Residents of Goshen’s Northside, Historic Dickerson Landing, Crescent Street and East Goshen Neighborhood associations, along with residents of Elkhart’s Historic Roosevelt Center Association, shared an educational weekend in California with hundreds of community leaders.

Representatives from 40 states participated in a three-day Community Leadership Institute in San Jose Oct. 23 to 26.

The Community Leadership Institute helps emerging leaders learn new techniques and sharpen their skills to address specific issues affecting their communities. During the three-day conference attendees had the opportunity to participate in more than 40 professionally led workshops and nine field tours on topics ranging from coalition building, protecting communities against the face of foreclosure and marketing neighborhoods. Participants interacted with resident leaders from 114 communities representing all eight of NeighborWorks America’s Districts.

“The combination of skills and planning learned at the Institute will positively affect these neighborhoods for months and years to come,” said Larry Gautsche, president/CEO of LaCasa of Goshen Inc.

The institutes are a cornerstone of the NeighborWorks Network commitment to emerging community leaders. Since the early 1990s, thousands of residents, volunteers, board members, NeighborWorks organization partners, executive directors and other community leaders have come together through this training experience. At the end of every CLI, participants create an action plan so they can take the knowledge they gained back to their communities and use it to effect positive change.

Goshen’s neighborhood group is working on a neighborhood identity project complete with street side banners to welcome residents to their neighborhood. Adults and children will work together to design the banners which will then be hung on street side light posts. Each neighborhood will then have a special celebration to unveil the banners.

“It was great to be able to meet so many other community leaders from across the country who are working on similar issues,” said Leah Borden, Northside Neighborhood Association president and Goshen CLI resident team coordinator.” It was a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with other groups and to get some new ideas to bring back to the neighborhood.”

In Elkhart, the action plan will take the form of the Roosevelt Center Summer Academy, a series of courses that draw on the gifts, interests, and cultural richness of the surrounding community. Courses will focus on topics of interest to youth, but will be open to intergenerational involvement. The project will culminate with a multicultural public celebration in which each class shares with the neighborhood some of what they have learned.

Describing the potential of the project, Paul Bertha of Historic Roosevelt Center Association said, “I don’t think any of us realize the great impact that learning about each other’s cultures will yield to our community. This is an exciting time, and I’m so humbled to be able to be a part of it.”

According to Michael Downing, minister at Ambassadors for Christ Church, “The CLI training opened my eyes and intensified my desire for community renewal. It caused me to see the potential within individuals and how great a force it is when these potentials are combined.”

NeighborWorks America is a national nonprofit organization established by Congress to provide financial support, technical assistance and training for strengthening communities across the nation. LaCasa, Inc. is an affiliate of the national organization.

“We know that resident participation is vital to the health and vitality of communities and an essential ingredient in any revitalization effort,” said NeighborWorks America Chief Executive Officer Ken Wade. “The Community Leadership Institute builds the skills of everyday heroes who transform their neighborhoods into vibrant places all are proud to call home.”

LaCasa Inc. ( www.lacasa goshen.org) is a 38-year old community development corporation that works with individuals and community partners to create opportunity for personal growth, family stability and neighborhood improvement.