Pathways to Community Vitality:

Helping Small Towns Succeed 

Pathways to Community Vitality: Helping Small Towns Succeed is the longest running program of the Heartland Center for Leadership Development.  It shares the range of the Center's focus and expertise in rural community development.  It has been attended by more than 1,000 people since its introduction in 1992.  The content is updated annually and the conference is offered once a year.

This year's institute will take place at the Lied Lodge and Conference Center in Nebraska City, Nebraska, home of internationally celebrated Arbor Day.  Lied Lodge is one of America's premier dedicated training and conference facilities.  Situated on the 260-acre Arbor Day Farm, the conference center boasts activites such as the Arbor Day Farm Tree Adventure, trails, golf and other family activities. 

The Heartland Center is renowned for its interactive workshop facilitation, strategic planning, town hall meetings, annual institutes and webinars.   Throughout your participation in Pathways to Community Vitality, you will receive hands-on learning that will enable you to implement lessons learned immediately in your community.

This year's faculty will feature a team of experts in rural and community development practice and theory, lead by Milan Wall and Vicki Luther, Ph.D. both founders and co-directors of the Heartland Center.  They will be joined by Kurt Mantonya, senior associate at the Center, Craig Schroeder, senior fellow at the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, and Reshell Ray, consulting associate for the Heartland Center.

 

Tuesday, October 23

Building Entrepreneurial Communities

Bring citizens together to help identify community strengths and opportunities, and create strategies for long and short term aspirations and results.

• Learn 6 myths about the future of small towns
• Explore 20 clues to rural community survival
• Review 7 secrets for coping with change

 Creating a Unique Community Brand

Is your community marketing its attractions to the fullest potential? This workshop will familiarize you with the concept of branding your community and offer tools for effective marketing.

• Use a brand creation approach to community identity
• Apply your brand creation to community identity
• Explore tips for creating community brands
• Market your community for competitive advantage

Wednesday, October 24

Engaging and Empowering Youth

 Young people who are engaged in community building bring fresh ideas and high energy, and their involvement as students increases the likelihood that they might stay or return after extended education. 

• Keys to youth engagement
• What motivates young people to get and stay involved
• Keeping up with expectations
• Why a focus on young people is a powerful investment in your community’s future

Recruiting Alumni and Newcomers

 Recruiting high school graduates and young families is an emerging opportunity for many rural communities.  But, how do you add this to your list of priorities when staff resources are stretched and your plate is already overflowing?

• Learn strategies to involve alumni and young families
• Recruit champions who enjoy social media
• Explore a winning people attraction formula for your community
• Strategize ways to recruit newcomers to your community today

Thursday, October 25

Utilizing Social Media to Strengthen Community Capitals

 Unleash the power of social media in your community. This session will help you strengthen your community through place-based and virtual networks.

• Learn ways to utilize social media to benefit your community
• Problem-solve on how to address social capital through community projects
• Discover a method to assess your community’s capitals
• Practice tools that measure social capital and other community capacities

Moving from Vision to Action

 This positive approach to revitalization is gaining worldwide recognition as a powerful tool for moving communities forward by examining past success.

• Understand the theory of appreciative inquiry (AI)
• Explore the techniques and applications of AI as a planning tool
• Practice a fast-track model using the four elements of appreciative inquiry

 

To register for this year's institute, click on the link below.  You will be directed to a registration page for contact information and payment options.  Register Now!