Neighborhood Leadership Program

The Minnesota Historical Society and the Wilder Foundation worked with two new groups of existing and emerging community leaders in 2015 to enhance their ability to act on important community issues. During each six-month program, 245 participants explored neighborhood involvement and developed leadership skills to take effective community action. Program participants were matched one-on-one with volunteer coaches from the community who served as learning partners, mentors, supporters, and navigators, and who assisted participants in real-time application of skills developed during their time in the Neighborhood Leadership Program. Through visits to the Minnesota History Center, participants also learned about the diverse history of St. Paul and explored resources available through MNHS. They learned how understanding the history of their community improves communication with community members, framing of community issues and setting goals and strategies for creating change. Program participants, many of whom had never visited, were given a new connection to the Minnesota History Center. More important, the partnership has provided MNHS with a new way of engaging with the greater community.