Empowering Civic Leadership

Helping neighborhood leaders build resilience.

Resilient Oakland Leadership Academy

The effort to increase citywide resilience must harness the skills and energy of community members who know firsthand their neighborhoods’ strengths and challenges. In partnership with Neighborhood Empowerment Network (NEN), CivicsRUs’s Resilient Oakland Leadership Academy works to advance the city’s resilience by convening a cohort of emerging community leaders in Oakland and equipping them with skills, knowledge, and networks to create positive systemic change and improve resilience.

With our partners, we created a COVID-19 Community Response Playbook to help communities and neighborhoods respond to the pandemic. Please see our Leadership Tools page for additional resources and support.

Application

Applications are now closed. Fill out our interest form to be notified when we’re recruiting for future cohorts.
Interest Form

Questions & Contact

Mary Hickman
info@civicsrus.org

Other Programs

See Civics Other Programs

What You’ll Experience

The Academy follows Civics model of developing diverse civic leaders to work together across differences to create solutions for the common good. The model includes:
• Sessions and Focus Days: Sessions build skills in a team setting, and focus days provide understanding of relevant city departments, people, processes, and systems. Learning topics may include: resilience planning and disaster preparedness, transportation, housing, legislative and budget processes, and community organizing.
• Leader Interviews: Participants interview city department leaders and elected officials to establish relationships and understanding.
• Group Project: At the end of the program, participants will present a report to the community in response to a challenge related to enhancing neighborhood resilience and activating civic engagement.

Outcomes

Program results from our recent Neighborhood Leadership Academy found the following:
• 100% of participants are more confident in their leadership abilities.
• 100% felt a deepened connection to their peers and colleagues.
• 100% felt increased confidence to initiate positive change.
• 93% greatly increased their knowledge and understanding of San Francisco programs, processes, and services.

Who Should Apply

People over 18 who live in San Francisco and want to increase their civic engagement are invited to apply. Individuals who are already involved with the NEN Empowered Communities Program Neighborhood HUB initiative are encouraged to apply. (Current HUB neighborhoods are: Western Addition, Bernal Heights, Noe Valley, Bayview, Cayuga/Excelsior, OMI, Brotherhood Way, Diamond Heights, Miraloma Park, Merced Extension Triangle, Sunset, West Portal, and Visitation Valley).

Cost

There is no cost to participants. This pilot program is supported by a grant from the Walter & Elise Haas Fund.

Program Partners

• Neighborhood Empowerment Network (NEN)
• ONESF
• Walter & Elise Haas Fund