Program
Residential Seminar 1
This three-day residential seminar will focus on building planning and development capacity. This will include the key aspects of strategic planning: shared values; identifying strategic issues; and the role of the Board. Participants will work on their existing or ‘emerging’ organizational strategic plans and establish an action plan to build their effectiveness as a team.
Organizational Development Project
In Seminar 1, leadership teams will be invited to identify an organizational development project to work on over the year, based on the results of their FreeForm assessment. Teams will have access to specifically tailored consulting as they design and implement this initiative.
Cohort Coaching and Consultations
Between Residential Seminar 1 and 2, Cohort Coaches will check in occasionally with the leadership teams to encourage them in their organizational development projects and to check their progress on action plans developed in the seminars. In addition, between Seminars 1 and 3, each organization will receive two days with a consultant who will be selected based on the needs of the organization and/or their project. This will be arranged in collaboration with each leadership team.
Residential Seminar 2
This three-day residential seminar will focus on building financial and networking capacity. Participants will learn the fundamentals of financial reporting, budgeting, and managing financial systems. Leadership teams will work with their current donor base and build a resource development action plan based on proven fundraising and marketing strategies and rooted in sound stewardship principles.
Spiritual Retreat
Prior to attending Seminar 3, each team will make their own arrangements to take a team ‘day away’ at a location of their choice. The FreeForm Program Director can assist in recommending retreat venues and will provide a spiritual retreat guide. Leadership team members will be asked to complete a brief reflection on their retreat day, related to their team development action plan and their own spiritual journey through the year’s program.
Tyndale University College and Seminary’s Leadership Centre will provide each FreeForm participant with a certificate, confirming successful completion of the program.
Residential Seminar 3
This three-day residential seminar will focus on building human resource capacity. Leadership teams will address many of the issues that ‘keep them up at night’: performance management; hiring and firing; volunteer management; board development; and change management. Leadership teams will also present their organizational development projects at this seminar.
Evaluation and Certification
Leadership teams, their staff/volunteers, and their Boards will be asked to provide feedback on the impact of FreeForm following the completion of all components of the program. The Cohort Coach will also initiate a six-month follow-up with each leadership team to assess their progress on action plans.
Tyndale University College & Seminary’s Centre for Leadership will provide each FreeForm participant with a certificate, confirming successful completion of the program.
