Urban Youth Leader Training

The DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative program for urban youth workers is an intense 15-month leadership development program is described as part grad school, part boot camp, and part retreat. All costs are covered for the sixty urban youth workers from five U.S. cities are that are accepted each year. Candidates must be nominated by a person of influence in their local community to apply for this program.

The Initiative aims to increase the capacity of urban ministers believing that the best way to help our cities is by investing in leaders in the urban community who have already demonstrated leadership skills. Working in small groups participants receive dynamic, hands-on instruction from experienced national leaders. There are individual and group assignments and instruction is varied—from traditional lectures to group dialogue to interactive exercises and simulations.

Among the many strengths of the program is that it keeps ministers in place where they can apply what they learn in a real world setting.

Baptist Temple has been blessed to have our youth minister selected for the program.