Training civic bridge builders: Outcomes of community leadership development programs

Keating, Kari H.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/24219 Copy

Description

Title

Training civic bridge builders: Outcomes of community leadership development programs

Author(s)

Keating, Kari H.

Issue Date

2011-05-25T14:59:43Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Lleras, Christy

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Lleras, Christy

Committee Member(s)

• Gasteyer, Stephen P.
• Raffaelli, Marcela
• Ebata, Aaron T.

Department of Study

Human & Community Development

Discipline

Human & Community Development

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• community leadership
• Leadership development
• civic engagement
• social capital
• community capitals
• social bridging
• rural communities

Abstract

As rural communities experience rapid economic, demographic, and political change, program interventions that focus on the development of community leadership capacity could be valuable. Community leadership development programs have been deployed in rural U.S. communities for the past 30 years by university extension units, chambers of commerce, and other nonprofit foundations. Prior research on program outcomes has largely focused on trainees’ self-reported change in individual leadership knowledge, skills, and attitudes. However, postindustrial leadership theories suggest that leadership in the community relies not on individuals but on social relationships that develop across groups akin to social bridging. The purpose of this study is to extend and strengthen prior evaluative research on community leadership development programs by examining program effects on opportunities to develop bridging social capital using more rigorous methods. Data from a quasi-experimental study of rural community leaders (n = 768) in six states are used to isolate unique program effects on individual changes in both cognitive and behavioral community leadership outcomes. Regression modeling shows that participation in community leadership development programs is associated with increased leadership development in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that are a catalyst for social bridging. The community capitals framework is used to show that program participants are significantly more likely to broaden their span of involvement across community capital asset areas over time compared to non-participants. Data on specific program structure elements show that skills training may be important for cognitive outcomes while community development learning and group projects are important for changes in organizational behavior. Suggestions for community leadership program practitioners are presented.

Graduation Semester

2011-05

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/24219

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2011 Kari H. Keating

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