Developing Community Leadership

CHCCDE009
Develop and support

community leadership
Learner Guide
CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

Version 1.1 - February 2019
Southern Cross Education Institute
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Table of Contents
Unit of Competency 3
Application 3
Performance Criteria 4
Foundation Skills 5
Assessment Requirements 6
1. Use a participative approach to identify community leaders 8
1.1 – Identify potential and existing community leaders and leadership structures as recognised and
accepted by community 9
Community leaders 9
Activity 1A 11
1.2 – Engage previous, potential and existing community leaders 12
Engaging with community leaders 12
Activity 1B 14
1.3 – Establish parameters for involvement of community leaders 15
Parameters for involvement 15
Activity 1C 16
2. Develop and maintain support mechanisms 17
2.1 – Design a range of support mechanisms to enable the identification of the role, responsibilities,
context and accountability of community leadership 18
Community leadership role 18
Activity 2A 22
2.2 – Identify and address factors which might have an impact on the effectiveness of community
leadership 23
Effectiveness of community leadership 23
Activity 2B 25
2.3 – Include resources required to support community leadership development in resource allocations
26
Required resources 26
Activity 2C 27
3. Promote community leadership 28

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3.1 – Create and respond to opportunities to routinely promote the importance of community
leadership 29
Promoting community leadership 29
Activity 3A 30
3.2 – Ensure the development of structures, processes and practice reflects the defined role and
importance of community leadership 31
Developing community leadership 31
Activity 3B 33
4. Develop leadership skills 34
4.1 – Design and provide learning programs aimed to develop leadership skills 35
Learning programs 35
Activity 4A 37
4.2 – Implement a range of activities to assist the development of community leadership 38
4.3 – Proactively provide individuals with structured and supported opportunities to experience
leadership 38
Community leadership activities 38
Activity 4B 40
4.4 – Identify and acknowledge the expertise, skills and contributions of the community to leadership 41
Acknowledging leadership 41
Activity 4C 42
Summative Assessments 43
References 44

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Unit of Competency
Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge to design, provide and promote systems that identify and
develop both potential and existing leaders to build capacity within the community. Leaders may or may
not have a formalised leadership role within the community.
This unit applies to workers in both health and community sectors and/ or a community development
work context. Workers at this level will be part of a professional team and have the responsibility of
supervision of others.
The skills in this unit must be applied in accordance with Commonwealth and State/Territory legislation,
Australian/New Zealand standards and industry codes of practice.
Unit Sector
N/A

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Performance Criteria
Element Performance Criteria
Elements describe the Performance criteria describe the performance needed to
essential outcomes. demonstrate achievement of the element.
1. Use a participative 1.1 Identify potential and existing community leaders and
approach to identify leadership structures as recognised and accepted by
community leaders community
1.2 Engage previous, potential and existing community leaders
1.3 Establish parameters for involvement of community leaders
2. Develop and maintain 2.1 Design a range of support mechanisms to enable the
support mechanisms identification of the role, responsibilities, context and
accountability of community leadership
2.2 Identify and address factors which might have an impact on
the effectiveness of community leadership
2.3 Include resources required to support community leadership
development in resource allocations
3. Promote community 3.1 Create and respond to opportunities to routinely promote

leadership the importance of community leadership
3.2 Ensure the development of structures, processes and
practice reflects the defined role and importance of
4. Develop leadership 4.1 Design and provide learning programs aimed to develop
skills leadership skills
4.2 Implement a range of activities to assist the development of
4.3 Proactively provide individuals with structured and
supported opportunities to experience leadership
4.4 Identify and acknowledge the expertise, skills and
contributions of the community to leadership

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Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the
performance criteria that are required for competent performance.
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of
competency.

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Assessment Requirements
Performance Evidence
The candidate must show evidence of the ability to complete tasks outlined in elements and
performance criteria of this unit, manage tasks and manage contingencies in the context of the job role.
There must be demonstrated evidence that the candidate has:
➢ Identified and responded to at least 3 opportunities to promote leadership within the

community
➢ Developed and implemented at least 1 learning program or activity aimed to support the
development of leadership skills
➢ Provided support for leadership structures on at least 3 different occasions.
Knowledge Evidence
The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task
outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit, manage the task and manage contingencies
in the context of the work role. This includes knowledge of:
➢ Relevant legislation and public policies
➢ Social, community and youth issues
➢ Concepts of effective leadership
➢ Structure and nature of the community
➢ Cultural awareness, practices and protocol of the community
➢ Availability of skills development training
➢ Support mechanisms and structures in the range of relevant communities and cultural contexts
➢ Instructional design principles and options relating to learning program design and structure
➢ Availability and types of different relevant learning resources, learning materials and pre-
developed learning activities
➢ Methodology relating to developing and documenting new learning activities and related
learning materials
➢ Different delivery modes and methods.
Assessment Conditions

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Skills must have been demonstrated in the workplace or in a simulated environment that reflects
workplace conditions. Where simulation is used, it must reflect real working conditions by modelling
industry operating conditions and contingencies, as well as, using suitable facilities, equipment and
resources.

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1. Use a participative approach to identify community leaders

1.1. Identify potential and existing community leaders and leadership structures as recognised and
accepted by community
1.2. Engage previous, potential and existing community leaders
1.3. Establish parameters for involvement of community leaders

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1.1 – Identify potential and existing community leaders and leadership

structures as recognised and accepted by community
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

➢ Create lists of potential and existing community leaders along with other relevant information.
Community leaders
Community leaders are those who provide structured or unstructured representation, support and
advice in a community. They are important figures in empowering and improving local areas.
You can contribute to community leadership by supporting and helping them to develop. In order to do
this, you should first identify them in local communities.
Community leaders may be:

➢ Individuals acting in a formal representative role
➢ Elected management committees
➢ Formally constituted groups/steering committees/reference groups
➢ Key people with recognised influence.
Note that people must be part of the communities they represent. Leadership can’t be imposed on
groups from outside as this is unlikely to reflect the community’s true needs and thoughts.
There are various types of community leaders:

➢ Government leaders: They hold positions in agencies, local
councils, members of school boards, and mayors
➢ Civic leaders: Unelected members of the community in

civics positions, such as religious institutions, business
groups and neighbourhood groups
➢ Connectors: People who interact with several organisations

and attempt to bring individuals together
➢ Catalysts: Everyday people who encourage change through

organisation and sharing opinions or messages.
(Source: http://www.civicjournalism.org/doingcj/pubs/tapping/framework3.html)
Note that some people may have the capacity to act as community leaders, even if they don’t currently.
Some indicators that could lead to this role are contact with many members of the community, respect
from them, knowledge of local issues and communication abilities. Potential leaders should be accepted
by the community, meaning people recognise and respect their role.

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When you identify community leaders, don’t just look at elected ones. Try to identify people who are
attempting to make a difference in their area and feel a responsibility for it. They are often self-
appointed. They may be passionate about a single issue or a range of ones.
To identify them, look for community groups that are organising and the people who co-ordinate them
or are involved in their decision making.
You should also try to understand the structure and nature of the community, such as:
➢ Ethnic and religious diversity
➢ Economic diversity, including typical income and jobs
➢ Issues that affect the community
➢ Community organisations and structures
➢ Location (e.g. urban, rural).
(Source: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-functions/become-community-
leader/main)

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1.2 – Engage previous, potential and existing community leaders

➢ Communicate with community leaders to identify their issues and aims.
Engaging with community leaders

Once you have identified community leaders, you will need to approach them to determine whether
they require support from your organisation. You should try to identify information about them.
You can engage with community leaders by identifying their:

➢ Issues and objectives
➢ Current roles within the community, which may be elected or unelected
➢ Community leader experience.
The more information you find out, the better you can determine
how (and if) you can help them as a leader.
You should also assess their willingness to accept help. Some

people may feel strongly about not accepting assistance from
outside sources. If so, you will have to respect their views.
Potential community leaders may need convincing to take on more

responsibility. To encourage them, you could list the benefits of
taking on this role. Community leaders are usually altruistic and
concerned for the common good.
Benefits include:
➢ Helping members of the community, who may be vulnerable or unable to help themselves
➢ Bringing attention to relevant issues
➢ Providing a united voice for people to speak with and be heard
➢ Changing the community for the better.
Previous leaders
People who used to act as community leaders may benefit from support and can be encouraged to work
in that role again. They may have existing skills and connections that can be used in the future.
When communicating with previous leaders, you should identify the reason they stopped. This could
have been a lack of support or a change in their circumstances. In this case, providing resources may
enable them to begin their work again.

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Changing circumstances may also motivate them to begin community work again. Identify issues that
they are passionate about and their current situation.
Legislation
You should be aware of any relevant legislation that will affect the community leader. This may be
federal, state or local. The area will depend on the issues that the individual is involved with.
Relevant legislation may relate to:

➢ Workplace health and safety
➢ Standards for volunteering
➢ Fundraising and use of funds
➢ Advocacy
➢ Code of ethics for elected officials.

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1.3 – Establish parameters for involvement of community leaders

➢ Plan parameters for involvement with community leaders
➢ Negotiate parameters through appropriate communication.
Parameters for involvement

The parameters for involvement will define how your support for community leaders will take place.
The scope may be defined in various ways. You will need to agree on the parameters beforehand so that
both parties are clear and understand what they can expect from the other one.
Failure to establish parameters may lead to miscommunication, confusion, poor planning and bad
allocation of resources.
Parameters may include:

➢ Time
➢ Particular projects or events
➢ Geographic area or location
➢ Type of training offered.
Community leaders may also have opinions or preferences on the parameters of involvement. You
should establish what they are and you may need to negotiate with them to come to a suitable
agreement. The principle of negotiation is both parties laying out what requests they can compromise
on and which they can’t. (You may need to consider legislation, resources and prior commitments when
determining what is acceptable to your organisation.) If you are unable to reach an agreement
regarding the parameters, you will be unable to form a partnership.
For example:
“Our organisation can support your community leadership for
the next three months. During this time, we will offer advice,
training and a limited number of resources. However, due to
our organisation policies, we are unable to support any events
that take place outside the town.”
The parameters may need to be formalised in a written

agreement or contract. This could also state both parties’
obligations and responsibilities.

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2. Develop and maintain support mechanisms

2.1. Design a range of support mechanisms to enable the identification of the role, responsibilities,
context and accountability of community leadership
2.2. Identify and address factors which might have an impact on the effectiveness of community
leadership
2.3. Include resources required to support community leadership development in resource

allocations

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2.1 – Design a range of support mechanisms to enable the identification of the

role, responsibilities, context and accountability of community leadership

➢ Create support mechanisms relevant to the community leaders’ circumstances.
Community leadership role

Support mechanisms are intended to help community leaders achieve various outcomes. These include
clarifying various aspects of their role as community leaders.
The support you can offer them will depend on their individual needs and the mechanisms available in
your organisation. You should speak to them to determine what will be useful. Consider if they have had
any previous experience with using these tools and what would benefit them most.
Support mechanisms may include:

➢ Resources
➢ Information/training development
➢ Recruitment and selection of leaders and

managers
➢ Networks
➢ Groups
➢ Practice frameworks
➢ Individual and ongoing support
➢ Procedures for identifying potential

community leaders.
Clarifying aspects such as role, responsibilities, context and accountability can give the community
leader a greater awareness of how they should act, which should lead in turn to more effective
leadership.
Role
Different community leaders will play different roles in an organisation or project. They may be formal
or informal, elected or unelected. They may be associated with various institutions (e.g. schools,
Councils) or act independently.
Responsibilities
A person’s responsibilities are what they are obliged to do (or what they have agreed to do) for the
community. These will vary widely depending on their aims and the community in which they work.
Responsibilities may include:

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➢ Organising meetings and activities
➢ Recruiting volunteers and support
➢ Consulting with various parties
➢ Fundraising
➢ Setting direction and targets for community development
➢ Listening to or helping to form public opinions, including participating in debates.
Responsibilities may be mentioned explicitly in organisation handbooks, particularly if they are paid
positions. For example, the duties of Councillors will be listed on the Council website so that the public
can view it. However, for informal community leaders, their responsibilities are likely to be undefined
and change over time. Their duties are likely to be voluntary and at their discretion.
Individuals may have to take on more responsibility than they currently do to succeed as a community
leader. You will need to discuss their current duties and how those could change. For example, a person
who has proven effective in recruiting volunteers could have a wider role. However, you should make
them aware of the additional time and effort that will need to be spent if they do so.
Context
An individual’s context is the circumstances in which they work. It includes their organisation, group or
followers, as well as information about their community. The context will greatly affect what activities
and duties they are required to carry out.
When examining context, consider:

➢ Any organisations they belong to or represent
(e.g. schools, businesses, societies)
➢ Any formal or elected positions they hold (e.g.

town councillor, Business Group Chairman)
➢ The people they lead or represent
➢ Resources available
➢ Level of community engagement.
The individual should have a cultural awareness of the

community. Cultural awareness means acknowledging all aspects of how people live their lives,
including religion, race, customs, values and beliefs. In general, the more different a community is from
the individual’s life, the more difficult it is to demonstrate cultural awareness.
Community leaders may encounter diverse groups of people during their work; therefore, they
shouldn’t assume that their own cultural norms are the ‘correct’ way of doing things. They should try to
be open minded and accept the way other people do things, and even adapt their own practices where
necessary. This can help to break down barriers and enable communication.

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The individual will also have to be aware of a range of social, community and youth issues, which may
include:
➢ Unemployment
➢ Local facilities
➢ Crime
➢ Local government decisions
➢ Specific community issues
➢ Health issues
➢ Housing
➢ Relationships in the community
➢ Environment
➢ Education.
Accountability
Accountability is the concept that people are held responsible for their actions and performance. In a
workplace, if someone does a poor job they will be fired and replaced with someone more competent.
Similarly, in a community leadership setting, individuals will have to answer to certain people for the
choices they make and how successful they are.
There may be organisational systems for holding people to account. If elected officials are ineffective,
they are likely to be voted out of office. Members of school boards who don’t do a good job will
probably be let go.
People who don’t hold formal positions can also be held accountable by their followers. Leaders only
have as much power as their followers give them; therefore, if people stop listening to them, their
power naturally diminishes.
The people that leaders will be accountable to will vary according to their role:
Leader People accountable to
Elected officials (e.g. Councillors) Voters, other members of the elected body at various levels,
constituents
School board members Staff within the school, head teachers, parents, other members
of the board
Religious institutions Members of their congregation
Representative of business group Local businesses

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Informal community leaders Members of the community
Community leaders may have to be accountable for their:

➢ Decisions
➢ Execution of decisions and plans
➢ Code of conduct
➢ Personal lives and behaviour
➢ Statements to the press or on social media.
Community leaders are often semi-public figures who are well known in their area. Therefore, their
personal as well as professional lives may affect opinion of them. For example, an individual may find it
difficult to represent a community if they are frequently in trouble with the police and have a lengthy
criminal record. Their constituents will be interested in their morals; even social media posts may
negatively affect people’s opinions of them. Good work can easily be undone by careless comments.
(Source: http://www.culturosity.com/articles/whatisculturalawareness.htm)

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2.2 – Identify and address factors which might have an impact on the
effectiveness of community leadership

➢ Investigate factors which may limit community leadership
➢ Take action to help community leaders to mitigate these effects.
Effectiveness of community leadership

There are various factors which may limit the effectiveness of community leadership. You should try to
educate community leaders on these and teach them how to reduce the effect. Remember that each
community will have different issues and the way you overcome factors will vary.
Factors that commonly affect the outcomes of community leadership include:

➢ Effective communication
➢ Community engagement
➢ Social capital
➢ Collaboration.
Effective communication
Communication is essential to making any organisation function. Leaders will need to pass on relevant
information to the people they are organising, while also listening and responding to their needs.
In smaller communities, communication can be carried out face-to-face. However, larger or more
geographically diverse ones will need to use a range of other methods.
Methods of community communication may include:

➢ Newsletters and leaflets
➢ Websites, including social media and social networking
➢ word of mouth
➢ events
➢ email and telephone
➢ consultations including formal or informal meetings
➢ work plans & updates
Leaders should make themselves accessible to people who follow them.
This can be achieved through an ‘open door’ policy in which anyone who
wishes can have a conversation with them. Whenever possible, they

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should try to speak directly with relevant people rather than using someone else to give instructions.
Community leaders should be open and honest with communications. However, there will be times
when it is necessary to keep confidential information. They should try to protect the privacy of others
and sensitive information, such as financial details.
You will need to ensure that the leader has proper channels of communicating information to their
followers. This will make them more empowered and informed when making decisions. Larger
organisations may need plans to make sure information is distributed properly.
Community engagement
Community leaders can encourage engagement by publicising their work and undergoing recruitment
drives. For example, community leaders in religious organisations can appeal for volunteers or support
through their services and the surrounding religious network.
They should also try to encourage participation in leadership

activities. This can bring a greater range of talent into the
project. Younger leaders may be able to take more
responsibilities over time, ensuring that the cause can be
effective over the long-term. Giving people more control over
the process can encourage them to ‘buy in’ to the
organisation. Help the community leader to identify people
who may be willing to contribute more.
Social capital
Just as capital is a person’s monetary value, social capital is the influence they have in social circles, such
as relationships and networks. This is important in organising and recruiting in a community. The
leaders will need to know who they will benefit from interacting with (such as influential residents,
business owners and local officials). This network should be regularly maintained and expanded, which
will require communication skills.
Collaboration
By pooling resources, community groups can achieve more together than they can alone. For example,
they can share resources, advice, strategies and information. Community leaders should seek to co-
operate with other groups in their local area, such as business groups, religious institutions and
neighbourhood groups. You never know when you will need someone’s help, so it is better to network
with them beforehand and have a pre-existing relationship that you can rely on.
(Source: https://joe.org/joe/2009april/iw2.php)

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2.3 – Include resources required to support community leadership development

in resource allocations
➢ Follow organisation resource allocation processes to support community leaders’ development.
Required resources
In your role, you may be responsible for resource allocation for various projects. When doing so, you
should be sure to allocate enough resources to aid the development of community leaders you have
identified. Although motivation is important, it is very difficult for people to create change without the
necessary resources.
Resources may include:

➢ Experts with particular knowledge or skills
➢ Training opportunities
➢ Funding
➢ Facilities
➢ Volunteers
➢ Marketing or fundraising networks.
To identify which resources would be useful for a community leader, you will need to identify their
short or long term goals and how they wish to accomplish them. Depending on their level of experience,
they may be able to accurately identify the resources that are required themselves; otherwise, you
could bring in assistance from your organisation. Remember that you need to identify not just what is
needed but the quantity. It will likely be necessary to make estimates at this stage which you can fine-
tune later; estimates can be based on similar previous events or specialist knowledge.
For example, imagine a community leader is planning to raise money for a local youth centre by holding
a raffle. Resources that they would be like to need are facilities, volunteers and advice on how it should
be run. The number of volunteers will vary according to the expected volume of traffic.
When allocating resources, it may be impossible to give each community leader everything they need.
You will have to balance priorities and use your judgement. For example, if one community leader
needs a facility in order for their activities to go ahead while another would just prefer it, you should
allocate it to the one with the greatest need.
You may also have to construct a schedule for resource allocation. Different community leaders may be
able to share resources or use them at different times. Consider what would give the greatest overall
benefit to the community.

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3. Promote community leadership

3.1. Create and respond to opportunities to routinely promote the importance of community
leadership
3.2. Ensure the development of structures, processes and practice reflects the defined role and
importance of community leadership

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3.1 – Create and respond to opportunities to routinely promote the importance

of community leadership

➢ Plan opportunities for community leaders to carry out their goals
➢ Use existing opportunities for the same purpose.
Promoting community leadership

Promoting community leadership is important to give the community leaders experience and
confidence in their own abilities.
To do this, you should identify any opportunities for them to demonstrate their leadership. (This can
help to give them a structure which they may lack if they are inexperienced.)
Opportunities may include:

➢ Meetings or discussions
➢ Fundraising opportunities
➢ Community events
➢ Networking opportunities.
For each opportunity, you should identify what the goals are and how you wish to carry them out. If
there is more than one goal, they may need to prioritise which is most important to them.
Objectives may include:

➢ Influencing decisions
➢ Influencing community opinion
➢ Raising awareness of issues
➢ Raising money or other resources
➢ Recruiting for volunteers, potential leaders and other

types of support
➢ Meeting other community leaders and influential

people
➢ Improve collaboration
➢ Listen to people’s views and become engaged with issues.
As well as identifying existing opportunities, you can create opportunities for community leaders to
demonstrate their leadership. For example, you could organise a community meeting which is hosted by
the leader.
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3.2 – Ensure the development of structures, processes and practice reflects the
defined role and importance of community leadership

➢ Review organisation structures, processes and practice to ensure they are inclusive and
respectful of community leaders
➢ Modify any structures, processes or practices that don’t meet the required standard.
Developing community leadership

It is important to continually respect the importance of community
leadership. They should be seen as empowered people who are
attempting to change their communities for the better.
Organisations may fall into the trap of viewing them as figureheads
for their own goals; this is counter-productive to improving the
communities.
Therefore, all structures, processes and practices that you develop

must reflect the importance of community leaders.
This could be done by:

➢ Including them in all relevant decision-making processes
➢ Not undermining their role by openly disagreeing with them
➢ Informing them of relevant news, information and changes
➢ Expressing confidence in them
➢ Taking all requests into consideration
➢ Offering advice where necessary without overwhelming them.
You should keep all of these principles in mind when developing structures or processes. If other people
in your organisation are also responsible for this, you should ensure that they are aware of them too.
To ensure that all structures and processes reflect the importance of community leadership roles, you
could try reviewing them from the perspective of a community leader. Imagine there was a meeting
relevant to the role which you weren’t invited to; even if it wasn’t extremely important, you would likely
feel excluded. Therefore, you could adjust it to reflect the community leader’s role; possible solutions
include inviting them or sending them a detailed summary.
Organisation structures may relate to:

➢ Management

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➢ Consultations
➢ Accountability
➢ Decision-making
➢ Advisory systems
➢ Policy, guidelines, objectives and principles
➢ Resources.

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4. Develop leadership skills

4.1. Design and provide learning programs aimed to develop leadership skills
4.2. Implement a range of activities to assist the development of community leadership
4.3. Proactively provide individuals with structured and supported opportunities to experience
leadership
4.4. Identify and acknowledge the expertise, skills and contributions of the community to leadership

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4.1 – Design and provide learning programs aimed to develop leadership skills
➢
➢ By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
➢ Develop learning programs suitable for the community leaders. They may focus on:
o communication skills
o practical leadership
o vision and direction of community leadership
➢ Provide programs to relevant community leaders and ensure they are accessible.
Learning programs
Some people naturally have leadership skills, while others may take time to develop them. However,
most community leaders will benefit from learning programs to help them formally identify and practice
good leadership, as this is essential to a community leader’s role.
➢ Learning programs may be delivered by different methods, including:

➢ Training courses
➢ Experts who can demonstrate skills in

practice
➢ Classes
➢ Lectures
➢ Planning sessions
➢ Community experience.
You should be aware of what learning programs are available through your organisation and in the local
area. Learning programs may be pre-developed or customised to meet the needs of community leaders.
The leadership skills that are required will vary for a given position will vary. Community leaders will
likely have some of the qualities in various amounts for them to get to that position. However, formal
training can reinforce these qualities.
➢ Leadership skills may include:

➢ Vision
➢ Determination and self-motivation
➢ Communication skills, including:
o negotiating
o speaking

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o listening
o rapport building
➢ Problem solving
➢ Time management
➢ Managing people
➢ Empathy
➢ Assertiveness.
(Source: http://www.skillsyouneed.com/leadership-skills.html)
When designing learning programs, you will have to consider the community’s leader’s circumstances.
How long can they spend on developing their skills and do they have the ability to travel to learning
programs? What sort of leadership skills do they require? How can these best be achieved? You should
also take the community leader’s thoughts into account when designing the program.
➢ Remember to consider other expenses, such as:

➢ Resources
➢ Facilities
➢ Training providers.
When you develop new learning activities, you should document them thoroughly and ensure they
follow your organisation’s requirements. For example, if your organisation requires that there is a
written component to all activities, you will need to follow that. Once the activities have been
developed, you should test them to see if they produce the desired outcomes (e.g. improving leadership
skills) and modify them if not. Collecting feedback from individuals can help with this process. Continue
to iterate as many times as you need to produce the desired quality of learning activity.
(Source: https://joe.org/joe/1992winter/a7.php)

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4.2 – Implement a range of activities to assist the development of community

leadership
4.3 – Proactively provide individuals with structured and supported
opportunities to experience leadership
➢ By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

➢ Organise activities to improve the individual’s leadership
➢ Research and organise opportunities for community leaders to demonstrate leadership in a

supported manner.
Community leadership activities

As mentioned in Chapter 3.1, there are a range of activities which can help to improve the level of
leadership in a community.
The methods of doing this will vary. In some

cases, they may aim to make community
leaders more visible or to inform local people
of the options that are available to them.
The activities may also need to address the

factors that may limit community leadership,
which were covered in Chapter 2.2. For
example, if the individual lives in a community
with low engagement, they may need to make
it a priority to encourage people to participate,
giving them reasons for doing so.
➢ Activities to assist the development of community leadership may include:

➢ Public meetings
➢ Networking opportunities for various groups (e.g. businesses, stakeholders for a particular
issue)
➢ Social events which raise social capital
➢ Charity events
➢ Planning events
➢ Consulting with residents or other interested parties
➢ Volunteering opportunities.

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➢ Structured leadership opportunities

Structured events can give individuals the experience of leadership, which is vital in developing their
skills, while minimising the impact of failure.
Structure means that most of the event or opportunity is controlled; you have a good idea of what will
happen, who will be there and what will be required of the individual. This is different to an
unstructured meeting, which may involve the general public and a greater degree of unpredictability.
➢ Support may include:

➢ Reassurance
➢ Experts demonstrating how to do various activities
➢ Limited numbers or scope
➢ Practice events
➢ Greater degree of planning so individuals know what to expect.
Rather than waiting for potential structured events to come along, you should proactively seek them
out. Consider each event’s suitability for training individuals in leadership; in general, the smaller and
more controlled it is, the more useful it will be. However, it is important that individuals learn to step
outside their comfort zone.
Reassure individuals that it is acceptable to make mistakes during this process; doing so in structured
events will reduce the likelihood of them doing so in more important events.

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4.4 – Identify and acknowledge the expertise, skills and contributions of the
community to leadership
➢ Positively communicate to members of the community the progress they have made.
Acknowledging leadership
It is important to acknowledge everything that community does to promote leadership. This can make
them feel rewarded, give them more confidence in future and help them to recognise their own skills.
Making a difference often requires sacrifices; acknowledging them can help the people involved to feel
like it was worthwhile. This should help to motivate and encourage them in future.
➢ You should watch for and acknowledge:

➢ Expertise: Knowledge in a given area
➢ Skills: Abilities to carry out tasks. These could be specialised, such as technology, or general
such as communication and organisation
➢ Contribution: Time, effort and money that people have given to their cause.
You should also try to identify any special abilities or skills the community leader has demonstrated.
People may develop a mindset that their successes are only due to the support they receive, particularly
when they are still learning. You should emphasise that their achievements are due to their own
abilities and that they will be able to continue to perform without the support. This helps create a
mindset of self-reliance rather than dependence.
Case Study
‘Dear John,
I wanted to congratulate you on organising the fundraising event for your church last week. You did a
great job motivating your volunteers, and it was a really well-run event. I noticed that you have very
effective communication skills when dealing with people you don’t know.’

Page | 32
References
These suggested references are for further reading and do not necessarily represent the contents of
this unit.
➢ Websites
Types of leaders: http://www.civicjournalism.org/doingcj/pubs/tapping/framework3.html
Community leaders: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/leadership-functions/become-

community-leader/main
Leadership skills: http://www.skillsyouneed.com/leadership-skills.html
Factors impacting community leadership: https://joe.org/joe/2009april/iw2.php
Learning opportunities: https://joe.org/joe/1992winter/a7.php
Cultural awareness: http://www.culturosity.com/articles/whatisculturalawareness.htm
All references accessed on and correct as of 9th November 2016, unless other otherwise stated.


Developing Community Leadership

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CHCCDE009

Develop and support

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

3. Promote community 3.1 Create and respond to opportunities to routinely promote

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

➢ Identified and responded to at least 3 opportunities to promote leadership within the

➢ Provided support for leadership structures on at least 3 different occasions.

➢ Relevant legislation and public policies

➢ Social, community and youth issues

➢ Concepts of effective leadership

➢ Structure and nature of the community

➢ Cultural awareness, practices and protocol of the community

➢ Availability of skills development training

➢ Different delivery modes and methods.

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

1. Use a participative approach to identify community leaders

1.2. Engage previous, potential and existing community leaders

1.3. Establish parameters for involvement of community leaders

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

1.1 – Identify potential and existing community leaders and leadership

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

Community leaders may be:

➢ Elected management committees

➢ Formally constituted groups/steering committees/reference groups

➢ Key people with recognised influence.

There are various types of community leaders:

➢ Civic leaders: Unelected members of the community in

➢ Connectors: People who interact with several organisations

➢ Catalysts: Everyday people who encourage change through

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

➢ Economic diversity, including typical income and jobs

➢ Issues that affect the community

➢ Community organisations and structures

➢ Location (e.g. urban, rural).

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

1.2 – Engage previous, potential and existing community leaders

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

Engaging with community leaders

You can engage with community leaders by identifying their:

➢ Current roles within the community, which may be elected or unelected

➢ Community leader experience.

You should also assess their willingness to accept help. Some

Potential community leaders may need convincing to take on more

➢ Bringing attention to relevant issues

➢ Providing a united voice for people to speak with and be heard

➢ Changing the community for the better.

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

Relevant legislation may relate to:

➢ Standards for volunteering

➢ Fundraising and use of funds

➢ Code of ethics for elected officials.

CHCCDE009 – Learner guide

1.3 – Establish parameters for involvement of community leaders

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

➢ Negotiate parameters through appropriate communication.

Parameters for involvement

Parameters may include: