Theme 1 - Leadership

1.1. What is a community leader?

A community leader works within the community as part of a team. A community leader will be able to do at least one of these things

• Explore new ideas
• Motivate others and prioritise issues
• Organise activities
• Keep groups together and maintain harmony
• Implement ideas and act on plans
• Manage and welcome change

Often people are acting as community leaders without realising it. For example

• a Family and Child Health Nurse may identify a local need for a support group for young mothers
• a volunteer hospital board member may want to find new volunteers

These people are undertaking community leadership work...even if they don't use that terminology.

Visit the Communitybuilders site for links to more leadrship materials.

You may also find the material in the "Leadership in Organisations" section at the Management Assistance Program for Non-Profits site useful.