Communities depend on citizens who get involved and work together for the common good. But in order to meet needs and solve problems, more is required than just good intentions. Success will depend in large measure on participants who are well-informed and well-trained, who have experience and expertise. The Civic Honors Program encourages students to develop skills which will prepare them for effective community involvement.

Training can be obtained in numerous ways through various community organizations such as the Kauffman Foundation and the United Way, or even through a college or university. The training may be presented as a workshop, seminar, conference, or a credit or non-credit course. The focus of the training must be on skills essential to community agencies and non-profit organizations and should be structured to provide interaction and participation rather than simply a lecture or presentation which provides information. Topics which meet the requirement include, but are not limited to:

• Advocacy
• Financial Management for Non-profit Organizations
• Coalition/Partnership Building
• Communication
• Fund Raising
• Community Organizing
• Grant Writing
• Conflict Resolution
• Needs Assessment/Research
• Diversity and Cultural Awareness
• Public Relations/Marketing
• Ethics
• Service-Specific Training - for ESL tutors, hot-lines, crisis centers
• Evaluation
• Volunteer Management

• Civic Honors students are welcome to recommend other topics and trainings relevant to their projects.
• Students should consult with the Civic Honors coordinator or advisor for approval of any training sessions.
• There is no minimum hour requirement for skills training, but most would be expected to last 3-4 hours. (A one hour lecture or short agency orientation would not complete this requirement). While most training hours will not be credited to the requirement for service hours, an exception may be considered for the training hours in excess of ten (10) that are required by an agency. Such requests should be made to a Civic Honors advisor or to the coordinator.
• Students should submit a report on the training attended, which includes date, title, length, sponsoring agency or organization, presenter/trainer/facilitator, and a brief description of the training, by the end of the semester in which the training was completed.

Civic Honors Skills Training Report (PDF)