Community Service
Catalytic Leaders Initiative Training Program
This is a 6-8 month training program that teaches you how to be a better leader in your neighborhood. You'll learn leadership skills, meet other community helpers, and stay connected with them after you finish.
Details
EligibilityCommunity leaders, entrepreneurs, practitioners, advocates, and creatives who are civic or socially engaged; focus on BIPOC+ leaders
FeesNot specified
HoursNot specified
“Smile, breathe, and go slowly. ”
— Thich Nhat HanhRelated
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The Change Lab 2025 Annual Report: Building Civic Infrastructure Through Community Connection
“ THE CHANGE LAB A community of practice 2025 ANNUAL REPORT THE CHANGE LABthechangelab.net · A fiscally sponsored project of Impact Hub Houston · Page 1 of 2 We connect by serving and learning toget...”
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Social Connection in America: 2025 Survey Report on Community Bonds and Well-Being
“ 2025 Survey Report About This Project This survey will catalyze a broad and lasting impact—transforming how we define, prioritize, and support social connection in America. This survey is led by D...”
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From the Library
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How GiveWell Measures the Impact of Charitable DonationsGiveWell is a charity research organization that helps donors find the most effective places to give money to save lives. This detailed guide explains how they calculate impact estimates for their recommended charities. They measure both outputs (like how many malaria nets are delivered) and outcomes (like how many lives are saved). For example, they estimate it costs $5,500 to save a life through malaria nets, $4,000 through malaria medication, $4,500 through vaccination incentives, and $3,500 through vitamin A supplements. The organization uses weighted averages based on actual grant data from 2022-2024. They emphasize being accurate and clear while avoiding false precision in their estimates. The guide covers their philosophy of transparency, how they generate impact estimates, what factors they consider, and how donors should interpret these numbers. GiveWell updates these estimates regularly and makes all their detailed calculations available in public spreadsheets. This resource helps donors understand how their charitable giving can have measurable, life-saving impact in global health programs.
Tips for Better Group Meetings and Decision MakingCraig Freshley's Good Group Tips is a comprehensive resource featuring over 100 practical videos, handouts, and articles designed to help groups make better decisions, run more effective meetings, and improve communication. The collection covers essential skills like active listening, managing accountability, setting agendas with clear timeframes, building trust through alignment of words and actions, and creating inclusive conversations. Each tip focuses on specific challenges groups face, such as how to say no effectively, how to define problems clearly before solving them, and how to ensure all group members have access to agenda-setting processes. The resources are designed for anyone leading or participating in group decision-making, from community organizations to workplace teams. Freshley emphasizes practical techniques like formal commitment processes, alternative solution development, and emotional intelligence skills that help groups work together more productively. The materials are freely available and include both written guides and short instructional videos with captions for accessibility.
The Rainbow Rule: A Better Way to Treat Others FairlyThe Golden Rule says 'treat others how you want to be treated,' but this can be problematic when people are different from you. The Rainbow Rule offers a better approach: ask people what they need first, then act. This article explains how the Golden Rule, while well-meaning, can lead to imposing your own preferences on others without understanding what they actually want. For example, giving a hungry person a rollercoaster ticket instead of food because that's what you might want. The Rainbow Rule requires two steps - asking first, then acting - making it more complex but more effective for diverse communities. This approach leads to better solutions, fewer conflicts, and more inclusive outcomes. The concept builds on the medical field's 'Platinum Rule' and encourages treating each person as an individual rather than assuming everyone wants the same things. While the Golden Rule works well among similar people, the Rainbow Rule is essential when working across differences in culture, background, and needs.
Learn How Groups Can Make Better Decisions TogetherThis book teaches people how to work together to make good decisions in groups. Written by Craig Freshley, who has helped many groups for years, it shows the best ways for teams, boards, and organizations to decide things together instead of competing against each other. The book covers how to run better meetings, listen well, solve problems when people disagree, and choose the right way to make decisions. It includes real examples and stories that make it easy to understand. The author believes that working together, not competing, is what will help groups succeed and solve big problems. This guide is especially helpful for nonprofit leaders, business managers, and anyone who works in groups and wants to learn how to make decisions that everyone can support. The book was named one of the best books of 2023 and is popular in airports across the country. It teaches specific skills like how to speak with purpose, prevent conflicts, and create a good group culture where everyone can contribute.
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The Journey
35 connected resources across 5 levelsTrail depth
Level 1
Get CuriousRead, watch, explore7 resourcesLevel 2
Find Your PeopleMeet orgs, neighbors, groups10 resourcesYou are hereServiceBraver Education - Civil Discourse Training for SchoolsThis program teaches students, teachers, and parents how to have respectful conversations about difficult topics. You can join workshops and debates to learn how to listen to different opinions and share your ideas in a kind way.
ServiceWorkplace Dialogue Training ProgramsThis organization helps companies build better workplaces where employees from different backgrounds can work together well. They offer online training called 'Perspectives' that teaches workers how to communicate better and solve problems together. They also provide live workshops for leaders and tools to measure how well teams are working. The training is based on research and helps reduce conflict while improving teamwork. Companies can buy licenses to use these programs with their employees.
ServiceSER Jobs for Progress — HoustonFree job training, GED classes, English language classes, and career counseling for adults. They also help with resume writing and interview preparation.
+7 more at this levelLevel 3
Show UpEvents, meetings, volunteering1 resourceLevel 4
Go DeeperTraining, sustained involvement16 resourcesLevel 5
Make Your MoveAdvocacy, organizing, creating1 resource