Learn
United Way of Central Indiana prides itself in educating the community about important issues. From leadership and board development, to poverty simulations and training seminars for local nonprofits, United Way strives to strengthen our community impact work through educational opportunities.
- Leadership
Programming - Nonprofit
Learning Center - Immersive Learning Experiences
Leadership
Programming
What it is
Leadership United is a comprehensive community leadership and board development program of United Way of Central Indiana offered from January 2021 - June 2021. During the six-month term, participants commit to approximately 5 business days of training, or one day per month. But training isn’t all Leadership United offers. Participants will complete service work and will become part of a nonprofit board as part of their experience.
Areas of Concentration
- Leadership development retreats: Participate in full-day learning experiences centered around interactive activities, group problem solving, team building and evaluation.
- Community issues workshops: Discuss community issues in Central Indiana relevant to United Way’s areas of impact: Education, Income, Health and Basic Needs.
- Board education: Learn from experts in the field of leadership and board development, then serve as a fellow with local nonprofit board.
How You Can Benefit
- Gain perspective about our community, its most urgent areas of need, and the effective ways the nonprofit sector, including United Way, is helping.
- Develop the skills to become an effective nonprofit board member with the capacity to affect future outcomes and make meaningful, lasting change in Central Indiana.
- Learn about the mission and impact of United Way and form a personal relationship with United Way of Central Indiana.
Do you know someone that would be a great fit for the Leadership United program?
Nonprofit
Learning Center
What it is
The Nonprofit Learning Center offers learning opportunities for nonprofit leadership and staff to grow their skills, their knowledge, and their impact. To achieve our vision in which ALL our community residents' needs are met, we offer NLC services to ANY nonprofit organization serving in Central Indiana.
The NLC provides practical, affordable learning opportunities through:
- Workshops led by expert facilitators addressing the most relevant and challenging issues facing nonprofit organizations
- Referrals to reliable and ethical consultants
- Recommended articles, books, websites and other resources to help organizations improve their operations and increase their impact
In 2021, the NLC workshop series will focus on three tracks - Grassroots, Racial Equity, and Operational Continuity.
Upcoming Opportunities
The Nonprofit Learning Center has launched a series of trainings geared towards a variety of topics around nonprofit management and community impact. Register for the events below. Exact dates and facilitators are being confirmed for future meetings:
January 2021
The Evolution of Grassroots Nonprofits - How Resilience and Passion Can Lead to Sustainability
Thursday, January 14, 2021, 10:00 - 11:15am
Register Today
Understanding Racial Equity, Bias and the Role They Play in Shaping Your Organizational Culture.
Tuesday, January 19, 2021, 10:00 - 11:15am
Register Today
Operating in Crisis - Operational Continuity Planning
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, 10:00 - 11:15am
Register Today
Get Involved
Sign up to be notified of upcoming learning opportunities below.
Immersive Learning Experiences
What it is
Immersive Learning Experiences are powerful, experiential opportunities designed to deepen our understanding of complex issues that exist in our local community. By participating in an immersive learning experience, community members walk in the shoes of a neighbor, a fellow citizen struggling for self-sufficiency and a better life. Our programs focus on education about the issue at a local level, facing the issue through a virtual experience and then debriefing as a group to share our perspectives with others.
Immersive Learning Experiences
How You (or your company) Can Benefit
- Gain perspective about our community, its most urgent areas of need, and the effective ways the nonprofit sector, including United Way, is helping.
- Develops deeper understanding and helps initiate discussion of daily struggles for those living in challenging circumstances.
- When we explore our own behavior we are better able to create change through advocacy, giving, volunteering and generating conversations that can transform systems.
Corporate Benefits
- Corporate Social Responsibility activity that is experiential and meaningful
- Unique team-building experience -- Helps to develop empathy among participants
- Diversity and inclusion training
- Community engagement opportunity
In One Moment
Brief, simple experience to simulate budgeting with limited resources; quickly develops a more complete understanding of the issues surrounding poverty.
Time: 30 minutes
Number of participants: Unlimited
Real Life. Real Choices.
Deeper dive into real-life Central Indiana family scenarios and how you can help; budgeting activity with tough choices to be made.
Time: 45-60 minutes
Number of participants: Unlimited
Gaining Perspective Through Immersion
Become part of a low-income family struggling to make ends meet in a simulated community; highly immersive and impactful.
Time: 2.5 - 3 hours
Number of participants: 55-88 participants
Questions about Immersive Learning Programs? To find out more, contact Margie Worrell at margie.worrell@uwci.org or 317-921-1203.
