Leadership BC-Nanaimo trains community leaders

“With determination and focus you can do anything.”

That’s what Caran Carr learned after spending a recent Friday afternoon “swinging through the trees at a local adventure park like a commando.”

Carr, a secretary for the Malaspina University-College Foundation, is one of 18 individuals enrolled in Leadership BC-Nanaimo, an innovative eight-month program which promotes and encourages outstanding community leadership.

“I’m so thankful to be part of this intelligent, bright, empowering and enthusiastic group,” said Carr. “The diversity is amazing. Our youngest member is a 16-year-old high school student, and we have people in their late 50s.”

“The goal of the program is to identify and develop community leaders to help shape the future of our community,” explained Sylvia Wende, program coordinator for Leadership BC-Nanaimo. Participants are sponsored by businesses, community organizations or corporations. All have a keen desire to develop and enhance their leadership knowledge, skills and attributes.

Leadership BC-Nanaimo participants learn about self-leadership and leadership roles in the wider community. They take part in eight “community learning days” to gain a greater understanding of  issues, challenges, needs and opportunities in business, non-profit and public sectors. Before the program is over, participants will also complete major community projects.

Wende said the program has numerous benefits. For individual participants, it provides enhanced leadership abilities, connections with other leaders, greater awareness and understanding of community systems. 

For sponsor organizations, the program provides staff with new knowledge and skills, enhanced cross-sector networking opportunities, improved public profile and other strategies that support organizational effectiveness. “All of these are critical for today’s current labour market shortages,” Wende said.

Community benefits include development of future leaders, new projects and initiatives, as well as cross-sector dialogue and collaboration.

This year, Malaspina sponsored Carr and Alexis Beaubier, an employee in the Campus Career Centre, to participate in Leadership BC-Nanaimo. 

 Dr. Patrick Ross, Malaspina’s vice-president, student services, co-chair of the Leadership BC-Nanaimo committee, said "Malaspina’s involvement in this project fits in well with our Institutional Social Responsibility initiative. We’re trying to provide leadership by offering social and educational support and services in the community well beyond our campus,” said Ross. “By sponsoring individuals to learn and grow through Leadership BC-Nanaimo we’re doing our part to sustain and enhance leadership resources in the community.”

Leadership BC started in 2005 as a pilot project, and is now in its third year.  The idea was developed by Russ Burke, Manager of Canadian Western Bank, Cori-Lynn Carlson,  former Executive Director of the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce and Dr. Ken Hammer, Malaspina University-College Tourism and Recreation Management Professor. 

It was subsequently adopted as a program by the BC Chamber of Commerce. The Leadership BC program became a reality through the collective efforts of a number of organizations and provincial sponsors  including  the BC Chamber of Commerce, Community Futures Development Association of BC, Leadership and Management Development Council of BC, Government of Canada - Western Economic Diversification, Province of BC - Ministry of Small Business and Revenue, Terasen Gas and BC Hydro. 

For more information about  Leadership BC-Nanaimo, visit www.nanaimochamber.bc.ca. or contact program coordinator Sylvia Wende at (250) 756-1191 or swende@shaw.ca.