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Orientation / Leadership Skills Development
A Community that Appreciates the Arts and Celebrates Life
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The opening session is held over a day and half. On Thursday afternoon
following the introduction of class participants and an orientation of
the program, the LNI Board of Directors will join the class at dinner.
The next day, team building and leadership development will be explored.
A Leadership Skills Set Analysis is used to help participants
understand their own leadership traits and how they might better
function in group settings. Following lunch, the class takes a look at
the issues they feel are pertinent to Northwest Indiana leading into the
first QLC Indicator on how our community appreciates the arts and
celebrates life.
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A Community in Balance with its Environment
Regional Bus Tour
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An all day bus tour of Lake and Porter Counties, intended to familiarize
participants with the diversity of the region from the industrial/urban
areas in the northern portion of Lake and Porter Counties along the
lakeshore to the agriculture/rural areas in the southern part of the
counties. Time constraints do not permit a complete tour, but feature
the highlights of Northwest Indiana with an emphasis on the environment. |
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A Thriving Community & A Community of Opportunity
Economic Development and Disparity
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This session will provide valuable information pertaining to the current
economic development in NW Indiana and what is on the horizon for the
region. Participants will attend the annual Economic Outlook Breakfast
followed by a discussion of important economic issues including labor
statistics and significant disparity evident in Northwest Indiana with
the QLC recommendations for coordinating economic development in the
region.
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A Learning Community
Educational Attainment, Outcomes, Risk Factors
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Education is perhaps more central to the idea of a high quality of life
than any other variable and is closely associated with opportunities.
The focus of this session is on primary and secondary education, more
specifically in public education, and its role in the well being of
Northwest Indiana. School administrators, educators and students will
discuss current issues in community schools, business/education
partnerships and alternative school settings. A visit to an alternative
school is normally included.
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A Community of Engaged and Caring Citizens
Government, Public Finance, Philanthropy, Citizenship
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The first half of the day focuses on citizenship and the concept of
civic responsibility. A mock town council meeting is held in which
participants get to play a role in municipal government. As a
follow-up, the class will visit the Indiana State Legislature, meeting
legislators from Northwest Indiana and sitting in on Committee Hearings
and/or watching a Legislative Session. This all day bus trip is usually
scheduled in February.
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A Diverse Community
Population, Race, Ethnicity, Households
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This session will examine the many components that are so central to the
fabric of Northwest Indiana including population demographics, race and
ethnicity, and the makeup of households in NWI. An activity with the
Race Relations Council of Northwest Indiana is being planned for the
session as well.
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An Accessible Community of Open & Viable Neighborhoods
Planning, Land Use, Transportation
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Transportation is both the lifeblood of the region and the bane of
commuters for two important reasons, traffic congestion and access to
mass transit. The goal of this session is to familiarize participants
with the critical urban development and transportation issues facing
Northwest Indiana.
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A Healthy and Safe Community
Healthcare, Social Services, Law Enforcement
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This session is divided into two parts to provide an overview of
healthcare and social services plus law enforcement, two distinct yet
related subjects. Healthcare is a particularly difficult issue to
analyze on a regional basis due to the fragmentation that is currently
in place in addition to the policies invoked by the federal government.
The second part of the day will focus on measures adopted to counter
crime or “the perception of crime.”
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A Community that Communicates
Media Outlets and Northwest Indiana Image
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The focus of this session is to address the uniqueness of media in NW
Indiana and how we can utilize the media to create a more positive image
of the region. Hands-on exercises in television filming and newspaper
editing have been included in the past. We will also explore the
tourism business in Northwest Indiana.
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Graduation Luncheon
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This is an opportunity for class participants to feel good about their
accomplishments over the last ten months. In the morning program
participants will attend the Quality of Life Council Quarterly Meeting
and be introduced. Following the meeting, an evaluation of the program
will be facilitated. Recognition will be given to the class members in
addition to honored guests at the luncheon.
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