Building Leaders, Building Communities: Community Leadership In Action

Program Support 

Dwelling Place's Building Leaders, Building Communities (BLBC) is back for another year! BLBC is a 15-week, community-centered leadership program rooted in lived experience co-led by local community members with a 10-week workshop series running from March through May. Designed for residents, advocates, and changemakers at every stage of their journey, BLBC strengthens leadership skills, builds confidence, and equips participants to be agents of progress in their communities. 

Through hands-on learning and shared experiences, participants and facilitators grow together as leaders and changemakers. High-impact workshops strengthen leadership capacity, deepen civic engagement skills, and equip participants to build and mobilize teams for collective community action—delivering measurable growth in collaboration, community engagement, and sustained civic participation rooted in shared power.

After completing the BLBC leadership experience, participants put their knowledge into action by identifying community needs and creating solutions through Community Change Plans (CCP). With guidance from Dwelling Place staff and the BLBC Steering Committee, facilitators, participants implement projects that raise awareness and address gaps in their neighborhoods. 

"I really feel like professionals in the city and this community that say they do this work [community engagement] need to do BLBC ... Because it's just a way to strengthen your tools." 

• BLBC participant 

BLBC In Action 

After completing the BLBC leadership experience, participants put their knowledge into action by identifying community needs and creating solutions through Community Change Plans (CCPs). With guidance from Dwelling Place staff, the BLBC Steering Committee, and facilitators, participants implement projects that raise awareness and address gaps in their neighborhoods. 

This year, five BLBC In Action community events will take place across Kent County from late spring through early fall.

Your Impact 

• $100 covers one BLBC Facilitator gift card or five $20 BLBC Participant gift cards.
• $200 provides refreshments for one BLBC In Action event.
• $500 provides two weeks workshop dinners from a local minority-owned business supports or CCP implementation through supplies, venue costs, permits, and community outreach
• $1,500 helps cover one BLBC In Action event
• $2,500 covers free child supervision for the full BLBC program.

"... just hearing their lived experiences and knowing that I'm not the only one that's going through what I'm going through. I think what I've lived through has prevented me from getting out into the community and opening up to people and working with people. It even affects my workspace. So, I'm more open now and I'm able to speak to people now. There was a time in my life where I was completely shut down. And so BLBC has helped me a lot.” 

• BLBC participant 

Help support our fellow residents and neighbors through contributing to the Building Leaders, Building Communities experience. No matter the amount of your support, every dollar helps provide opportunities for the growth and empowerment of your fellow community members working to create positive and sustainable change in and around Kent County. For any questions, please contact aconley@dpgr.org. Register here to be a part of the 2026 BLBC workshop experiences. 

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