Political Development, Leadership and Governance

A high impact seminar series for elected councils, aboriginal leaders, negotiators, boards and other officials.

What is the purpose of the Political Development, Leadership and Governance Program?

To provide a forum for Councils/Boards to develop & enhance leadership skills and knowledge.

What will I learn?

Leaders can participate in Workshop seminars that provide leading edge information in a broad range of topics including: self-government, law making, negotiation skills, and Community Constitutions.

What are the objectives of the program?

• To create a forum where leaders can learn and discuss emerging political development and leadership activities.
• To develop and enhance leadership capacity.
• To offer certification.

Workshop Series for Councils and Boards 

1. Programs and Services
2. Exercising Our Authority
3. Planning
4. Governance and the Law
5. The Senior Administrator
6. Effective Meetings
7. Teamwork
8. Community Constitutions
9. Roles and Responsibilities
10. Leadership
11. Financial Awareness
12. Emerging Governance

 Course Descriptions

 Programs and Services

This workshop provides councilors/board members with a basic understanding of program and service evaluation.  Workshop participants will learn how regular and ongoing evaluations help programs achieve measurable results and meet outcomes that satisfy all stakeholders.

 Exercising Our Authority 

This workshop familiarizes councilors/board members with the meeting process.  It outlines the benefits of having an agenda for meetings.   Parliamentary procedures and the importance of the role of Chair will also be outlined. 

 Planning

The council/board vision explains where they want to go and planning is a path to get there.   The workshop will:

• Explain why community governments/organizations complete strategic plans
• Explain what a good needs so it can be put into action
• Describe the planning process
• Look at how to monitor plans

Governance and the Law

This workshop provides a general description of legal liability issues so that councilors/board members can exercise a “duty of care”, manage risks, and avoid conflict of interest in a reasonable way when making their decisions.

 The Senior Administrator 

This workshop will explain the roles and responsibilities of the Senior Administrator.  To assist councilors/board members hire, direct, evaluate, keep and reward the right Senior Administrator.

 Effective Meetings 

This workshop provides Councilors/board members with the knowledge and skills to effectively participate in meetings that achieve legal results.  These meetings are based on free and open discussion and practices based on the principles of good governance.

Teamwork 

This workshop provides councilors/board members with an understanding of what they can do to participate in teamwork and improve the performance of their teams.

Community Constitutions 

This workshop is to familiarize councilors/board members with the legislative process, on a federal, territorial and community level.  The legislative process in community government (by-laws, policies, Band Council Resolutions) will be examined.  The areas of authority and powers of each level of government will be discussed as will the legislative process at each level.

Roles and Responsibilities

This workshop provides a description of the role of a councilor/board member.  It discusses the important relationship other councilors/board members have with their community, the staff, other governments and organizations and the people they serve.

Leadership 

This workshop provides an understanding of the practice of leadership so that every councilor/board member can made decisions supported by stable values.

Financial Awareness 

This workshop provides an explanation of the council/s board/s budget process.  Councilors/board members will learn who is responsible for what in the budget process.  They will also learn what information should be prepared, the timing of the information, and what to consider in the review of the information.

Emerging Governance 

This workshop will discuss the political changes and opportunities that will impact councils/boards as they work with communities to plan effective programs and services.  Councils/boards will gain an understanding of what self-government in the North might mean; identify some of the latest developments in self-government; identify possible new roles and responsibilities for community, territorial and federal governments; review some general GNWT directions for emerging governance.

BACK to Program Listings

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

The School of Community Government at:
1-877-531-9194 (toll free)
1-867-920-3159
1-867-873-0584 (fax)