Our Leadership Program:
In meeting the vision of the Catholic Women’s Leadership Foundation to create a “just, merciful, and compassionate world nurtured by the genius of women”, the Foundation, in partnership with the Providence School of Transformative Leadership at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, is offering a leadership program.
This certificate program is for Catholic women from all walks of life who have a genuine desire to make a difference in their communities, places of work and parishes. The program will be subsidized by the Foundation and women must meet the following criteria to apply.
- A Canadian baptized Catholic woman, at least 21 years old who demonstrates a genuine desire to cultivate her gifts of leadership for the enrichment of her community, workplace, family and church;
- Has made a previous contribution to her community in some capacity;
- Has competency in both oral and written English skills;
- Commitment to completing the entire year-long program which includes online learning sessions and two residence sessions in Ottawa;
- Embraces the core elements of prayer and reflective practice which are integrated throughout the curriculum.
Program Outline
The program will be offered through a face-to-face residency program in Ottawa and online guided by trained facilitators. The program includes the following:
- Online introductory module;
- 2 residence sessions in Ottawa;
- Five online study modules (10 hours per month) consisting of videos, readings, personal reflections and discussion forums.
The content of the program will explore the following themes:
- Transformative Leadership,
- Women and Community,
- Spirituality and Emotional Intelligence for Leadership,
- Leadership and Social Catholic Teaching,
- Conflict and Social Change,
The Leadership Program is developed to accommodate women who may be working full time. It will be based on adult learning principles and will be women-centred. The program will feature numerous networking opportunities and a mentorship plan designed to strengthen each woman’s ability to grow.
The Foundation generously covers most of the cost of the Program including tuition and materials, travel to Ottawa, and accommodations and meals while in Ottawa. Each participant will be expected to contribute $1,000 – a small cost for a life-change opportunity.
After completing the Program, women will have the skills they need, whether they are speaking on behalf of an organization, fundraising for a local community group, making decisions that affect the health and wellbeing of people, serving as a director of a major organization or a government agency.
The Impact on Women and the Community
The impact of the Leadership Program is far-reaching for both the community and the Catholic Church. In the quest for Catholic social justice in society:
- Women will gain valuable leadership skills;
- Trained lay women will be capable of providing succession in the area of Catholic social justice currently championed by the diminishing numbers of women religious;
- Registered charities will gain additional skillsets and knowledge, resulting in more effective promotion of their missions to create a just and compassionate society;
- Local parishes, committees and dioceses will be strengthened by the feminine genius as women take on more leadership roles;
- Governments at all levels will be encouraged by a constituency of women not afraid to advocate on behalf of those without a voice.
Further, graduates will:
- Establish long-term relationships with like-minded women, encouraging one another;
- Gain the tools necessary to speak confidently about and take action on contemporary social issues in corporate and social settings;
- Benefit from an increase in economic and career opportunities as they gain additional skills, indirectly enhancing influence within their personal spheres.
How to Apply:
Applications for the 2018 Program are now closed.
Applications for the 2019 program will be available in the Fall of 2018. Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on Facebook for news of the program.
