Recently, I spent my first week at at the Texas Community Development Institute in The Woodlands, near Houston. The total program consists of three one-week long training seminars that are endorsed by the Community Development Council, a professional certification organization. Texas CDI offers sessions Year One, Two, Three and Advanced CDI.
Since the program's inception more than 1000 community leaders from throughout the country, many from Texas, have participated in the program. CDI was created to train community officials and volunteers in the techniques of modern leadership and management of community development efforts. CDI approaches community development as both a process and a program. It seeks to:
Its goals mirror those of KEDC. We seek to develop the economy by addressing issues that may impede progress, encouraging the economic development programs of our partners and seeking the interaction between the public and private sectors. Our programs in those areas lead to process, which makes development sustainable.
For KEDC to accomplish its goals, its staff has to be well informed of the latest thinking in both leadership and management, especially as they pertain to building a community. Because, in addition to sites and buildings, the community is what we have to market to prospective expansions and relocations. Also, this training leads to a well-rounded staff better able to fully develop an economy, effective programs and marketable assets. And when that happens, we all win.
