Bold Leaders Project
By Critical Mass Leadership Education, Inc.
The goal of the Cyprus Bold Leaders Program is to provide thirty Cypriot youth with a 21 day experience that breaks down pre-conceived stereotypes; provides an opening for greater relatedness, understanding, and compassion; and fosters a commitment to becoming future leaders of peace in their homeland.
The 21-day program is a dynamic collaboration of Colorado resources—human, environmental, and time tested learning modules—woven into a process that honors the diversity and eclectic style of each “coach” and student, while maintaining focus on the specific goals and objectives of the program.
The program is divided into five key “platforms.” These have been created through Critical Mass Leadership Education's (CMLE's) vast experience working with hundreds of groups, from teenagers to CEO's of major organizations. They are based on the philosophy and methodology of CMLE.
Our program utilizes Colorado 's ever-changing physical environment to provide for dramatic transitions for each segment of the program. Our intention is to offer countless opportunities for reflection, adventure and new experiences. Coupled with the powerful natural collaboration of like-minded people who are eager to present their skill sets and intellectual experiences, the program will be an exciting and life-changing experience for all concerned.
The platforms described below reflect the different components and intention of the program itinerary and design and are based on an experiential education pedagogy. While each component occurs within an over-arching intention and purpose for those specific days, the program objectives are woven throughout. This gives the young people a wide-ranging exposure to different learning methods that gradually enhances and deepens the transfer of learning. Youth participants will not just be taking in content-centered information everyday in a linear fashion, but rather the training objectives are woven into contextual discussions and activities that allow for practice, real-world integration, problem-solving, natural consequences and value construction. New ideas and skills will constantly be referenced and practiced so that the learning starts to become a reflection of the individual and group identities of the participants.
In alignment with the program goal and objectives to cultivate long-term inter-communal understanding, the core components of the program are comprised of activities that provide knowledge-, skill- and awareness-building in the areas of intercultural communication, conflict resolution training, cross-cultural communication and diversity. In addition, we include outdoor challenge activities that are specifically geared to promote inter-communal teamwork by encouraging youth to expand past their comfort zones and build relationships between the two represented communities of Cypriots. Finally, we provide direct opportunities to explore and experience U.S. culture—in particular, its diversity—with the intention that the youth notice many of the ways in which this has positively impacted the United States.
Availability Platform™
The program begins long before the Cypriot teens and their adult escorts arrive at Denver International Airport . The entire team, including support staff and wilderness professionals are briefed on current Cyprus conditions and historical past. The staff is updated as needed and the pre-program questionnaires reviewed. Responses are studied and it is our strong conviction is that the information is to be honored. Upon arrival at Colorado School of Mines Campus, we will orient and immediately settle into building the space of availability. This will provide a foundational platform to “jump forward” and be open learners to the opportunities to follow, creating, as a team, a condition for powerful inquiry into the underlying source of human conflict and resolution. These four days will be a combination of facilitated activity, content and context, play, reflection, building strong relationships, learning what it takes to build the conditions of trust, and understanding through powerful listening and honoring of diverse perspectives and sensitivities.
Self-Expression Platform™
The young people are now open to exploring and trying out new perspectives as well as trusting the support of their Cypriot peers and the leadership team. This platform allows for the practice of self expression as we move into guided team building activities, outdoor challenges, and content skill presentations that focus specifically on the training objectives.
Inspiration Platform™
Moving across Colorado, the Cypriot teens will travel through the majestic Rockies and into the Western Slope where they will engage in Wilderness adventure, packing in and packing out, sensitive to the environment, canoe, camp, hike, explore ancient art, reflect, journal, play games, dialogue as a community and wonder at the ever changing terrain. There will be many opportunities to share the value of what they have been practicing and consider new and novel approaches to overcoming obstacles. They will relax in natural hot springs used as sacred sites by American natives. They will, as a team, challenge white water rapids, (beginner class) and climb a 14,000+foot peak, (4300meters+) and experience real opportunities to practice what they have learned. There is little room for “masks” during this platform, and they will be left naturally inspired by their accomplishments, and revel in them. They will go one step beyond where they would normally stop. Facing the often times intimidating challenges with resolve.
Integration Platform™
This platform is designed to stand on the powerful platforms of Availability, Self Expression and Inspiration. Challenging the students to choose to participate in a future as leaders, several content-rich, interactive seminars are provided and the opportunity to do Presentations of Learning, to US teens, skillfully demonstrates the integration and fortifies the skill sets, (content), and contextual new ways of being, into a state of assimilation to daily life. They will literally “own” their experience and skills, not attribute them to some outside force. A powerful seminar on honoring diversity and “never to be forgotten” closing ceremonies leaves the students in an experience of being known, understood and appreciated.
Support Platform™ (Post Program)
This platform is simply the ongoing availability of experts and programs to support the students as they return to the various circumstances and requirements of their lives. This Platform creates a demand for follow up and evaluation demonstrating collaboration, assessment and adjustment based on the ever-changing times. A powerful web tool will be in place to facilitate conversation and learning. It is envisioned that this be place for past Bicommunal program participants to exchange perspectives and locate like-minded peers.
Our intention is to be considered partners in the on-going press to unify the Island of Cyprus. We are passionate about providing sustainability of purpose. Therefore, the entire team will engage in several pre program-training sessions around understanding the cultures and nature of the dispute in Cyprus as well as the current political situation. In addition, there will be the creation of static web site that will be used to provide information, readings, resources, and links information, provided by the Cyprus Bold Leaders Project Advisors.
During the program, we will use our Daily Practices as a coaching tool for the team to assess impact and adjust as necessary. The young people will then be powerfully trained to use them in the future. In the post-program stages, the static web site will transition into an interactive site that will allow email exchange, chat rooms and associated links.
Our intention is to become partners with AMIDEAST and the Bicommunal Support Program to positively impact the inevitable reconciliation on the island as well as insure the Cyprus Bold Leaders Students and Escorts translate this training to activities at home.
Daily Practices
No matter where we are—be it a college classroom, the sandy banks of a river, the top of a mountain, a natural hot springs pool or at a meeting with a local leader—our goal is to create a whole body, mind experience that allows for contemplation, discovery, expression and practice with the goal of maximizing the integration of content.
The following practices will be established on a daily basis:
Check-In: Each day we will begin with a guided check in to take the temperature of the members and to have youth remain aware and sensitive to the concerns, emotions, feelings and attitude of their fellow team members. They will learn to value the strengths as well as understand weaknesses in a diverse group and to practice committed listening and awareness.
Stretching
Play: A game full of laughter and movement.
Brief & Debrief: We will do this frequently in regard to the purpose, theme, metaphors and activities of the day that allow leaders of the day and staff to assess and adjust as well as the team to recalibrate their participation.
Purposeful Reflection: Both guided and self-directed Key component to impacting the intention and retention of real learning.
Journaling: These will be kept private, in each youth's own words and at a level of comfort they design.
Share: Each day we will ask the youth what the “most satisfying moment,” new perspective, or new ground taken that day was. Community dialogue, no matter the location, insures gaps are being bridged. Youth will be coached in using inter-communal dialogue and being sensitive in their communication about individual and collective points of view. This allows them to move from a space of not knowing, to understanding and, in the process, to find common ground.
Workbook: A program workbook will provide a guide for the two-weeks of learning and insure the skill sets introduced are being practiced as well as reinforced.
Personal Relaxation & Free Time: We feel this is important to allow youth to engage with each other the way only teenagers know and understand. Or conversely, the need may be for them to take some time to disengage, take a time out or simply breathe.
Appreciation and Acknowledgement of the Day: Both the students and staff participate in this activity. The intention is that the staff model behavior that empowers the students to find the value in advocating for their own expressions as well as providing a sense of worth and accomplishment for the team. Confidence and leadership emerge from this activity.
End of Day Check-In & Evaluation: Allows staff to identify what worked, what didn't and insure that intercultural conversations are moving in the intended direction.
Leaders of the Day (LOD): Each day, one member representing each community will be appointed as the “LOD.” This is another supportive method to engage practice of skills and to stretch out beyond where youth often stop to where they “find their voice.” Responsibilities include:
- Being briefed on the coming day
- Lead the morning stretches and co-facilitate games with staff
- Be empowered and accountable for the participation of the team
- Facilitate community decision-making
- Identify a reading, quote or poem for the end of day sharing consistent with the day's theme
- Aid the staff in evaluation of day's activities and brief the incoming team