NLI's Impact
NLI participants do many things to build a better community. They create interesting community-building projects, become more active in community organizations, and take on new leadership roles at work and in the community. They also become important role models for others.
A few of the NLI grads' community-building projects:
Program Evaluation
NLI has conducted two independent evaluations -- the first in 2008 and the second in 2010. Both evaluations found that:
- Over 70% of participants didn't see themselves as "leader" before taking part in the NLI program, but did see themselves as a "leader" afterward.
- 90% said participating changed how they saw "leaders" and "leadership. " Most said before NLI, they saw leaders as "authority figures," "highly educated," or "arrogant." After NLI, they saw leaders as being people like themselves.
- Most said that NLI gave them a leadership support network, introduced them to other community leaders they wouldn't have met on their own, helped them learn new skills, and gave them more confidence in their ability to put their ideas into action.
- The most important changes for NLI participants were increased self-esteem and self-confidence, learning about themselves as leaders, stronger social networks, better knowledge of community resources and the large number of people dedicated to community development,and becoming more aware of the needs of others.
2010 Evaluation summary (41kb Word document)
