LAS CARAS LINDAS
YOUTH LEAD INSTITUTE
CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
This is a program curriculum for the LCL Youth LEAD Institute (YLI) Core
program. The goal of the YLI Core is to help girls to define themselves as
women, by helping them to understanding themselves as individuals,
members of their community and leaders in society.
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Table of Contents
About Las Caras Lindas.................................................................................................................................. 4
LEAD Institute Program Model ..................................................................................................................... 5
Youth LEAD Core Program Rationale ............................................................................................................ 5
Approach to Mentoring ................................................................................................................................ 7
Facilitator and Supervisor Guide................................................................................................................... 8
LCL YLI Core Program Curriculum Instructions Manual ................................................................................ 9
Module 1Understanding Ourselves As Individuals ............................................................................. 11
I.
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 11
II.
Step By Step Activity Guide ........................................................................................................ 12

Defining My Multicultural Self ................................................................................................ 12

Shifting from Oppression to Privilege ..................................................................................... 15

Leveraging Our Strengths........................................................................................................ 20

Understanding How The Media Shapes Us............................................................................. 22
Module 2Becoming Members of Our Communities ........................................................................... 27
I.
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 27
II.
Step By Step Activity Guide ........................................................................................................ 28

Tour of Home Community ...................................................................................................... 28

Cultural Excursion Tour(s) ....................................................................................................... 30

Photovoice Journaling ............................................................................................................. 31
Module 3Becoming a Leader in Society .............................................................................................. 33
I.
Overview ..................................................................................................................................... 33
II.
Step By Step Activity Guide ........................................................................................................ 34

Strengths Finders Assessment ................................................................................................ 34

Understanding Ourselves As Leaders & Followers ................................................................. 37

Navigating Our Power Circle ................................................................................................... 39

Leading in Our Communities ................................................................................................... 44

Becoming Engaged .................................................................................................................. 48
LCL YLI Core Program Evaluation ................................................................................................................ 50
I.
Evaluation Guidelines and Instructions ...................................................................................... 51
II.
Pre-Post Program Evaluation Template ..................................................................................... 51
III.
General Workshop Evaluation Template.................................................................................... 52
IV. Formative Evaluation .................................................................................................................. 53
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About Las Caras Lindas
Las Caras Lindas (LCL) was founded in 2006 as a self-esteem mentoring program for at-risk diverse
adolescent youth. The LCL Core program is not a “cookie cutter approach.” The initial program was
founded on the understanding that there is no one model to success and that the path to becoming a fully
functioning and engaged woman must be uniquely defined by each young girl. In 2008, LCL was
expanded into a six-month self-esteem mentoring program designed to partner with young girls as they
define themselves as women, while exploring who they are as individuals, members of their community,
and leaders in our society. In 2011, LCL was expanded to also address the needs of diverse women,
across the ages. Currently, the LCL program offerings include the: 1) Youth LEAD Institute (YLI), 2)
Community Network and 3) Social Responsible Entreprenuership.
Socially Responsible
Entrepreneurship
• InterCambio Program
• Consulting Services
Community Impact
Network
• LEAD Expo
• Community Roundtables
• Sister Sunday Brunches
LEAD Institute
• Youth LEAD Core Program
• Youth LEADers Program
• Women's LEAD Program
The LCL model is founded on the core principles of multiculturalism, equality, collaboration, and solidarity.
These core principles drive our engagement with each other, the participants, our community and our
partners. In all that we do LCL tries to lead by example.
Multiculturalism: An acknowledgement and understanding of ourselves as diverse
beings who have unqiue identities and experiences with oppression and privilege across
ethnicity, skin color, sex, gender identity, LBGTQ identity, ability level, religion, age, etc.
Equality: All beings have the right to live in accordance with their unstanding of truth
(without bringing physical or psychologica harm to others) free from systematic barriers
or limitations that underacknowledge or overpromote the strengths and talents of any
group of people.
Collaboration: A commitment to work harmoniously as beings with uniquely defined and
yet interrelated talents can be leveraged to benefit ourselves as indviduals and collective
beings through the use of non-competitive mechanisms that promote collaboration and
not mastery over one another.
Solidarity: Coming together in unity towards the development and uplifting of all women.
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LEAD Institute Program Model
LCL’s LEAD Institute program leverages an ethgender (gender-specific culturally appropriate) mentoring
program designed to meet the needs of at-risk diverse adolescent girls, in particular. An ethgender
approach provides an opportunity to simultaneously contextualize the socialization and experiences of
diverse adolescent females across race/ethnicity and gender, as well as other cultural identities. The
ethgender approach serves as the foundation through which culturally appropriate programs can be
developed.
Ethgender Approach
Gender Identity includes ones
biological sex (Male, Female,
Intersexed, etc.), gender (Masculine,
Feminine), sexual orientation
(heterosexual, LGBTQ, etc. and
gender expression).
Other
Cultural
Identities
Other Cultural Identities,
including skin color, religion, ability
level, etc. are also seen as integral to
the social identity of any young woman
and the extent to which is deemed
important is often resultant of the
oppression that one has experienced.
Age not only refers to the number of years
that one has been alive but it is also
touches upon key developmental phases
associated that individuals progress
through (e.g., adolescence, young adult,
mature woman and/or elder).
Gender
Identity
Age
Race is a social construct that was
based off of the wrongful association
between ethnicity and skin color. The
intersection of ethnicism and colorism is
critical to the development of young
diverse women and how the world
around them engages with them.
Ethnicity &
Skin Color
Youth LEAD Core Program Rationale
Based on LCL’s original mentoring program, the Youth LEAD Core Program is cultrually appropriate self
esteem program for diverse adolescent girls. Adolescence is often targeted as a pivotal period for selfesteem formation (Kling, Hyde, Showers, & Buswell, 1999). The importance of self-esteem, as a link in
the well-being and functioning of adolescents, is “underscored by decades of theory and research”
(Greenee & Way, 2005). High self-esteem has long been viewed as an essential component of healthy
functioning, good mental health and other positive aspects of a developing self-system (Carlson, Uppal, &
Prosser, 2000; Kling, Hyde, Shower, & Buswell, 1999). Across European American youth, low selfesteem has been continuously associated with engagement in delinquent or “non-conformative” behavior
(Leung & Drasgow, 1986). Among European American female adolescent populations in particular, low
self-esteem has been associated with increased participation in at-risk behaviors, including smoking, drug
use, depression, suicidal ideation, violence, eating disorders, etc. (Center for Disease and Control, 2008;
Dove Self-Esteem Fund, 2008; Greene & Way, 2005; Vasquez & De Las Fuentes, 1999). The task of
maintaining high and stable self-esteem can be challenging for girls during adolescence (Carlson, Uppal,
& Prosser, 2000).
Maintaining high and stable self-esteem is considered to be imperative for the development of young
women (Carlson, Uppal, & Prosser, 2000; National Association of Self-esteem, 2009). However, much of
the research on self-esteem is based on the experiences of European American adolescent females
(Carlson, Uppal, & Prosser, 2000; Martinez & Dukes, 1994; Greene & Way, 2005; Twenge & Crocker,
2002). Many assumptions are made about general trends in low self-esteem, gender differences and the
trajectory of self-esteem among other ethnic groups (Carlson, Uppal, & Prosser, 2000; Greene & Way,
2005; Martinez & Dukes, 1994; Twenge & Crocker, 2002). The growing percentage of diverse youth in
the adolescent population and the increasing role that females are playing in the American workforce
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underscore the need to focus on gender-specific and culturally appropriate self-esteem program among
diverse youth (American Association of University Women, 1991; Greene & Way, 2005).
To accomplish these goals, LCL navigates
participants through a transformative process
that encourages each young women to
understand and fully embrace who they are
individually and collectively. To this end, LCL
provides each participant with an opportunity
to understand themselves as individuals,
members of our community and leadership in
society. Specifically, LCL partners with young
women tobetter understand their own unique
multicultural identity, as well as the
intersection between one’s mental and
physical health as a foundation for developing
a more full and complete sense of self.
Helping to Define Girls As Women
Understanding
Ourselves As
Individuals
Members of
Our Community
Leaders in
Society
Each young women is provided with the knowledge, tools and tangible examples to develop a healthy
sense of psychological well-being, improve independent decision making skills, nurture their ability to
develop as leaders and encourage a commitment to community development and volunteerism through a
series of instructional classes, workshops or group activities, as well as cultural heritage tours and
immersion trips. Using a combined ecological framework and strengths-based approach, the LEAD Core
program is structured so that diverse adolecent girls can collectively embrace their unique talents and
identify how their strengths combined with the assets within their communities may help themselves and
other girls to have a more solid foundation upon which to develop into young women (Asset-Based
Community Development Institute, 2009; Bronfenbrenner, 1979).
The LEAD Core program curriculum begins with the individual and progresses outwards to the community
and society. Individually participants are given information and skills to increase the understanding of
one’s multicultural self, as well as mental and physical health . At the community level participants are
guided through historical tours of their home community and cultural excursions to other communities to
identify strengths of each community. To increase participants understanding of their role as leaders a
series of guest speaker presentations from leading women in their community are coordinated. Program
participants are also provided with opportunities to establish meaningful mentoring relationships with
other women throughout the Chicagoland area through coordinated activities and events. LCL
fundamentally believes that the strength of each young girl comes from within and that our goal is to
partner with young women in their journey towards realizing their full sense of self and purpose in life.
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Approach to Mentoring
All LCL participants are encouraged to follow their unique and dynamic paths towards becoming the
women that they want to be. The opportunity for each young woman to trully define themself from the
inside out is remarkable. However, as women around the world know the process that one goes through
does not look or feel like we expect it to, there are messy spaces and bumpy places that we must
navigate through, until we reach that point at which we no longer have to wonder who we are, what we
are doing and where we are going because we just know. LCL mentors are there as partners on each
young womans journey to ensure that they stay on track, arrive safely at their destination and are greated
with open arms.
For this reason, LCL mentors are encouraged and expected to lead by example. This requires that
each mentor be able to speak comfortably about their own sense of self, ways in which their
journey has been positively and negatively shaped by structural forces, understanding of
themselves as both oppression and privileged identities, strengths that allowed them to transform
negatives into positives and pathways through which they found space to be the woman that they
are today. It is not that mentors are expected to be perfect but that they are to perfectly who they
are for however and whomever they understand themselves to be at any given time. Mentors must
be in touch with an offer their story so that young women can see the multiple ways of defining
themselves and multitude of pathways to to becoming that woman. This must be done with such
authenticity that young girls will desire to more fully engage in an process of understanding what it
means to be a woman, because they see who awesome the woman around them have become
without having to compromise themselves, instead of sucumbing to the woman that society and
their pressure them to become.
To effectively partner with young women on their journey to defining who they really are and will
become requires and authentic and full engagement on the part of the women around them. While
mentors are there to encourage young women to engage deeply in their journey and challenged
their ways of understanding themselves above and beyond of the images, stigmas and stereotypes
that society places on them, there must be no judgement of how a young woman may define her
most authentic sense of self and/or the process that she must go through to get there. To not fully
embrace a young woman on this journey may either cause her to retreat to more stereotypical
models of defining a woman simply because they are more acceptible in astill patriarchal, racist and
sexists society or cause the young woman to latch onto the models that they see in the women
around them because they are most readily available instead of pressing forward to develop her
own definition of what it means to be a woman which is by definition not her authentic sense of self.
The brilliance of each young woman must come from within and her journey must be her own.
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Facilitator and Supervisor Guide
Overview
The role of the LCL YLI Core Program Mentor is to partner with LCL participants on their journey through
this curriculum. In order to facilitate this process the LCL mentor(s) needs to fully understand the
program model. The LCL curriculum is structured as a 12-week workshop series and contains three
modules, in alignment ecological framework outlined in the program model and rationale. Weekly
meetings are scheduled to occur on Saturdays and are structured to take approximately 2 hours. In
general, meeting should follow the outlines provided for each activity across each of the three modules.
In general, each program activity is comprised of the following components:






Preparation and Set-up
Facilitator Guiding Questions
Participant Pre-Assessment
Group Activity
Participant Post-Assessment
Key Take-Away Points
Please note that there may need to be some preparatory work before conducting a session. It is best
that the facilitator be at the meeting site not later than 45 minutes prior to the start of each meeting. It
will also be important to leave approximately 30 minutes for clean-up after each meeting.
Supplies
All supplies will be provided to the facilitator and are included in a kit. Supplies will include any materials
necessary for each of the workshops. Supplies will also include:





Daily sign-in sheets for Weeks 1-12
Pre-post assessments for participants
Assessments/Evaluation Sheets for Facilitators
Handouts and other activity materials
Pens/pencils, etc.
The program kit will be the responsibility of the Program Director. The kit will be stocked with enough
handouts and supplies for 25 participants. Program mentors will need to continuously review the
participant attendance rate and supply list to ensure that sufficient materials are available for each
week/ activity. Extra supplies are to remain in the kit in the designated location. If additional supplies
are needed then the mentor is to contact the appropriate supervisor 2 weeks in advance of the meeting
in which additional supplies are needed.
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LCL YLI Core Program Curriculum
Instructions Manual
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LEAD Core Program Calendar
The LCL LEAD Core program is a 12-week curriculum. Program meetings are held every Saturday from
approximately 11:00am to 1:00pm at the DePaul University Loop Campus. Meeting times may vary
according to the activity.
W1
Defining My Multicultural Self
W2
Shifting from Oppression to Privilege
W3
Leveraging Our Strengths
W4
Understanding How the Media Shapes Us
W5
Tour of Home Community
W6
Cultural Excursion Tour(s)
W7
Photovoice Journaling
W8
Strengths Finders Assessment
W9
Understanding Ourselves As Leaders & Followers
W10
Navigating Our Power Circle
W11
Leading In Our Communities
W12
Becoming Engaged
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Module 1Understanding Ourselves As Individuals
I.
Overview
To create a broader lens and space through which young women can more fully understand
themselves as multicultural beings, uninhibited by the structural barriers that have historically
minimized and marginalized the identification and expression of their strengths and talents. The
challenge, and therefore the opportunity, in understanding our multicultural selves, is that it is a rather
individual experience that carries collective impact and therefore, a shared responsibility.
Rationale: For America, our constant obsession on on grouping people by “race” significantly
dampens the many cultural factors that comprise who we are and hide the full spectrum of structural
forces that continues to systematically oppress ”minorities” and privilege others. At a fundamental
level the identities of diverse young women are insufficiently defined by their race/ethnic and gender
status as a minority woman, so much so that young African, African American, Latina, American
Indian girls often live a life through the lens of their oppressed identities as women of color. Hence the
need for a focus on multiculturalism .
Developing a more diverse American culture became more of a priority in this country, yet the
confusion created by America’s past had already contaminated our understanding of our own
personal-identity, tainted our cultural norms, and infringed upon our path , towards creating a truly
multicultural society. American culture continues to become more diverse in race/ethnicity, gender,
age, ability, etc. but the sheer recognition of multiple identities does not guarantee equal opportunity.
Diversity without equality simply dampens mechanism through which racism, sexism, abelism,
heterosexism are delivered and does not eliminate the beliefs and behaviors that continue to create
an underlying current through which “isms” endure. Multiculturalism has, therefore, become the next
evolution in trying to move from a diverse American to one of true equality.
Current Influences
Activity Outcomes
• Knowledge of way to
leverage privilges to
help oneself and
others
Society
• Instututionalized
Structural forces
and barriers
Society
Community
• stereotyping
of "minority"
groups
Community
• Understanding of
self and others as
privileged and
oppressed
Individual
• Incomplete
definition
• of self
Individual
• Full multicultural
understanding of self
Activity Outcomes: The goal for the activity is to help young women to create a more full definition of
self, including an integrated understanding one’s key cultural identities, privileges, strengths and talents in
order to transform the way in which we see ourselves, each other and engage with the world around us.
With a more full understanding of one’s strengths, talents and privileges one young diverse girls, who
otherwise saw their lives limited by their race and gender, can begin to see how they can not only
leverage their strengths but also connect to and with the talents of others to transform the way in which
they navigate life’s barriers and opportunities.
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II.
Step By Step Activity Guide
There are three core activities for this module, including the Defining My Multicultural Self, Shifting from
Oppression to Privilege and Leveraging Our Strengths. The following activities can be presented in one
long workshop or several smaller workshops. Determining the set-up that is right for you and your
program may depend on the average age of the participants, size of the group, time and/or resources
available. However, it is recommended that each of the activities be completed sequential order. Note
that faclitators may need to make adjustments based on the knowledge and experience of their
participants. For this reason more than one example of each activity may be provided to allow for
maximum customization.
Activity
1
Name
Defining My Multicultural Self
2
Shifting from Oppression to Privilege
3
Leveraging Our Strengths
4
Connecting Our Sense of Self to
Mental and Physical Health

Goal
To identify and and expand our cultural identities
To develop a more fully expand our definition of self
beyond our oppressed identities
To integrate and understanding of our strengths with
our privileges
To reshape our understanding of mental and
physical health within our communities
Defining My Multicultural Self
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.



Facilitator Guiding
Questions
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity


Pre-Assessment
Paper for pre/post assessments
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Printer/copier for handouts
What are the top 10 ways in which you describe yourself?
What is culture? How do you define your culture?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a half sheet of paper have each participant individually write out
their responses to the following question:
o In your own words, define what culture means to you? Allow
participants at least one minute to write a definition.
o If participants appear to be stuck suggest that they think of 10
things that define them from a cultural perspective.
o Once most participants are done then ask them to share their
definition of culture out loud with the group.
o It is helpful to writing key words or concepts somewhere in
which everyone can see them (e.g., on a chalkboard,
whiteboard, etc.).
Detailed overview of the activity (15 minutes)

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How do I define my multicultural self
o Have the participants sit in circles of 8-10 facing each other.
o On the cultural identity worksheet, list 10 characteristics that
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you feel accurately describe your culture?
Provide the group with a formal definition of culture (e.g.,
“beliefs, values, behaviors share by a particular group of
people”)
o Ask each participant to share their top 5 characteristics that
describe their culture in 30 seconds (if participants become
stuck, provide 2-3 examples of how you define your culture.
Make certain to identify a broad range of cultural
characteristics, including race/ethnicity, sex, gender, ability
status, age and religion).
o Ask participants if they identified any other characteristics after
listening to others and invite them to update and expand their
list.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (10 minutes)
o
Post Assessment

Key Take Aways
Ask the participants what they noticed about their lists of characteristics
before and after the exercise (e.g., do they have more now? How many
more?)
 Ask participants how easy or difficult it was to identify various
characteristics and why?
 Provide participants with approximately 30 images (assuming that your
group has about 25 participants) of abstract images, women,
landscapes, etc. Ask each participant to select an image that reflects
how they feel about their cultural identity, at this moment in time.
Finally, have them share 1-2 sentences about why they chose the
picture with the rest of the group.
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)


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The concept of cultural is intimately related to our own lives.
We often limit the things that we identify about our culture to 1-3 cultural
identities (e.g., race/ethnicity, sex, class), but our cultural make-up is so
much more diverse than that.
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Cultural Identity Worksheet
Below, put your name in the middle of the circle and list one key component of your cultural identity
(characteristic/quality or trait) on each of the 8 spokes. Please list whatever comes to mind about
yourself when thinking about how you define your culture.
Bonner Curriculum: Identity Circles
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
Shifting from Oppression to Privilege
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.



Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Paper for pre/post assessments
Name tags and markers
Preselected images of diverse women
(5-8 more than the number of participants you are expecting)
 Other writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
 Printer/copier for handouts
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity

Pre-Assessment
What is oppression? To what extent do you consider yourself to be
oppressed?
 In what ways are you privileged? To what extent do you consider
yourself to be privileged?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)
On a half sheet of paper have each participant respond to the following:

Activity
Define oppression (for younger audiences you may want to use the
word discrimination)? In your own words describe who are oppressed
individuals?
 Define privilege? In your own words describe who are privileged
individuals?
 On a scale of 1-10 (in which 1= being oppressed and 10 = being
privileged), indicate to what extent you consider yourself more
oppressed or privileged.
Detailed overview of the activity (25 minutes)


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Shifting from oppression to privilege
o Ask the group to share their definition of oppression
(e.g., unjust or cruel use of authority or being weighed down)
o Ask the group to collectively identify ways in which they are
both oppressed and privileged.
Complete the wheel of privilege and oppression (refer to detailed
instructions on the following page).
o Have participants complete the wheel of privilege and
oppression (Follow the instructions on the handout)
o Have each person talk about their wheel of
privilege/oppression:
 What was it like to list your cultural identities?
 How was it to acknowledge whether you were
privileged or oppressed?
 When looking at your multicultural map what do you
see? What are you surprised by?
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Post Assessment
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (5 minutes)

Key Take Aways
On a scale of 1-10 (in which 1= being oppressed,10 = being privileged
and 0 is neither privileged or oppressed), indicate to what extent you
consider yourself more oppressed or privileged.
 Ask participants to look through a stack of preselected images
(provided in the mentor kit) to select an image that accurately reflects or
depicts the score that they chose when asking the question above.
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)



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Power dynamics, stereotypes and other messages teach us that we are
defined by the ways in which we are oppressed, but we have to know
that not only are we not oppressed all of the time but that we are
privileged beings in many ways.
Although as women of color we have shared ways in which we are
defined by our oppressed identities (including experiences of racism,
sexism, colorism and citizenship) …as women of color that we also
have shared experiences of privilege that we don’t often talk about and
honor.
Knowing what we know about the expansive list of cultural
characteristics there are few who would be privileged across all
identities at all times. The same is true for those who are oppressed. It
is a myth that there is anyone who is always privileged or always
oppressed at all times and in all spaces.
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Detailed Instructions for Shifting form Oppression to Privilege
Step
1
Step
2
Each spoke in this wheel represents a cultural
identity. Above each spoke is the name of a cultural
identity, and there is room above each spoke for
participants to fill-in their status as it relates to that
cultural identity (e.g., if you are African American
then you would write the word that below the word
“Ethnicity”). Cultural identities include ethnicity,
gender identity, body type, citizenship, class, age,
skin color and religion. Note that this is not intended
to be an exhaustive list.
In the center of the wheel is a “P” for Privilege.
Moving toward the outside of the wheel is where the
brunt of the weight of oppression is experienced, as
the wheel turns. The “P” in the center of the wheel
represents those who possess unearned benefits,
who are often unaware of the burden that is carried
by those who are situated further away from the
center. Comparing themselves to the “mythical
norm,” have participants mark on each spoke of
their wheel to indicate whether they are closer to or
further away from the mythical norm or the extent to
which they may feel more privileged or oppressed.
For example, if a student is white, then s/he
matches the mythical norm in the category of
ethnicity.




Young, Islamic, able-bodied, heterosexual, first
generation Latina with a light complexion, who
lives in a lower-class neighborhood.
Finally have participants connect the dots on the
wheel, to create a two-dimensional model of how
their statuses intersect and work together to
privilege or oppress.
Ask participants the following questions:
Step
3



What was it like to list your cultural
identities?
How did you feel when you acknowledged
the ways in which you were both privileged
and oppressed?
When looking at your multicultural map what
do you see? What are you surprised by?
No one person is fully privileged or oppressed.
We are all both privileged and oppressed at all
times and in all spaces.
* This workshop and all handout materials are based on a modified version of The Matrix of Domination
as presented by McIntosh (1988) in White privilege: Unpacking the invisible Knapsack.
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Connecting With The Fullness of
Our Multicultural Selves Handout
Goal/Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to help young women more fully embrace
their multicultural identities and contextualize their experiences of oppression and
privilege in society.
1 Each spoke in this wheel represents a cultural identity. Below each spoke is the name of a
cultural identity, and there is room above each spoke for you to fill-in how you identify as it relates to
that cultural identity(e.g., if you are able-bodied then you would write the word Able on the line
above the word “Ability”).
2 In the center of the wheel is a “P” for Privilege.
Moving toward the outside of the wheel is where
the brunt of the weight of oppression is experienced, as the wheel turns. The “P” in the center of
the wheel represents those who possess unearned benefits, who are often unaware of the burden
that is carried by those who are situated further away from the center. For each cultural identity
indicate the extent to which you are more privileged or oppressed.
3 Finally connect the dots on your wheel, to create a two-dimensional model of how their statuses
intersect and work together to privilege or oppress.
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LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Another way to look at the wheel of oppression and
privilege is consider each of spokes as continuums.
On each continuum you can rate (on a scale of 0 to
100) the extent to which you feel that anyone of
your cultural identities is viewed more oppressed or
privileged as viewed by society.
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Race Ethnicity
Privilege
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Biological Sex
Privilege
(Male/ Female)
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Gender Identity
Privilege
(Masculine / Feminine)
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Body Type
Privilege
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Citizenship
Privilege
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Class
Privilege
(e.g., lower, middle, upper)
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Age
Privilege
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Skin Color
Privilege
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Religion
Privilege
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Ability Level
Privilege
100-----------------------------------------------------------0--------------------------------------------------------100
Oppressed
Language
Privilege
19 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Leveraging Our Strengths
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.



Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Paper
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Building communities from the inside Out: A path toward finding and
mobilizing a community’s assets (releasing individual Assets – Youth
pages 29-45). Retrieved from:
http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/publications/community/introdbuilding.html
 Printer/copier for handouts
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity


Pre-Assessment
What are your strengths/ assets?
What are the strengths and assets of the women around you?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a half sheet of paper have each participant respond to the following:
What are your strengths? Give participants 60 seconds to respond.
Detailed overview of the activity (30 minutes)


Post Assessment
Ask participants to share their top 5 strengths.
Ask participants to consider the following:
o How would you expand your list of strengths knowing all of the
ways in which you are privileged?
o What assets do youth have in particular?
o What assets do girls and women have in particular?
 Living from our privileged identities
o On a name tag, ask each participant to write down each of the
cultural identities in which they felt more privileged than
oppressed.
o Ask participants how they might feel, if they walked around with
an understanding of the ways in which they are privileged
versus oppressed.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (5 minutes)

Key Take Aways
What would you suggest Kayla do? Read Kayla’s scenario and select
the item the most accurately reflects how you would respond.
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)

20 | P a g e
We live in a world that constantly focuses on our deficits and looks at
everything from the perspective of what is wrong with this picture when
instead, we could gain more by focusing on what is right.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Kayla’s Story
Kayla is a 17 – year old girl who identifies as African American,
spiritual, multilingual and questioning. She lives in the big city with her
mom and little brother. Her grandmother on her mother’s side lives only
a few blocks away but she doesn’t really get along with her or her
cousins who live in the city; a lot of the boys in her family hang with the
wrong crowd. Her parents never married and while her father lives in
the same city, she rarely sees him. She does hear from her grandmother
on her father’s side from time to time; mainly on birthdays and major
holidays. She fondly remembers really getting along with a few of her
cousins who live with her father’s mother in Detroit.
Kayla is currently a junior in high school. With a 3.2 grade point average and good test taking skills
Kayla’s teachers are encouraging her to go to college. Specifically, the principal says that she reminds
her of when she was the same age and would like for Kayla to consider going to a school that is out of
state to the college that she went to. In fact, her principal has offered to take Kayla on a college visit to
her alma mater with a group of other students. Her soccer coach also encourages her to consider going.
Kayla would like to go because she heard that the school had a good program for veterinarians, which is
what she has always wanted to do, but her mother doesn’t think that it is a good idea for her to consider
any school that is out of state because she feels that the family needs her to stay close to home. Her
mom also says that college is really hard, and that she doesn’t think that Kayla can make it on her own
without her family near her.
Kayla want to go visit the college to learn more about the school but also to take her first out of state
trip. She recently found out that a few of her other friends from the team are going, as well. Also, the
school is near Detroit, Michigan and she thought that she might be able to see her grandmother and
cousins on her Dad’s side. In talking with her friend, who is also going on the trip, Kayla indicates that
she is really torn over what to do; she is really committed to her family but also thinks that going to
school would be a good step for her.
Select a partner and discuss what you recommend that Kayla do? How would you help her to make
the best decision? What factors would you consider and why? Once you are done discussing the
options, read the question below and select the item that most accurately reflects how you would
respond.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Kayla should do what her mother wants her to do.
Kayla should consider going because her friends are going and it will be a fun trip.
Kayla should do what she wants instead of listening to her mother.
Kayla should ask the principal and teacher to speak with her mother to see if they can help her
mom and her to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of going to school out of state.
21 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Understanding How The Media Shapes Us
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.






Room Set-Up and
Layout
Paper for pre- and post- assessments
Pens, pencils
Tables and chairs
5- 6 computers for 25-30 participants
Internet access
2-3 Health Experts
How should the room be set up?

Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Room will be laid out in café-style, with different stations/tables at which
groups of 3-5 participants can gather around a computer/ laptop. Please
refer to the detailed schematic of the room layout on following page.
o There will be 1-2 stations per module.
o One laptop per station, including all appropriate cords for
internet access.
 Each station should have:
o One advertisement video on each computer ready for students
to watch and respond to.
o Handout with key questions that ask the students to critically
think about the video they watched. Please see example on the
following pages.
o LCL Blog open and ready for participants to write responses
and engage with the on-line health experts.
o Also, make sure your comment responders (health experts) are
ready to respond to comments live during the activity.
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity


Pre-Assessment
How does the media manipulate us?
How can we respond so that we are not so easily manipulated?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
What are the key media outlets that you engage with the most (e.g.,
radio, TV, magazines, internet, music, etc.)?
 What messages do the media tell us about ourselves as women,
minorities, youth, etc.).
Detailed overview of the activity (60 minutes)




22 | P a g e
Each participant will engage in an online discussion about the
messages that they receive in the media about issues related to young
women.
Divide participants into groups of 4 (3-5 participants each) and assign
each group to a Café station
Instruct them to follow the instructions in the blog post (watch the media
example, then discuss and answer the questions in the comments
section).
The workshop facilitators will need to make rounds of the room to check
on participants and guide them in answering the questions, if
necessary.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM


Post Assessment
Once the participants have completed with their first station then have
them rotate to the next station and repeat the steps above. Depending
on the amount of time that you have available you can have participants
rotate through 1-2 or all of the stations.
Once the participants have completed rotating through the stations
have each group share at least one take away message with the group
as a whole.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (5 minutes)

Through the LCL Blog have each of the participants respond to the
following:
o
o
o
What tools and tactics does the media use to manipulate us?
Now knowing what you know now, how will I consume media
differently?
Based on what you learned today, what are 1-2 key messages
that you would share with your family and friends about
interacting with the media?

Key Take Aways
Open the floor for participants to share their responses to each of the
questions.
Highlight the key take away points. (5 minutes)



23 | P a g e
Most of what we know and understand about ourselves as young
women of color comes from the media, however the media is not
necessarily designed to educate us but rather to make us want to
endorse certain ideas so that we buy particular products.
We must more fully understand and therefore manage the external
images and messages in the media that constantly bombard us and
attempt to shift our consciousness away from truth and towards a model
of dependency on products to make us whole.
Although we are not responsible for the negative messages and
stereotypes that the media portrays about us we are responsible for
making certain that their tactics do not work to shape how we see
ourselves and others.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Media Café Agenda & Script
I.
Introduce the activity by stating the following (1-2 minutes): “For this activity we are
going to examine the qualities of media we consume. You will be split into small groups
where you will have the opportunity to review at least two media clips and blog about your
thoughts, responses and reflections regarding the appropriateness of the message. Each
group has an intern to help answer and questions that you have.”
II.
Make Café Station Assignments by stating (5-8 minutes): “Now let’s go ahead and select
groups. There are five stations so we will have five groups. Starting with the first person on
the right side of the room count off from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5.”
a. Divide participants into groups of 4 (3-5) by having them count off 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
b. Have all 1’s site at station 1, All 2’s at station 2, etc.
III.
Begin the activity by stating (15 minutes): “Once you are at your assigned station take a
moment to read the instructions already posted online. Please have one member in your
group read the instructions out loud so that other members in the group can hear but not too
loud so that we are not talking over each other.”
a. Next, watch the media example, then discuss and answer the questions.
b. Write your responses to the questions in the comments section of each blog.
c. Community Experts will be online to respond to your comments so make certain to be
clear.
d. Interns will be available at each station to ensure that you communication your thoughts
clearly and effectively.
e. Wait for any comments and or questions from the community expert, read them and then
respond accordingly.
IV.
Ask participants to rotate to the next station by stating (15 minutes): “Once you have
finished responding to the community expert then please rotate to the next station read the
instructions.”
V.
Ask participants to openly share their reflections (15 minutes): by asking the post
assessment questions listed above.
Media Café Detailed Layout
Station 2

Station 1
Intern

24 | P a g e
\\\1
\\\1

\\\1
Station 3
Participants
Workshop
Leader(s)
Station 4
Station 5
\\\1
\\\1
LCL|

Stations must be spaced
apart with participants
facing the computer.
Each station must have a
laptop with video and
sound capabilities.
Videos and Blogs will be
managed from the LCL
web site.
New videos can be
selected each year based
on popular topics and
current news.
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Media Café Discussion Questions
Banned McDonald’s Commercial
 The youtube video is available
here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFKULY5Ohyg
Or search for “banned McDonald’s Commercial 2012.”
 Please discuss the answers to the following questions, come to a
consensus, and type out your answers in the comments section.
Feel free to replay the video.
 What are your initial reactions to this video?
(List key words, etc. or whatever comes to mind.)
 In your own words, describe what happens in this viral video
commercial?
 In your own words, describe what you think is the first guy’s
motivation? The second? The two people in the van?
 In your own words, describe what you think motivates the girls?
 In your own words, what is the role of the driver of the van?
 In your own words, what is the role of the person in the back of the
van?
 In your own words, what does this commercial communicate about the
product?
 In your own words, what does this video communicate about
relationships between men and women?
 Overall, do you consider this video to be an appropriate commercial?
25 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Media Café Discussion Questions
Heineken Commercial

Video is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHBdSp_71io

Alternative – Good Head Beer (Australian, needs different questions):
http://cherrifountain.com/creative/personal/good-head-beer-commercial-2012/
 1. What happens in this ad?
 2. What does this ad try to communicate about the product?

3. What roles do each of the two main characters play?
 4. What does this ad imply about romantic relationships?
 5. What does this ad imply about consequences for actions that
negatively affect others?
26 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Module 2Becoming Members of Our Communities
I.
Overview
To develop positive connections with ethnic minority communities that extend beyond the stereotype
of the “disenfranchised” community. This step is critical because as young women begin to embrace
a more full sense of self, they also need positive spaces that can embrace and leverage their
strengths and talents. For young women to further engage with their communities, connecting their
strengths with the assets around them, they must first transform the way in which they currently
participate in their communities from the negative to the positive.
Rationale: Youth who grow up in “disenfranchised” communities often think little of and have little to
say that is positive about their communities. At the individual level, so many of the negative things
that they hear about their communities are internalized. As youth become older and begin to engage
with different aspects of their community many live out a “self-fullfilling prophecy” that is born out of
the the negative stereotypes of anger, violence, poverty, etc. that they internalized when they were
younger. That being said, we know that this is not true for all youth. Looking at models of positive
deviance, one can begin to see that some youth are given alternative and more positive views of their
community that affords them the opportunity to engage differently with the world around them.
Although there has been an academic shift towards strengths based models, including Positive
Psychology (http://www.ted.com/talks/martin_seligman_on_the_state_of_psychology.html), Asset
Based Community Development Model (http://www.abcdinstitute.org/) and Appreciative Inquiry,
these more positive ways of understanding ourselves across various contexts have not been widely
implemented in the community. However, if we expect youth to be actively engaged participants in
society, we must create the opportunity for them to do so. The first step in this process is to identify
and embrace their strengths. The second step in the process is to connect them to the assets in their
community so that they can begin to navigate their communities in more positive ways. Once youth
can see and experience the positive aspects of themselves and how being their true selves can
benefit them and their communities, then the options for the future, as they see them, become
unlimited and free from the structural forces that have historically held them back.
Current Influences
Activity Outcomes
Society
• Closed view of the
opportunity structure
Society
Community
• Negative or absent
engagement with the
assets in one's
community
Community
• Positive
engagament with
the assets in one's
community
Individual
• Internalized stereotypes
of community
Individual
• Positive views of one's
self & community
• Open view of the
opportunity
Activity Outcomes: The goal for this module is to help youth to identify, connect to and engage with the
positive assets in their community and to do so in a way that leads to new opportunities, healthy
relationships and sustainable growth.
27 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
II.
Step By Step Activity Guide
The activities for this module are centered around taking tours of various cultural communities. There are
three core activities, including the tour of one’s home community, cultural excursions and photo voice
journaling. The tour and cultural excursions can be informal (e.g., guided walking/bike tour by a
community historian) or formal (e.g., scheduled bus tour through a tour company). The following activities
can be presented in one long workshop or several smaller workshops. Determining the set-up that is right
for you and your program may depend on the average age of the participants, size of the group, time
and/or resources available. However, it is recommended that each of the activities be completed
sequential order. Note that faclitators may need to make adjustments based on the knowledge and
experience of their participants. For ths reason, more than one example of each activity may be provided
to allow for maximum customization.
Activity
1
Name
Home Community Tour
2
Cultural Excursion Tour (s)
3
Photo Voice Journaling

Goal
To connect with the assets in their home community.
To expand their knowledge and understanding of
the assets in other communities.
To reflect on the new ways in which they see and
understand their community and the impact that
having a more positive outlook can have on their
lives.
Tour of Home Community
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.








Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Half sheets of paper
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Information about community assets (internet site, video, etc.)
Tape
Camera(s)
Tour guide
Computer and/or Printer
Different media sources: Prior the workshop, use different media types
(i.e., YouTube, Facebook, other websites, local newspapers,
photographs, flyers of current or past community events, etc.) that
showcase different strengths in the target neighborhood. Have these
links/sources prepared before the workshop.
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity

Pre-Assessment
What are the assets in your community that you can begin to connect
to?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)



28 | P a g e
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that your community is a good place to live.
What are the things that you typically hear about your community?
List the things in your community that you consider assets (positive
components).
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Activity
Detailed overview of the activity (30 minutes)


Post Assessment
Have the participants sit in a circle.
Write each of the negative stereotypes that they hear about their
community on a separate half-sheet of paper.
 Have the participants share a few of them and ask them how they feel
when they hear someone say these things.
 Then instruct them to crumple the sheets of paper-up and toss them
into the center of the circle.
 Say the following: “There are many negative things that people will say
about our communities for various reasons, but we don’t have to focus
on those things as if that is all that is here. We can also focus the many
positive things that we know are here and see and experience every
day.
 Say the following: “For the remainder of today we are going to learn
about the assets in our community”
o Use handouts, web sites, media, film, YouTube, books or
pictures to provide an introduction to your program home
community that focuses on the positive.
o Conduct or have a community member lead a guided tour of
your home community highlighting the assets (e.g., historical
buildings, parks, family/community owned businesses,
churches, museums, murals, street vendors, etc.).
o Take individual and group pictures of the participants in front of
key assets. You can also ask the participants to bring their
cameras or use their phones to take pictures that they feel
reflect the strengths of their community.
 Ask the participants to work together to develop a list of assets in their
community. Place each asset on a half sheet of paper hang/tape them
on the wall.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (5 minutes)

Key Take Aways
Ask the Participants to name an asset in their community that they did
not previously know about.
 Have the participants reflect and share how they feel when they think of
all of the positive components of their community.
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)

29 | P a g e
We are constantly reminded of the negative aspects of our community,
so it is not surprising that many youth feel that there is nothing to do,
little hope about how to engage in fun and positive things, etc.
Regardless of what media tells us we must focus on the positive
aspects of our community and use those as the baseline from which we
can engage.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Cultural Excursion Tour(s)
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.





Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Pre-Assessment
Tape
Half sheets of paper
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Community leader and/or tour guide
Computer and/or Printer
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity
 What are the assets in other so-called “disenfranchised” communities?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
What are the things that you typically hear about the community that
you are going to tour?
 List the things in that community that you consider assets (positive
components)
 How do you feel about visiting this particular community? Why do you
think feel this way?
Detailed overview of the activity (90 minutes)

Post Assessment
Conduct a tour (approximately 60 minutes) of another neighborhood
that has a similar reputation, but different cultural make-up than the
home community. During the tour, highlight the assets of the community
(Note that culture does not always have to be defined by ethnic makeup and can be defined by gender identity, religion, ability status, class,
etc.).
 At the end of the tour, compare the assets between the home
community and the community that you are touring
o What is similar?
o What is different?
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (15 minutes)

Key Take Aways
Ask the participants to name an asset in the community that they did
not previously know about.
 Ask the participants how it feels to compare positives rather than all the
negative things that they usually talk about.
 Have the participants reflect and share how they might relate to the
members of the community that they toured knowing the ways in which
they are similar and uniquely different form their own neighborhood.
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)

30 | P a g e
Because we have been taught to focus on all of the negative aspects of
our community, we do the same when we look and talk about other
communities. If we want people to appreciate the strengths and assets
of our community, we must do the same when understanding theirs.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Photovoice Journaling
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.





Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Half sheets of paper
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Digital camera(s) or camera phones
Computer and/or Printer
Tape
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity

Pre-Assessment
What do you think about the all of the stereotypes that people say about
your community and how you now see your community and other
communities like yours?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate how
well the images portrayed about your community match your feelings
towards your community.
Detailed overview of the activity (60 minutes)


Ask each participant to take a camera. Digital cameras are best for this
exercise. If digital cameras are not available, please feel free to use
phone or traditional cameras.
Instruct participants to take half hour to walk outside and take a picture:
o
o
Post Assessment
That reflects how they feel about their community.
That reflects the difference between what they hear and how
they feel about their community.
o What would you want someone to see when they come to visit
your community?
 Ask each of the participants to select one of the pictures that they took
and write a summary of why they took that picture (e.g., what did it
mean to them). Participants can write a summary of 3-5 sentences or
compose a poem, rap, etc.
 Print a copy of the picture and hang it on the wall above the summary.
*Note: If you do not have a printer readily available, you can wait until
the next program period to create the final display.*
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (15 minutes)

Key Take Aways
Ask participants to walk around the room to look at the photos and read
the summaries of other participants.
 Ask them to briefly reflect on what they saw and/or thought about as
they walked around the room.
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)


31 | P a g e
If we want a different image of our community to be shared with the
world around us, then a different story must be told, starting with the
thoughts, words, images that come from you.
With an understanding of the assets across communities, we can find
more ways to connect on positive rather than negative issues.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Detailed Instructions for
Photovoice Journaling
PhotoVoice is an activity designed to empower participants. It allows
participants to take pictures regarding a certain area of interest or
phenomenon (Foster-Fishman, Law, Lichty, & Aoun, 2011). PhotoVoice has
previously been used with youth populations targeting community issues
(Larson, Mitchell, & Gilles, 2001; Morrel-Samuels, Wang, Bell, & Monk, 2005,
Wang, 2006). Wang (2006) states that PhotoVoice has three purposes,
including:



Representing participants’ experiences of a phenomenon,
Raising critical consciousness and awareness around their experiences,
Disseminating that information to policymakers. Listed below are instructions on how to conduct
the photovoice journaling activity.
Participants take pictures of the area of interest, and then have an opportunity
to share their photographs with a descriptive component. Photographs can
either contain written descriptions, or participants can share their descriptions
orally. Participants connect their photographs to the area of interest, and
explain what the photograph means to them. In accordance with the LCL
model, this activity allows participants to find strengths in their community
using their own perceptions and voice.
Purchase and
distrubute
cameras
Ask participants to
take pictures that
reflect their
answer to a
particular question
Have participants
select the image
that most reflects
their response to
the question
Print the selected
image and have
participants write
a brief summary of
what the image
means to them
As a final step the facilitator can create display of each of the photos
and summaries in an exhibit type format. This is an easy way to share
everyone’s story with the group, parents and broader community.
Additional Reference Materials


A Practical Guide to Photovoice Journal
http://www.pwhce.ca/photovoice/pdf/Photovoice_Manual.pdf
Photovoice: Concept, Methodology, and Use for Participatory Needs Assessment
http://heb.sagepub.com/content/24/3/369.short
32 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Module 3Becoming a Leader in Society
I.
Overview
To make visible and clear everyone’s potential to become an authentic leader in the areas that they
have unique strengths and talents so that diverse women can more fully embrace and nurture their
leadership potential. An understanding of one’s strengths and talents can not only bolster young
women from structural forces that are designed to lower their self-esteem and efficacy, but it can also
propel them forward to engage in their lives and the world around them by leveraging their natural
strengths and talents in meaningful and productive ways.
Rationale: When it comes to understanding their role as leaders diverse young women often don’t
feel like they are already or can become leaders because they 1) have internalized racists, sexist and
agist beliefs regarding who does or does not have leadership potential, 2) don’t believe that they
have the power that one would need to lead, 3) have little understanding of their own leadership
potential and 4) don’t see opportunities where they can become meaningfully involved.
Everything that the participants have completed thus far has prepared them to become leaders.
Module 1 facilitated participant awareness of structural and societal forces that help shape sense of
self. Additionally, it also engaged young women to develop a deeper sense of self and identity by
challenging negative or deficit-based approaches and instead recognize an asset-based approach
and leverage strengths. Module 2 moved to the next level of an asset-based approach, which is
awareness of the assets in a community and civic engagement. Module 3 serves as a capstone in
which young women, through a new understanding of the community and self, are now prepared to
develop their identity as a leader.
LCL has a three step process that guides participants on a journey of how to become an authentic
leader. The first step is the LEAD phase in which participants connect their strengths to tangible skills
that can be leveraged in their everyday lives. The second step is the LEADER stage in which young
women will come to better understand their roles as both leader and follower. The third phase is the
LEADERSHIP state in which participants are encouraged to become actively engaged in leveraging
their sense of leadership in their community and throughout society.
Current Influences
Society
• Active engagement in
addressing systematic
barriers and opening the
opportunity structure.
• Low civic enagement
Society
• Negative or absent
engagement with
opportunities ones
community
Community followers amongst
Community
Individual
Activity Outcomes
• Lack of understanding of
strengths and talents
• Understanding our role
as leaders and
ourselves and in the
community.
Individual
• Understanding of
one's strengths.
Activity Outcomes: The goal for this module is to provide young diverse women with a model of
authentic leadership that allows them to effectively navigate around the barriers that they are often
conferented. As a result the many messages that convince young women of color that they are “too
much and yet still not enough” are replaced with an impenetrable outlook and perspective that they
are “everything that they need to achieve success in this society and always have been”.
33 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
II.
Step By Step Activity Guide
The activities for this module are centered around helping youth the develop into authentic LEADERS in
society. There are five core activities, including strengths finders assessment, understanding our role as
leaders and followers, how to navigate our power circles, becoming leaders in our communities and
community engagement. The following activities can be presented in one long workshop or several
smaller workshops. Determining the set-up that is right for you and your program may depend on the
average age of the participants, size of the group, time and/or resources available. However, it is
recommended that each of the activities be completed sequential order. Note that faculitators may need
to make adjustments based on the knowledge and experience of their participants. For ths reason more
than one example of each activity may be provided to allow for maximum customization.
Activity
1
Name
Strength Finders
2
Leaders & Followers
3
Navigating Our Power Circle
4
Leading in Our Communities
5
Community Café Connections

Goal
To identify the natrual strengths within each of us.
To embrace our role as both leader and follower and
to identify the situations in which we are asked to
lead and/or follow.
To better understand the ways in which we give and
receive encouragement, energy and joy from those
around us and how to align the strengths and talents
of others to help us to achieve our sense of purpose.
To more fully understand the diverse ways in which
women lead throughout our communities.
To provide an opportunity for young women to
leverage their strenghts/ talents to become more
engaged in their communities, today.
Strengths Finders Assessment
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.





Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Pre-Assessment
Strengths Finders Assessment ($15.00 per participants)
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Computers and printer
Name badges
Paper
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity
 How can you leverage your strengths to become a leader?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that you use your strengths to help yourself and
others (family, friends, community, etc.).
 Identify 3 strengths and how they help you in your everyday life.
Detailed overview of the activity (90 minutes)


34 | P a g e
Supervisor/ facilitator will need to order and purchase all books and
coordinate access to the online survey.
Supervisor/ facilitator will need to order and purchase all books and
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM


coordinate access to the online survey.
Books can be ordered on Amazon for a relatively low price (approx.
$15). Please note that you must order a new book.
In each book will be a code that can be used to access the online
assessment at http://www.strengthsfinder.com

Post Assessment
Each participant must enter the code associated with their book to
access the assessment.
 Follow the detailed instruction below for more information.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (10 minutes)

Key Take Aways
Ask each participant to generate a list of 3-5 behaviors, activities and/or
other things that they might do differently now that they have a more
clear understanding of their strengths.
Highlight the key take away points (10 minutes)




35 | P a g e
Each of us has our own strengths and no one but us has our unique
combination of strengths.
Each of us is designed to lead in the area that is aligned with our
strengths.
So we are all designed to lead, and, because each of us has a unique
combination of strengths to be used in specific situations and at certain
times, we are not in competition over who is in charge.
As women we are taught to compete against one another, as if there is
only room for one leader or woman to be the best. However, with an
understanding that we all have strengths, we can learn to celebrate all
of talents and learn to work more collaboratively together.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Detailed Instructions for Strength Finders





Purchase Strengths Finders Book on Amazon.com. Please note that you must purchase a new
book for each participant to receive the appropriate assessment code. Used books have used
codes that cannot be reused. Books are also available for those under 14.
Send a link to the Strengths Finder assessment
and code to each participant at
http://www.strengthsfinder.com. If participants
do not have access to a computer then schedule
a time for the group to complete the assessment
in a computer lab where each participant can sit
in front of their own computer. Instruct the
participants to be as quite as possible to ensure
that others are able to focus.
Take Strength
Finders
Once each participant has completed the
assessment have them print their results. For
ease of printing and documentation, have
participants enter the organizational email
([email protected]) when prompted in the
system.
Print Results
Discuss
Have each of the participants write their first
name and strength, as identified in strengths
finders, on a name badge.
While sitting in a circle as each participant to
acknowledge their strengths (use the Strengths
Finders book to clarify the definition of the strengths).
Ask each participant:
36 | P a g e
o
What were you surprised by when you read your strengths?
o
What was similar or different from the strengths that you listed about yourself at
the beginning of the program?
o
What were not surprised by when you read your strengths?
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Understanding Ourselves As Leaders & Followers
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.


Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Computer and access to internet
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity


Pre-Assessment
How do you determine who is leading and who is following?
Are you a leader or a follower?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so), rate the
extent to which you feel that you lead on a day-to-day basis.
 On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that you follow the leadership of others on a
day to day basis.
 Identify an area of your life where you feel like a leader (i.e., family,
school, friends, clubs, church, etc.)
 Identify an area of your life where you feel like a follower (i.e., family,
jobs, friends, schools, activities).
Detailed overview of the activity (30 minutes)

Post Assessment
Ask everyone to come into the middle and to form a circle. If individuals
are already seated in the form of a circle then ask everyone to stand.
Once everyone has responded, ask the following questions:
o Who was/were the first to stand?
o Who was/were the second to stand?
o Who did you follow and why?
 Ask everyone to identify who they thought the leader was in that
situation and discuss all of the options, including, the person who asked
everyone to move (into a circle or stand), the first person who moved,
the second person who moved, etc.
 Watch the following video http://sivers.org/ff and discuss the importance
of the roles that we play as leaders and followers in everyday situations.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (5 minutes)

Key Take Aways
Have each of the participants list the key activities in their day and
identify ways in which they lead and/or follow across those situations
and contexts (Please see the worksheet on the following page).
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)


37 | P a g e
In all situations we serve important roles as leaders and followers.
Because we all have strengths, we are all leaders. The key is to
understand in what ways we are leading across various contexts and
circumstances.
However, because we also know that we call on the strengths of others,
then we are also all followers. What is important is to understand who
we are following, for what reason we are following, and what our role/
responsibility is as a follower.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Recognizing the
we LEAD and
Key Daily Tasks
1. For Example: Getting ready for school in the
morning
ways in which
Follow everyday
Role As Leader
Role As Follower
(How you utilize your
strengths)
(How you leverage the
strengths of others)
I help my little
brother get dressed in
the morning and walk
him to school
My mom helps
everyone to get
organized in the
morning so she
always wakes me up
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
38 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Navigating Our Power Circle
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.




Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Writing instruments (pen, pencils, etc.) and writing surface
Handout materials, including instructions and 2 activity sheets
Paper
Printer
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity

Pre-Assessment
Who around you helps to support you and give you energy? Who
doesn’t?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that the people around you help to give you the
power you need to be the young woman you want to be.
 On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that the people around you take away the
power you need to be the young woman you want to be.
 Identify one person or source who gives you power to be the young
woman you want to be
 Identify one person or source who takes away power from the young
woman you want to be.
Detailed overview of the activity (30 minutes)



39 | P a g e
Hand each participant a copy of the handouts and ask them to spread
out across the room. Refer to the 3 page handout on the following page.
o Begin by reading the first paragraph at the top of the first page
of the handout.
o Have a participant read the paragraph at the bottom of the
handout.
o Ask various participants to read each of the three types of
people in our power circles, including those who give, zap and
take away your power.
Ask participants to review the example provided on page 2 of the
handout. Ask the following questions:
o When looking at this Power Circle what trends do you see (e.g,
who is on the inside, who is on the line and who is on the
outside)?
o Probe deeper for more information about how the participants
feel about certain people (e.g., boyfriends/girlfriends, mom and
other family members) not being listed as members of one’s
power circle.
Next, ask the participants to fill out their own power circle.
o On the left hand side of the page participants will need to
indicate who is and is not in their power circle.
o On the right side of the page participants will list who they
would like to have in their power circle.
o Ask participants to note and discuss any trends they see in their
own power circles. Encourage participants to first write down
trends that they see and then share with a partner or the group.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Post Assessment
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (5 minutes)

Key Take Aways
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that you have the right people in your power
circle.
 On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that having or not having the right people in
your power circle impacts your ability to be the woman you want to be.
 Identify two ways in which you can make sure that the right people stay
in your power circle (i.e., call person on a regular basis, encourage the
person, spend time with him/her, etc.).
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)



40 | P a g e
When thinking about women and leadership one of the greatest
strengths (that we are just starting to acknowledge) is that when women
lead, they tend to help themselves and others.
However, this does present many women leaders with the challenge of
balancing their energy. There is little question as to why so many
female leaders are tired when we have been taught to surround
ourselves by the people we feel that we need and want to “help” instead
of also including the people we need and want help from. This is
especially true for women of color.
Girls and women must actively take steps to ensure that their power
circle is balanced to make certain that they will have the energy and
resources that they need to lead effectively.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Who is In Your Power Circle?
When thinking about women and leadership one of the greatest strengths (that we are just starting to
acknowledge) is that when women lead, they tend to help themselves and others. However, this does
present many women leaders with the challenge of balancing their energy. There is little question as to
why so many female leaders are tired when we have been taught to surround ourselves by the people we
feel that we need and want to “help” instead of also including the people we need and want help from.
This is especially true for women of color.
1. Who Helps To
Give You Power?
Inside the circle, list all Individuals for
whom you feel can support you and
your goals and/or can contribute to
you in a positive way.
2. Who Zaps Your Power?
3. Who Takes Away
Your Power?
Sometimes there are people around us who may
unknowingly drain our power and energy that we
need to focus on ourselves. List the names of your
power zappers on the dotted line.
There are others in our lives
who take our power because of
the ways that they try to control
us or the things that they do to
us. List the names of your
power takers in the empty
space outside of the circle.
Your “Power” represents your inner and physical strength as a woman. Your “Power Circle” represents
those individuals in your life that have a positive influence on you and how you feel about yourself. The
goal is to clearly identify those individuals give you power, zap your power or take away your power to
help you better understand how the people around you affect your power.
41 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Who is In Your Power Circle?
(Example)
When looking at this Power Circle what trends to you see?
Who is in, who is on the line and who is out?
Tanisha
(High School Buddy)
Christina
(Hair Dresser)
Debra
(Middle School
Buddy)
Michelle
(friend)
Mikey
(Friend)
(Friend)
Ebony
(Best Friend)
Dad
Angelica
(Friend from
Church)
Jeannette
(old friend from
neighborhood)
Julianna
(cousin)
Kayla
(Friend)
Candice
(Soccer
Coach)
Marche
(High School
School Buddy)
Mom
Ms. Janice
(Favorite
Teacher)
Juan
(Brother)
Mika/Michael
Girlfriend/
Boyfriend
42 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Who is In Your Power Circle?
Who Do You Want In Your Power Circle?
43 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Leading in Our Communities
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.



Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Meeting space large enough for panel discussion.
Coffee/Tea and light snacks
Guest speakers
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity


Pre-Assessment
How do you see yourself becoming a leader in your community?
How do you see the young woman sitting next to you becoming a
leader in your community?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that you are actively involved in your
community.
 On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that you have the capacity to become a leader
in your community.
 Identify one way in which you are positively involved in your community.
If you do not feel like you are currently involved, identify one way in
which you would like to be involved in the future.
Detailed overview of the activity (90 minutes)

Post Assessment
Identify 3-5 leading community women and invite them to engage in
café conversations with the participants regarding their journey to
becoming engaged in the community.
 Use the planning sheet provided on the next page to identify panelists,
organize the panel discussion and community engagement goal setting
activity.
 Consider opening the event to 1-2 other girls/women’s groups and/or
the community, at large.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (5 minutes)


Key Take Aways
Identify one community issue that you are passionate about.
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that you could implement a plan to become
more engaged on an issue that you are passionate about should the
opportunity become available.
 Identify two resources that can help you facilitate or implement a plan
for your community issue.
Highlight the key take away points (5 minutes)


44 | P a g e
Women have always played a critical role in leading their communities.
There are many ways in which each young woman can leverage their
strengths to benefit their communities.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Community Café Connections Planning Instructions
The Community café is designed for community leaders and young women to hear from,
connect to and engage with one another in solidarity. The objectives are for the young women
and community leaders to:




Openly discussed the journey of embracing one’s strengths
Define what it means to become an authentic leader
Identify the first steps one can take to become a leading woman in one’s community
Clarify a model of leadership that allows one to give back as one leads
To accomplish these objectives the café should be structured like Café Conversation in which
leading women in the community young are engaging with the next generation of leaders in an
authentic discourse on leadership.
Café Set-Up
Both the community leaders and youth participants will be encouraged to engaging as experts
on their own personal strengths. Therefore, it will be best to set-up the seating in a circle to
equalize any power dynamics and truly foster a sense of openness and engagement between
panelists and participants.
 1 Prep Participants Youth leader should be ready to listen,
receive, engage and put forward their thoughts and
understanding of their strengths, concepts of leadership, etc. At
this point in the curriculum this is something that participants
should be comfortable doing.
Youth
Leader
10
Youth
Leader
9
Youth
Leader
8
Comm
Leader
1
Youth
Leader
1
Community and youth
leaders should be
encouraged to sit
amongst each other in
a circle.
Youth
Leader
7
45 | P a g e
Youth
Leader
5
diversity of the community that is
being served, across ethnic, skin
color, LGBTQ identity, ability status,
etc.
o Demonstrate an understanding of
their own multicultural identity and
be willing to talk about the ways in
which they are both privilege and
oppressed.
o Embrace their authentic strengths
and talents and be able to speak to
how they came to truly utilize their
talents to achieve their goals and
fulfill their life purpose.
o If at all possible, it is recommended
that participants be involved in the
selection of panel speakers, to the
best extent possible.
o
Youth
Leader
3
Youth
Leader
4
Youth
Leader
6
 Community leaders should reflect the
 Community leaders should be able to:
Youth
Leader
2
 3 Room Set-Up
2 Select 5 Community Leaders
Comm
Leader
2
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Café Agenda
The agenda is designed to allow for increasing engagement of the community and youth leaders through
the sharing of personal journey’s to realizing and utilizing one’s strengths/talents in the community so that
participants can understand the various ways that one can become involved in the community and the
importance of following one’s unique path in becoming an authentic leader.




Welcome everyone to the space and to the circle.
15 mins
o Establish the circle as a safe space for girls and women to come together across the
ages.
o Ask everyone to introduce themselves and share one fact about themselves that makes
them uniquely different than anyone else in the room.
Stories of Engagement
30 mins
o Ask 2-3 community leaders to share their stories about how they initially became involved
in the community? Where and how did it all start
o Invite youth leaders to add comments and share their initial thoughts and/or reflections. If
needed prompt the discussion by asking for how many of you can relate to these stories?
Why or why not?
Developing a Sustainable Model of Engagement
30 mins
o Ask youth leaders to share any barriers or challenges that they have had when trying to
become a leading woman in their community.
o Ask the panelist to share how leveraging their strengths helped them to become and
sustain their role as leading women in their communities and/or talents that they
developed along the way.
Getting Started Blue Sky Activity
30 mins
The blue sky project is a program or intervention that an individual or individuals can
develop as if there were no limitations or barriers place upon them and they had all of the
power and money in the world to do what they thought would be best.
o
o
o
o

Have the youth leaders identify an issue that they are interested in (e.g., bullying, teen
dating violence, education, colorism, etc.)
Instruct the youth and the community leaders to develop an intervention or program to
address the issue in a way that effectively leverages all of their strengths.
Identify one community and 1 youth leader to be responsible for keeping the group
focused on their strengths.
Pass out the Blue Sky Project Notes page to each workshop member.
Workshop Reflection
15 mins
o Have everyone go around the room and state one word that they feel reflects their
experience in the workshop.
o Thank everyone for their time and make certain to announce the LEAD Expo were issues
like the one’s discussed in the workshop will be further discussed.
46 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Blue Sky Project Notes Pages
The blue sky project is a program or intervention that an individual or individuals can develop as
if there were no limitations or barriers place upon them and they had all of the power and money
in the world to do what they thought would be best.
____________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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47 | P a g e
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Becoming Engaged
Preparation & Set-Up
Materials, supplies, room layout, etc.


Facilitator Guiding
Questions
Service activity
Additional resources are likely to be required depending on the service
activity designed by the group
What questions do I want to “anchor” this activity

Pre-Assessment
How can we collectively leverage our strengths and talents for our
community?
Evaluation of current knowledge, experiences, etc. (5 minutes)

Activity
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you are aware of service opportunities in your
community.
 On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel comfortable participating in service throughout
your community.
 Identify one social justice issue for which you are passionate (i.e.,
working with the elderly, tutoring, community clean-up, etc.)
 Name one community service activity you would like to participate in. If
you are already active in a community service activity, identify the
activity. How do you feel about participating in the activity?
Detailed overview of the activity (90 minutes)

Post Assessment
Prior to the meeting collect a list of local assets in the community and
contact a handful opportunity to see if they have any 2-4 hour service
opportunities. Depending on your program timeline and access to
multiple communication lines, the youth are encouraged to contact the
organizations directly.
 Collectively select a service opportunity that the youth want to
participate in. Encourage participants to consider:
o How their strengths align with the organizations or communities
strengths and needs…
o In what ways can they leverage their strengths and talents to
provide the organization/ community with the best outcome
possible …
 Schedule and engage in a service activity. Feel free to invite the
panelists to participate so that a collaborative environment of
engagement can be created.
Evaluation of knowledge, experiences after workshop (10 minutes)


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On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that you personally benefitted from engaging
this service activity.
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that others in the group benefited from
engaging this service activity.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM

Key Take Aways
On a scale of 1-5 (in which 1= Not at all and 5= Very much so) rate the
extent to which you feel that the community benefited from engaging
this service activity.
 How did this experience make you feel? Did it change your views
towards the population or issue that you served?
Highlight the key take away points (10 minutes)


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Realizing one’s full potential as a leader in society requires not only a
fully integrated sense of one’s multicultural self and an understanding of
the assets in one’s community but also the understanding of how to
effectively engage one’s natural and/or learned strengths while
simultaneously leveraging the talents of others towards a collective end.
Learning to lead is about showing up - for as we show-up, it is in that
space that we act on issues of importance to us, our families and our
communities and create opportunities to deepen our engagement.
LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
LCL YLI Core Program Evaluation
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LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
I.
Evaluation Guidelines and Instructions
When conducting an evaluation it is best to follow the guidelines below:
 Complete the evaluation at the end of each session.
 Ask that participants remain silent so that individual responses remain
unbiased.
 Separate participants during the evaluation so that responses remain
confidential.
 Provide an anonymous way (e.g., dropbox) for participants to submit their
evaluation.
 Please note that it is also recommended that all evaluations be completed online, when possible.
 If the evaluation must be completed on paper, make certain that sufficient
writing tools are provided.
II.
Pre-Post Program Evaluation Template
 The LCL pre/post evaluations are to be completed online at
www.surveymonkey.com.
 The link to the surveys are as follows:
o Pre Assessment:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LCLLEADCoreProgramPreEval
o Post Assessment:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LCLLEADCoreProgramPostEval
*The Pre-Post Evaluation is to be conducted prior to the beginning of the first
workshop and at the end of the last program meeting.
 Ask staff member for the appropriate password to access the final report.
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LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
III.
General Workshop Evaluation Template
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LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
IV.
Formative Evaluation
The formative evaluation is to be completed by the program director and coordinators at the end of
each program. It provides an assessment of whether the program activities were completed in
accordance with the program curriculum.
Instructions: Please indicate the week that each activity was scheduled to occur by placing the number
of the week next to the “W” in column 1. Next indicate whether each activity was completed or not
completed by checking the appropriate box. Then rate the extent to which the program activity met
program goals on a Likert scale of 1 to 5 (1= Not At All, 2= Somewhat, 3=As Expected, 4= More than
Expected and 5= Exceeded).
Week
Activity
W
▪ Defining My
Multicultural Self
▪ Shifting from
Oppression to
Privilege
▪ Leveraging Our
Strengths
▪ Connecting Our
Sense of Self to
Mental and Physical
Health
▪ Tour of Home
Community
▪ Cultural Excursion
Tours
▪ Photovoice
Journaling
▪ Strength Finders
Assessment
▪ Understanding
Ourselves As
Leaders &
Followers
▪ Navigating Our
Power Circle
▪ Leading In Our
Communities
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
□
□
▪ Becoming Engaged
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
W
Status
Evaluation
Avg.
1
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
□
□
Completed
Not Completed
1
2
3
4
5
Notes/
Comments
*Please use the column to the right to make any additional comments or recommendations.
Scoring: Once all of the evaluations have been completed then average the score for each activity and
place the score in the 5th column labeled Avg. This information will be included in the final program
evaluation report and will assist with the program planning efforts for the following year.
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LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Acknowledgement Page
The LCL LEAD Core program curriculum was developed by Las Caras Lindas. As with everything at LCL,
the development of the LEAD Core program curriculum was a collective effort. LCL thanks all of those
who contributed to this effort, including the following:





Martha Anderson, LCL Intern and Developer of the Youth Media Workshop
Monika Black, LCL Curriculum Development Project Leader and Writer
Katie McAuliff, Curriculum Development Consultant
Donna Medina, LCL Core Program Director
Marcella Zabala, LCL Intern and Arts Coordinator
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LCL|
Youth LEAD Program
LEAD CORE PROGRAM CURRICULUM
Las Caras Lindas
Defining Ourselves As Women
“Redefining our
world from our
perspective one girl
at a time”
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LCL|
Youth LEAD Program