The Program is designed to appeal to those who currently hold a formal or informal leadership role within their community, and to those who may be interested in learning more about leadership, or becoming a leader within their community. The program reflects the core belief that strong leaders build strong communities. The program consists of ten skill modules that reflect the needs identified by rural leaders. These needs were identified during a series of thirteen focus groups held throughout the province during 1998. Its aim is to build capacity within rural communities and regions at the grassroots level.
Leadership is key to enabling communities to move ahead and adapt to change.
SCCD, and a group of like-minded individuals, set out to explore how best to develop rural Saskatchewan leaders. In a series of focus groups a diverse range of leaders, representing youth, business, the public sector, community and church organizations, were asked about their needs. These individuals stated strongly that rural Saskatchewan has many talented, capable people. However, they believed their communities would value assistance in skill areas such as building consensus, managing conflict, and locating financing for community projects. Leadership Saskatchewan is the program that resulted from this needs assessment.