dates: October 25-29, 2021

Format: Zoom Training will be a weeklong training, from Monday October 25 through Friday October 29, consecutively with assignments between sessions. Please block out the whole week in your schedules.

A zoom account is required, you can download it for free here.

Time: Sessions begin at 9:30AM and end at 4:30PM with a mid day break. Tech support will be available between 9:15AM and 9:30AM each day.

Key take-aways from past Lead Organizer Training graduates:

“For me, the most useful takeaway was just getting a reminder that I always need to be thinking about developing newer organizers, regardless of whether they’re member leaders or staff.” 2020

“I will take what I learned and apply it to managing my team better, understanding the person as a whole and their lived experience leading up to this. I will take a step back and listen to their feedback to make it a more collaborative effort.” 2020

“Today’s training reminded me that if I want to win campaigns and get justice for workers, I need to be devoting a lot of time and energy to developing other organizers.” 2020

” The tools are definitely something I will be able to take back, but the conversations with the other organizers made this a very different and awesome training.” 2019

“The small group session going through our leadership development plans was amazing. I got such great feedback and was able to share my own with others.” 2019

“The leadership development plan- this will help me not only be able to develop other organizers, but member leaders.” 2019

“Building community among other labor and community organizers.” 2019

For more information, please contact:
Clementina Jara at 510-643-7048 or zenaida@berkeley.edu

The Lead Organizer Training welcomes participation from people of all races, ethnicities, national origins, and gender identities.