Family Community Leadership is:

• an FCE leadership development, education and training program

• the application of skills in leadership, public policy education and advocacy

Objectives:
  1. Developing and strengthening skills to benefit:
        1. Individuals
        2. Families
        3. Communities
        4. FCE and other organizations
  2. Applying skills to increase effectiveness of public policy participation in:
        1. National FCE programs
        2. State and/or Local FCE programs
        3. Projects that benefit families and communities

  I. FAMILY COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
        1. EDUCATION
              A. State FCE Association
                    1. Sponsor FCL Institutes or workshops to offer the 
                        complete 30-hour curriculum
              B. Individual FCE Member
                    1. Receive FCL educational training
                    2. Present FCL programs using the team teaching 
                        concept
        2. LEADERSHIP
              A. Individual FCE Member
                    1. Exhibit FCL leadership skills by:
                          a. Serving as an FCE officer on local, county, 
                              state and national levels
                          b. Serving on FCL Board
                          c. Mentoring potential FCE officers and leaders
        3. ACTION
              A. State FCE Association
                    1. Provide for FCL Certification for State 
                        Board Members
                    2. Participate in the state FCL Board
                    3. Incorporate FCL leadership skills/applications in:
                          a. State programs and projects
                          b. National FCE programs and projects
                          c. Programs that benefit families and communities
                    4. Support and participate in regional/national 
                        FCL workshops/trainings
              B. Individual FCE Member
                    1. Become a Certified Family Community Leader 
                        by receiving 30 hours of FCL training
                    2. Become a Certified Family Community Leadership 
                        Trainer by completing 60 hours of FCL internship
                    3. Apply FCL skills to FCE family issues
                    4. Participate in regional/national training
                    5. Serve on appointed governmental board or committee
                    6. Run for elected position

  II. APPLYING FCL SKILLS TO FCE ISSUES
        1. EDUCATION
              A. Organize public forum to educate public on issue
        2. LEADERSHIP
              A. Apply FCL leadership skills to resolving public policy 
                  issues
        3. ACTION
              A. Apply public policy skills to implement action on an issue

  III. APPLYING FCL SKILLS TO LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
        1. EDUCATION
              A. Present educational programs on local/state
                   government process
        2. LEADERSHIP
              A. Organize state legislative day(s)
        3. ACTION
              A. Contact decision makers (local, state, national) on 
                   issue(s) that affect families
              B. Run for elected position

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FCL Topics

Leadership: Learn to assume leadership in personal and community settings.

  1. Learn to distinguish leadership styles for different situations.
  2. Develop planning, interpersonal, and communication skills.
  3. Learn to work with media.
  4. Examine the role of ethics and values in personal leadership.
  5. Understand the value and behavior differences based on sex
     and culture.

Group Process: Learn and practice the skills necessary to lead a cohesive group that accomplishes tasks.

  1. Establish trust, clear communication, shared goals and 
      recognition among group members.
  2. Apply appropriate decision-making methodologies.
  3. Learn to understand developmental stages of group/group
      members and the differences between task and process 
      segments of group management.

Issue Analysis and Resolution: Gain ability for identifying and analyzing issues which affect the family and learn to apply techniques for issue resolution.

  1. Discuss identification of issues, their origin and interrelationships.
  2. Understand issue analysis, development of alternatives and their
      consequences.
  3. Develop and implement action plans to resolve issues.
  4. Identify and discuss how issues impact families and communities.

Public Policy: Become active and effective citizens and apply knowledge to teach others.

  1. Learn to understand the public policy process.
  2. Understand the three branches of government and 
      their interaction.
  3. Understand the use of informal systems, i.e., coalitions, 
      networks, press, etc.
  4. Monitor issues and decision makers.
  5. Know techniques to influence the system.
  6. Examine ethics within public policy area and make decisions
      about them.

Volunteering and Mentoring: Mentor, manage, motivate, train, and evaluate volunteers.

  1. Learn and understand reasons for volunteering.
  2. Apply effective volunteer program management strategies.
  3. Tailor programs to meet cultural differences.
  4. Encourage staff and volunteers to work together as peers.
  5. Mentor potential FCE leaders and officers.

 

Teaching Techniques: Experience and apply effective adult and youth education methods in teaching FCL concepts.

 

1. Learn to understand and apply adult and youth education concepts. 

 2. Explore and use effective methods for adult learning. 

 3. Plan, conduct, and evaluate training. 

 4. Use audio visual equipment. 

 5. Learn to recognize cultural differences in learning styles. 

 6. Develop a comprehensive community education program on local concerns. 

 7. Improve presentation skills.

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FCL Training - FCL National Certification

     a. Certified Family Community Leader by receiving 30 hours of 
        FCL training.
    b. Certified Trainer by completing 60 hours of FCL internship.

30 hour FCL Leader Certification

You will receive a Family Community Leader Certificate, after you have completed 30 hours of FCL training.  Submit copies of all collected FCL certificates (front and back) to National FCE Headquarters to receive your Family Community Leader Certificate of Achievement.  Include a cover letter listing the topics and hours of training and how you have benefited from FCL training.

CRITERIA for 30 HOURS of FCL TRAINING

The 30 hours of FCL training will consist of 3 hours in each of the following topics equaling 18 hours.  The remaining 12 hours are flexible; however, they must also be in the following FCL TOPICS, which are the basis for FCL Training:

LEADERSHIP: Learn to assume leadership in personal and community settings.

GROUP PROCESS: Learn and practice the skills necessary to lead a cohesive group that accomplishes tasks.

ISSUE ANALYSIS AND RESOLUTION: Gain ability for identifying and analyzing issues that affect the family and community and learn to apply techniques for issue resolution.

PUBLIC POLICY: Become active and effective citizens and apply knowledge to teach others.

VOLUNTEERING AND MENTORING: Set up effective management systems for motivating training and evaluating volunteers.
 

TEACHING TECHNIQUES: Experience and apply effective adult and youth education methods in teaching FCL concepts.
 

Describe briefly how you have used the information from the above categories.
Please use additional paper if necessary.

**Please refer to the back of your certificate for more details on each topic**

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Family Community Leadership

60 hour FCL Trainer Certification

After you receive your FCL Leader Certificate, you may apply for national certification as an FCL Trainer. This requires 60 hours total in the application of leadership skills. Actual teaching/training situations require 20 or more hours. This could be 20 one-hour presentations or 40 half-hour presentations. Remember, an integral part of teaching/training under FCL criteria is the FCL model of team-teaching.

To document the necessary hours of applied FCL skills, list:
          A. TOPICS taught, where, dates, length of presentation
               totaling 20 hours.
          B. COMMUNITY action, type taken, where, dates and length 
              of  time totaling 20 hours.
          C. PUBLIC POLICY action taken, where, dates and length of
              time totaling 20 hours.

Fill out the Application for National Certification as a Family Community Leadership Trainer Application. Have it signed by the State FCE President and/or State FCL Coordinator.

Send to National FCE Headquarters to receive your Family Community Leadership Trainer Certificate.  Application for certification can be obtained from our website or by contacting National FCE Headquarters.

Some suggestions on how to get your 60 hour training
     1. Serve on a non-profit board
     2. Attend a City Council meeting
     3. Attend a state legislative meeting
     4. Write a letter to the editor of newspaper
     5. Write to your representative or senator
     6. Organize and perform a community service project
     7. Organize and facilitate an issue forum
     8. Organize and facilitate a successful fundraiser
     9. Meet face-to-face with mayor or city government to discuss
         important issue (to you)
     10. Spotlight your media skills by documenting (showcasing) your
           work with various outlets
     11. Run for an elected office
     12. Help in a campaign for someone running for office

These suggestions need to be verified by date, location and signatures of Boards/Mayors; newspaper clippings of events/projects or copies of letters.

 

Click here for the CatLog list of FCL Educational Lessons

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