Join us for a dynamic leadership training series, beginning in March 2026, designed for individuals who want to strengthen their leadership capacity and deepen their impact within their organizations and communities.
This series features modular, one-hour trainings led by Joy Das of the Illinois Leadership Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Each session will offer practical insights, reflection, and skill-building opportunities to support leadership growth across sectors.
The series is open to:
• Community organizations and nonprofit professionals
• Those who are seeking CEUs (LCSW, LSW, LCPC, LPC)
• Emerging and experienced leaders
• Anyone interested in developing their leadership skills
Whether you are leading a team, supporting community initiatives, or investing in your personal leadership journey, this series offers accessible, high-quality learning grounded in real-world application. These sessions will be held in person and there is a $10 fee per session for those seeking CEUs. All other attendance is free.
This Leadership Training Series is made possible through the collaboration of our community partners:
Illinois Leadership Center, UIUC School of Social Work, Community Foundation of East Central Illinois, United Way of Champaign County, Champaign County Developmental Disabilities Board, and the Champaign County Mental Health Board.
Practicing Servant Leadership
March 25, 2026
9:30-10:30am CST
1.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
In Person at United Way, 5 Dunlap Ct., Savoy, IL
Anyone can be a leader—but what about a servant leader? The main goal of a Servant Leader is to serve others. This means prioritizing others’ ideas and goals over your own and valuing relationships first in your leadership. In this workshop, participants will recognize what servant leadership looks like, identify the core competencies of Servant Leadership and learn how to encourage others to practice servant leadership.
Learning Objectives:
- Define servant leadership
- Recognize the differences between “traditional” and “servant” leadership
- Identify at least three characteristics of a servant leader
Leading with Empathy and Compassion
July 15, 2026
9:30-10:30am CST
1.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
In Person at Champaign Public Library, Robeson Room
Leaders usually desire to be empathetic but are often asked to make hard decisions that can hurt or disappoint others. In this workshop, participants will learn how to balance empathy and effectiveness through compassionate leadership. Defining features of this workshop include practicing active listening and tools to prevent empathy burnout. Participants will have the opportunity to make the key connections between empathy, compassion, and leadership.
Learning Objectives:
- Define sympathy, empathy, and compassion
- Practice active listening skills
- Identify strategies to prevent compassion fatigue
Making Strategic Decisions
September 16, 2026
9:30-10:30am CST
1.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
In Person at Champaign Public Library, Robeson Room
Discussions and brainstorming can easily get out of hand without structure and guidance. In this workshop, you will learn the different aspects of healthy individual and group brainstorming processes. Everyone will practice different types of thinking to facilitate effective and efficient decisions for themselves and their organizations.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify six facets of decision-making
- Compare types of thinking using Six Thinking Hats model
- Practice facilitating a decision-making process using De Bono method
Addressing Conflict in Teams
October 14, 2026
9:30-10:30am CST
1.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
In Person at Champaign Public Library, Robeson Room
Recognizing the importance of conflict in personal and professional relationships is a key skill in teamwork. In this workshop, we explore how conflict often arises and how it can be an opportunity for change and greater understanding. We will help students assess their personal conflict management technique and learn strategies to build their conflict management skills.
Learning Objectives:
- List benefits of all five Thomas-Kilmann approaches to conflict
- Distinguish between healthy and unhealthy behaviors related to own approach to conflict
- Demonstrate multiple responses to conflict based on five approaches
Navigating Multicultural Organizations
November 18, 2026
9:30-10:30am CST
1.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
In Person at Champaign Public Library, Robeson Room
Today, many organizations bring people together from various cultures and work experiences to offer a wide range of perspectives on strategy and organizational challenges. Participants will be able to navigate situations where cultural differences are present.
Learning Objectives:
- List the communities and cultures that shape our behaviors in a group
- Explain own behaviors in a team based on the scales of cultural difference
- Discuss diverse approaches to teams with others
Telling My Leadership Story
December 10, 2026
9:30-10:30am CST
1.0 CEs for LCSW/LSW and LCPC/LPC
In Person at Champaign Public Library, Robeson Room
What makes one an authentic leader? By telling personal leadership stories, people reflect on different aspects of leadership such as their values and beliefs, their goals, the actions that they take to achieve those goals, and why their role as a leader is important. In this workshop, participants will learn the purpose of telling their leadership stories and how to tell a story that represents their purpose as a leader. Participants will be able to draft and practice telling their story in a way that highlights who they are as a leader.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the importance of storytelling in leadership
- List different types of leadership stories
- Draft a story of your own leadership origins