Leadership Development Academy
Developing the Capacity of Philadelphia Youth Basketball’s Emerging Leaders
The Leadership Development Academy (LDA) is an extraordinary opportunity designed to support the development of high-potential, emerging leaders who are closely connected to PYB and come from the similar communities and circumstances as the kids whom we serve. We believe that through such an enriching experience, the adults who participate will be even more equipped with the skills, tools, and relationships to empower their own communities and become potent and influential leaders in their personal and professional lives, as well as in the lives of our youth.
This experience has the capability to deepen and broaden the leadership knowledge, dispositions and skills of key PYB employees and partners to most effectively drive our youth development AND community empowerment mission, while at the same time grow the leadership capabilities of the LDA participants. Moreover, the LDA is perhaps the greatest manifestation of PYB’s belief that lasting social impact and social change occurs when leaders who are “of, by, for, and with” the community are deeply involved in all dimensions of organizational leadership capacity to change the conditions in which young people live.
What Makes LDA Unique?
Umi Howard, Senior Director of the McNulty Leadership Program (MLP) at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, served as the 2020 cohort facilitator of our LDA. Under Umi’s stewardship, the MLP purposefully crafted the LDA using a research-based design approach, placing an emphasis on building a community that models peer support, vulnerability, risk taking, and the intellectual and emotional engagement required to develop leaders. Participants were able to:
- Grow their competencies in various influential leadership dimensions and skill sets;
- Network and foster relationships with individuals who share a “growth mindset”;
- Learn from UPenn’s network of highly experienced leadership, professional and personal development experts; and
- Participate in a transformative learning experience that will accelerate their growth into a high-potential and emerging leader.
Together, MLP and PYB worked to create a transformational learning experience that enabled participants to grow their own unique leadership style and practice in fundamental ways.
2020 Pilot Academy
Seventeen emerging leaders, including a blending of PYB partners and Coach-Mentors, participated in the 2020 cohort. The Academy was comprised of six 6-hour sessions held on a weekend day of each month from February 2020 to July 2020 at The University of Pennsylvania and virtually. Sessions ran from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
“I feel like genuine relationships were made, and growth was a part of each session. I believe it is vital for organizations to develop staff and lead them to become better versions of themselves. In my opinion, the Philadelphia Youth Basketball Leadership Academy was the epitome of that. Through six months of development, I’ve gained lifelong friends, mentors, and leaders that believe in the development of our youth and how that can drastically change the future and prevent the harsh realities we are currently facing in America.”
Click to read Brandon’s full reflection on his LDA experience.
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