Lead Organizer Training

About the Program

Workers and community members across California are fighting 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 are winning campaigns to improve conditions for workers their families and communities through high participation from their members. To do this, they need strong lead organizers.

Is this training for you?

This four-day, in-person workshop is offered to lead organizers in labor and community-based organizations who want to more effectively manage their teams. Lead organizers involved in bargaining contracts or managing issue-oriented campaigns will want to come to this training. Groups entering contract bargaining, conducting campaigns, or undertaking issue-oriented activities during 2023 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 out the best in 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.

To be eligible for this training, you must be leading at least one active campaign with clear goals and a timeline.

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.

Application deadline: Friday, October 6, 2023

Selection process: Space is limited. To be considered, your application must be received by the deadline on October 6. Applicants will be notified if they have been accepted or not by October 27.

Cost: $700 per participant. Please do not submit payments prior to the registration deadline and without being notified of acceptance into the training. 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: November 14-17, 2023

Format: In person.

Time: Sessions begin at 9:00AM and end at 5:00PM with a mid day break.

Location:
Cal State East Bay, The Oakland Center
In the Transpacific Centre
1000 Broadway, Suite 109
Oakland, CA 94607

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.”

“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.”

“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.”

” 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.”

“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.”

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

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.