What is the Program Structure?

HOW WILL OUR PROGRAM WORK?

CMLI’s program will provide a safe space to meet and engage each other in dialogue on ideas, leadership skills, new knowledge and a range of learning assignments (individually and in teams).

The core program will take place within Winnipeg, Manitoba and within program hubs to be established across Canada in selected sites over the next few years. We will use a variety of community spaces for each component of the program.

Our program facilitators, speakers, and mentors are inclusive of all Canadians, and are the ones who will implement the core program. The mentors for the program's second cycle will be carefully selected based on their reputation, knowledge, perspectives, and skills.

Our Learning Community

The unique trait of this model is that everyone associated within the program, from the design team, to the people who are coming to speak, engage, and interact with the participants are considered to be the “learning community”. This concept is important as it clearly states that leadership learning is on-going; it is about how we engage and learn from each other; it is how we construct and act on our on-going community leadership journey together.

The Beginning - the First Program cycle - "Leadership as Practice"

We construct a class of participants (for each two-year cycle - starting in January till July, and then September till February) who will get to know each other over the two program cycles. They will engage in "peer learning" on selected topics, listen and interact with speakers, facilitators and topic experts, and apply different “learning tools” throughout the program. 

Some of the "leading in community practices are as follows: reflexive thinking, developing skillful questions, developing personal narratives, and developing community strategies or interventions to strengthen community. 

The learning assignments will apply these “tools” and many others. 

Specifically, the program’s focus is to build these "leading in community tools and practices" and engage other cultural communities on their ideas, challenges and solutions that matter.

We have developed a program based on weekend retreats, where participants will be able to learn, engage each other, and grow friendships and long-lasting networks.

Our Skill Webinars -Round Tables

In between our weekend retreats we will have evening webinars - round tables, where program participants will come together with facilitators and panelists to engage each other in topics selected to enhance their organizational capacities.These round tables will provide information, perspectives, and strategies on a range of important community institution building topics.

The Second Program Cycle

The second program cycle provides participants with skilled mentors who will be assisting in their personal mastery - personal growth areas of development. This formal mentorship relationship will match our participants to trained and supervised mentors from within the Muslim community and the community at-large..

Alumni Assisting CMLI

Of course, we will celebrate achievements and plan to grow this group of program participants every year into those who are leading in community, in  their way - often quietly but boldly. 

We wish for each of the alumni to build a long-term relationship with CMLI in many ways: as alumni who will be invited to be members of our program;  as program facilitators, and more importantly as future mentors.

 However, unlike many other community leadership development programs, the plan is to have our alumni to be engaged throughout the program with other community strategies, during the formal aspect of the program.