Virtual Leadership Program
Background
The world today has interconnected and interdependent complex problems which include climate change, population growth, growing gap between rich and poor, gender imbalance, political issues, corruption, high unemployment and social and cultural inequity, among many others. To be able to respond to these challenges future leaders need a new and innovative interdisciplinary approach.
The Virtual Leadership Program is a tool that the Young Leaders Forum intends to use so as to prepare future leaders to meet the problems of the 21st century and to comprehend leadership and its relationship to various topics, specifically, gender mainstreaming, the global village, corporate social responsibility, etc. Its focus on these issues and others will holistically expose young people to what it means to be initiative leaders in society, who are knowledgeable in contemporary issues.
What is the Virtual Leadership Program?
This is a 5 week online program that will consist of five segments that will be released on the website at a rate of one segment per week. Basic information material will be provided online but participants may research on the internet. For the sake of flexibility, there will not be any regularly scheduled meetings. Therefore participants can log onto the website at any time. The first week of the program will begin with an introductory segment which presents a basic appreciation of leadership. The rest of the weeks will have segments on Organizational Leadership, Youth Leadership, Gender Mainstreaming and Leadership in the Global Village.
This program will initially support a maximum of 10 participants but we will be targeting to eventually grow the number to 30. At least 3 accomplished people in society will be needed to review the reports fairly, quickly and timely. Participants will be selected on the basis of internet availability, age restriction (between 18-30 years), keen interest in leadership issues and upon writing a brief essay that explains why the participant is interested in taking part in the program and how he/she will use the information to benefit society.