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As part of its commitment to help stabilize and revitalize the communities it serves, Community Housing Partners (CHP) hosted five residents from The Summit Apartments in Hopewell, VA, at NeighborWorks America’s October Community Leadership Institute in Louisville, KY.
The institute, a three-day, invitation-only training event held annually, aims to strengthen the voices and skills of resident and volunteer leaders. It fosters the sharing of solutions to challenges in low- and moderate-income communities. Participants from around the country attend in small teams from communities served by NeighborWorks network organizations, such as CHP.
CHP’s resident services staff understands the importance of leadership development among residents at the organization’s rental communities, nurturing their ability to analyze their own strengths and weaknesses, set personal and vocational goals, and build the self-esteem and motivation to achieve them. This learning includes the establishing networks that support full participation in community life to create positive social change. Leadership development also helps individuals learn to guide or direct others on a course of action, influence their opinions and behaviors, and serve as role models.
CHP Resident Services Manager Tiffany Little and Resident Services Coordinator Stacie Desper escorted two teenagers, their mothers and a senior resident to the fall institute. The residents were selected by Desper based on their participation in CHP programs and demonstrated leadership skills.
Fifteen-year-old Hakeeym Taylor and 16-year-old Tiara Taylor (no relation) came to Desper’s attention earlier in the previous summer when they served as camp counselors in the newly formed Summer Youth Program at The Summit. Desper also considered the duo strong candidates for the conference because of the community service work they performed in greater Hopewell.
Hakeeym was initially apprehensive about attending the CLI. "About three days before the trip, I felt doubtful I would be intelligent enough to comprehend the training as well as the others. I was prepared for failure. But one of my instructors introduced me to the idea of creating a way to bring the community together. We practiced creating plans to change society for the better.”
Describing her experience in Louisville, Hakeeym’s mother Sheikia Taylor says, “All of my classes were very informative. The instructors were engaging and I learned a lot about leadership. I learned I am capable of being a leader."
Aleta Taylor, mother of Tiara, indicated she would like to use her newly gained leadership knowledge to one day “build a program in the city for the children to have some type of recreational activity. I would also like to have a prosperous and successful business that puts money back into the economy of Hopewell.”
Desper also invited 60-year-old Valerie McDougal, a 27-year resident of Summit, to take part in the institute because she has “years of experience with community organizing and programming.” One example of McDougal's many accomplishments is the establishment of the first Housing Authority Softball League in Hopewell. “Valerie also volunteers with The Summit’s Summer Youth Program and is consistently active member of the Resident Involvement Committee," adds Desper.
The Summit contingency took a variety of courses ranging from creating inter-generational partnerships, to building stronger communities, to nurturing young people as leaders of community change.
Funding for the residents’ conference fees was provided as part of a $250,000 Stable Communities Catalytic Grant that CHP received from NeighborWorks. With the help of the grant, CHP aims to combine housing preservation with comprehensive education and programming that will impact not only its rental communities, but also the larger Hopewell community.
CHP hired a program coordinator who has used a city-wide approach to establishing relationships with service providers, community stakeholders and activists. To date, funding has been used for the development of a variety of services and programs for Summit residents, including a collaborative mural project, an afterschool youth program and teen-involvement committee, a tenant council and financial capability programming for adults. CHP also performed a community-needs assessment and identified additional community partners
The institute, a three-day, invitation-only training event held annually, aims to strengthen the voices and skills of resident and volunteer leaders. It fosters the sharing of solutions to challenges in low- and moderate-income communities. Participants from around the country attend in small teams from communities served by NeighborWorks network organizations, such as CHP.
CHP’s resident services staff understands the importance of leadership development among residents at the organization’s rental communities, nurturing their ability to analyze their own strengths and weaknesses, set personal and vocational goals, and build the self-esteem and motivation to achieve them. This learning includes the establishing networks that support full participation in community life to create positive social change. Leadership development also helps individuals learn to guide or direct others on a course of action, influence their opinions and behaviors, and serve as role models.
CHP Resident Services Manager Tiffany Little and Resident Services Coordinator Stacie Desper escorted two teenagers, their mothers and a senior resident to the fall institute. The residents were selected by Desper based on their participation in CHP programs and demonstrated leadership skills.
Fifteen-year-old Hakeeym Taylor and 16-year-old Tiara Taylor (no relation) came to Desper’s attention earlier in the previous summer when they served as camp counselors in the newly formed Summer Youth Program at The Summit. Desper also considered the duo strong candidates for the conference because of the community service work they performed in greater Hopewell.
Hakeeym was initially apprehensive about attending the CLI. "About three days before the trip, I felt doubtful I would be intelligent enough to comprehend the training as well as the others. I was prepared for failure. But one of my instructors introduced me to the idea of creating a way to bring the community together. We practiced creating plans to change society for the better.”
Describing her experience in Louisville, Hakeeym’s mother Sheikia Taylor says, “All of my classes were very informative. The instructors were engaging and I learned a lot about leadership. I learned I am capable of being a leader."
Aleta Taylor, mother of Tiara, indicated she would like to use her newly gained leadership knowledge to one day “build a program in the city for the children to have some type of recreational activity. I would also like to have a prosperous and successful business that puts money back into the economy of Hopewell.”
Desper also invited 60-year-old Valerie McDougal, a 27-year resident of Summit, to take part in the institute because she has “years of experience with community organizing and programming.” One example of McDougal's many accomplishments is the establishment of the first Housing Authority Softball League in Hopewell. “Valerie also volunteers with The Summit’s Summer Youth Program and is consistently active member of the Resident Involvement Committee," adds Desper.
The Summit contingency took a variety of courses ranging from creating inter-generational partnerships, to building stronger communities, to nurturing young people as leaders of community change.
Funding for the residents’ conference fees was provided as part of a $250,000 Stable Communities Catalytic Grant that CHP received from NeighborWorks. With the help of the grant, CHP aims to combine housing preservation with comprehensive education and programming that will impact not only its rental communities, but also the larger Hopewell community.
CHP hired a program coordinator who has used a city-wide approach to establishing relationships with service providers, community stakeholders and activists. To date, funding has been used for the development of a variety of services and programs for Summit residents, including a collaborative mural project, an afterschool youth program and teen-involvement committee, a tenant council and financial capability programming for adults. CHP also performed a community-needs assessment and identified additional community partners
