Written by: Jessica Snyder
Media Contact: Adam Pope
The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Live HealthSmart Alabama initiative has launched a new development program, the Community Leadership Academy.
Using a gift from Coca-Cola UNITED, Live HealthSmart Alabama — and subject matter experts Kathy Boswell and Valeta Neal — created a custom leadership curriculum.
The academy provides a forum where knowledge and skills are developed and refined to support community leaders as they conduct planning and improvement projects, balance needs and resources, and secure funding that ignites change.
Participants currently enrolled in the program extend through Birmingham’s Bush Hills, East Lake, Kingston, Titusville, Druid Hills, North Birmingham, Norwood and Smithfield communities. The initial participants were nominated by community leaders and partners. Selected residents were chosen for their immense potential to drive impactful, sustainable change in their neighborhood.
Over the course of 10 biweekly sessions, the Community Leadership Academy will teach the group skills in understanding personal strengths, building a budget, facilitating a meeting, speaking to large groups, conflict resolution, team building and more.
At the end of the program, graduates will identify an issue in their community that relates to one of Live HealthSmart Alabama’s signature keys: prevention and wellness, education, good nutrition, and physical activity. They will also identify potential barriers and assets and develop a fundable and actionable plan. Leaders who succeed will have access to mini-grants to help provide some of the resources needed for implementation.
“The Community Leadership Academy is a crucial component of our mission to make good health simple for all Alabamians,” said Lemeshia Chambers, Ph.D., operations director for Live HealthSmart Alabama and the primary driver behind the CLA. “In every area we work in, we meet with residents to better understand the needs, wants and hopes for the future of that community. With the leadership academy, we are creating a grassroots network of leaders who will work alongside us to bring about systemic change.”