Cleveland Leadership Program Seeks 2017 Applicants

Hilda Abreu is working on a program for locally selected youth in conjunction with Youth Opportunities Unlimited “Mayor’s Neighborhood Corps” program.  The project will run out of Metro West Community Development Office. Hilda is the Neighborhood Partner Manager for the project.

In 2006, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, along with former Cleveland Mayor Michael White, established a leadership training program for engaged community leaders. The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program is a free, 16 session community engagement training program for residents of Cleveland, and its inner ring suburbs, who are working on projects within the City of Cleveland and who are determined to make a positive impact on their communities.

After the application process, 20 committed individuals are chosen for the program year. NLDP participants and graduates have many interests and are working on a wide variety of issues to improve life in their communities.

Hilda Abreu and Michael Mishaga are two such people. 

Hilda and Michael will be working on a program for locally selected youth in conjunction with Youth Opportunities Unlimited “Mayor’s Neighborhood Corps” program.  Their project will run out of Metro West Community Development Office.

Hilda is the Neighborhood Partner Manager for the project and Michael will be a Site Supervisor. They will enlist 10 high school students between the ages of 14 and 17 for 6 weeks and train them in the arts by creating a mural, as well as, agricultural work and civic/community work. Kentucky Garden at 38th and Franklin, has been chosen for their agriculture site where they will garden while learning about sustainability, recycling and building the soil. They will also learn team building, leadership and work ethic skills. 

Hilda and Michael credit the Neighborhood Leadership Development Program with improving their own leadership skills. Hilda says, “NLDP empowered me to bring my creativity alive. It gave me the tools I needed to take initiatives to positively impact the community where some will not see opportunities.” Michael agrees saying, “the program made a huge impact on my work especially managing program planning. Through better planning, I was able to increase my workload, as well as, the number of volunteers to help.”

The application period for the NLDP program runs through August 4th.  

The 16 sessions take place on Saturdays at Trinity Commons at 2230 Euclid Avenue beginning August 26.   For more information and an application, visit www.nldpcleveland.com or call 216-776-6167.