Program Description

The Leadership Redding Program runs from September to June. The program begins with an orientation, followed by a mandatory Weekend Workshop. The remaining 10 all-day sessions will always be scheduled on Thursday. The sessions include:

History and Culture Arts, Communication & Boardsmanship Education Health Care Social Issues

Government & Planning Business & The Economy Public Safety and the Courts Recreation, & The Environment The Future of the Redding Region

The year is concluded with a graduation ceremony including class participants, Steering Committee members, and major sponsors.

Classes have the option of undertaking a community service project focusing the participants not only on learning, but on doing something collectively to make a difference in their community.

The Leadership Redding Program is directed by an Alumni Steering Committee. It is their responsibility to update and maintain the integrity of the program.

The Steering Committee members do the day-to-day work of the program, dividing the tasks into subcommittees for recruitment, curriculum, sponsorship, marketing, publications and speakers' bureau. Each committee is comprised of alumni who bring their perspective and enthusiasm to the Leadership Redding Program. The Steering Committee members, session facilitators, and session speakers are all individuals who are willing to donate their time to the program.

A Brief History of Leadership Redding

The Leadership Redding Program is an awareness and educational opportunity which serves as a catalyst for individuals who seek participation in community decision-making at all levels in voluntary and governmental organizations.

In the late 1970's, community leadership training concepts were emerging in larger metropolitan centers throughout the United States. This was in response to a growing concern over a lack of public interest in effective leadership and community well-being. The concept was actively discussed and promoted by the Redding Chamber of Commerce leadership.

In 1985, the program became an official Redding Chamber of Commerce Program. The first class was inaugurated in 1986. Since that time, the program has undergone continual refinement to meet the needs of this growing and dynamic community. With Redding being among the first rural areas to be served by a leadership program, it has served as a model for many other emerging programs in other communities.

In 2000, Leadership Redding became a program of the Shasta Regional Community Foundation in its inaugural year. The Community Foundation was created out of The Grant and Resource Center of Northern California, a management assistance organization established in 1992 to serve nonprofit organizations in the nine counties of far northern California. The Community Foundation, serving Shasta and Siskiyou Counties, houses and manages funds from organizations and individual donors to support the charitable goals of donors and meet community needs. The organization serves as a focus for local philanthropy by: 1) tailoring funds to meet the needs and desires of local people and organizations, donating from the community to benefit the community; and 2) assisting nonprofit organizations to identify funding and build organizational capacity to meet needs. For more information about the Foundation, visit Shasta Regional Community Foundation.

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