Mississauga:

On Thursday, nearly 100 people were on hand in Mississauga as the Peel Leadership Centre (PLC) celebrated its first graduating class of the Collaborative Leadership in Community (CLiC) Program. At the event, 19 not-for-profit leaders were honoured for their ten-month long journey. The event was MC’ed by Paula Bocaz with Malton Neighbourhood Services, Samantha Fer-0nandes with the HEAL Network and Marisa Fortune with the Regional Diversity Roundtable; all graduates of the CLiC Programme.

“This experience has been a powerful learning journey,” said Paula Bocaz. “I came into the program with a lot of interest and enthusiasm, yet not really knowing what to expect.

I feel that this programme mirrors society and our sector, that in these times of limited resources, we need to find more creative and effective ways of leading and mobilizing diverse groups of people for a common goal.” CLiC is an interactive, intensive programme that received a three-year, $228,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in March 2011.

It’s focused on developing or enhancing characteristics consistent with a collaborative style of leadership. Peel’s complex and interconnected community issues encouraged PLC to provide support for collaborative approaches by creating the CLiC Program thereby continuing their mandate to provide and facilitate learning opportunities for non-profit leaders, through programs, services, resources and events.

MEANINGFUL SOLUTION

“Given the nature of issues our communities are facing, non-profit leaders must develop the skills of collaborative leadership recognising that each one of us has a stake in our common future,” said Vanita Varma, Chair of the Peel Leadership Centre Steering Committee.

“Only shared responsibility and leadership can create meaningful solutions for our diverse and interconnected community and social issues.” The event on Thursday included a dynamic performance from the Youth Troopers for Global Awareness (www.ytga.org) as well as an inspirational address from Stefany Hanson, a Health Promoter for the Four Corners Health Centre.

“Collaborative Leadership is a large responsibility,” said Stefany Hanson. “It makes assumptions about our capacity as employees and community members, but it makes a larger assumption about the change that we can affect collectively,” added Hanson as she left the graduates with words of inspiration to continue their collaborative ventures.

The Peel Leadership Centre (PLC) is a community collaborative, whose mission is to cultivate, enhance and support leadership and capacity in the Non-Profit sector in Peel. PLC is now accepting application for the 2nd year of the CLiC Program, the deadline for applications is June 26, 2012. For more information please visit http://peelleadershipcentre.wordpress.com/.

A leading grant-maker in Canada, the Ontario Trillium Foundation strengthens the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives. An agency of the Government of Ontario, OTF builds healthy and vibrant communities. For more information about the Ontario Trillium Foundation, visit www.otf.ca.