With 37 participants, 4 facilitators, and 5 amazing guest speakers, the wood-laden conference room at the Niagara Falls Public Library began to hum with excitement as the clock inched closer to 9 o’clock. The first to address to the new class: Leadership Niagara’s Executive Director, Shane Malcolm.
“We are so excited to have such a great group ready to start their leadership journey” Malcolm remarked, “This year is going to bring really great things for the community of Niagara through the efforts we make as a team”.
The leadership journey for the Class of 2017/2018 had just begun, and the group wasted no time getting to know each other and finding out who they were as a cohort. Namely, a diverse group of individuals with a common goal in community leadership. The differences in experience, skills, hobbies, and education quickly rose to the surface as the participants chatted and discussed who they were as individuals, what brought them to the program and what it looked like to create a group snapshot.
“I love the fact that its such a diverse and dynamic group” said Andrew Winters, a new participant of the program from Brock University. “I’m also excited to expand my knowledge of non-profits in the area and discover how I can work with them as a team.”
In compliment to the diversity seen around the room, the common thread that was woven into the fabric of the group was evident: The idea of community impact through leadership. A concept and purpose that had the participants buzzing from the first coffee poured to the last note taken; and long into the evening on a hot September Friday. The glue that held the Class of 2017/2018 together was quickly becoming evident.
With a change in scenery for day 2, we were welcomed warmly to Heartland Forest in Niagara Falls and heard motivating perspectives on leadership from Niagara College’s President, Dan Patterson, to begin the second leg of the opening retreat.
“All of the facilitators really love what they do you can tell that instantly.” Stated Laura Fyfe of the Niagara Workforce Planning Board, “They give a lot of clarity to everything and really create an atmosphere of inclusion where you feel comfortable asking questions and feeling vulnerable.”
With lessons in self-awareness and introspection starting to soak in it was clear the group was making headway on the first lesson in leadership: knowing yourself. And by the time the final note had been jotted down on the second day, the class was well on its way to making a difference in the community to which we all belong; in coming together as a team to make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others.
“Everyone is really easy to talk to, everyone is really easy to approach” Fyfe continued, “I’m looking forward to learning more about myself as a leader in a guided and facilitated way. Going through everything together and working with the team to do something I haven’t done before.”
Thank you to our amazing guests:
Dan Bouwman
Elisabeth Graham
Jayne Morrish
Yvonne Nasri
Dan Patterson
And our awesome facilitators:
Holly Catalfamo
Kristine Clark
Shane Malcolm
Jodie Middleton