DART Organizers Institute

About this grant

This grant will allow the Direct Action and Research Training Center (DART) to continue training community organizers and developing improved training methods through its Organizers Institute. Currently, there is a need for more trained organizers. This profession requires a sophisticated and disciplined skill set, including the ability to challenge leaders; identify training needs; analyze social and economic conditions; learn the local history of a community; develop relationships throughout the community; and lead critical evaluation sessions on the organization’s work and development.Multiyear funding will support an improvement plan for the institute that includes a modified recruitment process; a revised set of screening criteria; recruiting leaders to participate in initial telephone interviews; a shorter, more focused interview process; a standardized test with uniform objectives for organizers; and a series of advanced training seminars for candidates already placed in the field.The institute was created in 2002 to implement systematic recruitment and training, internship, mentoring and job placement for community organizers.