The LOYAL (Linking OKC's Young Adult Leaders) Program, which targets young adults just beginning their civic lives, is a series of short programs teaching leadership skills for volunteers. LOYAL class members also participate in a community project which encourages them to practice the skills they are learning in class.
Class Members
Applicants for the LOYAL Program must be at least 23 years old and not more than 35 years old on the date of the Opening Retreat for the class. They should reside in the central Oklahoma region. Up to 60 class members are selected, representing a broad mix of occupations and backgrounds.
Class Sessions
LOYAL focuses on skills that are useful in community service activities such as serving on the Board of Directors of a nonprofit organization. Opening and Closing Retreat sessions, which are full day meetings, center around personal leadership skills, and the remaining class sessions, which usually run from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., address community leadership skills.
Current LOYAL class topics include:
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Networking
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Risk Taking
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Business Etiquette
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Fund Raising
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Presentation Skills
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Special Events
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Intergenerational Skills
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Boardsmanship
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Finding Your Niche
Class Projects
In addition, LOYAL class members break into two or more groups and complete short community projects submitted by local nonprofit organizations. The projects, known as LAPs (LOYAL Action Projects), provide class members with hands-on experience in diverse teams of volunteers.