SOPADA for Empowerment Resource Centers
SUBJECT: Establishment
of Prototype Empowerment Resource Centers
OBJECTIVE: To foster the realization of human
potential and provide expanded access to the wealth of
available resources for personal, organizational, community,
economic and spiritual empowerment by co-locating
complementary organizations (both for-profit and
not-for-profit) in centrally located, multi-purpose centers
for life long learning that help bridge the digital divide
and the gap between the haves and the have nots.
PROPOSAL: Prototype Empowerment Resource Centers are being established in selected cities. The initial partners in this process include CENTER SPACE (the Center for Spiritual, Personal And Community Enlightenment), and Ultimate Destiny University for Conscious Sustainable Living.
The Empowerment Resource Centers will
include meeting and training room facilities, resource
libraries and will provide coaching and consulting services
in visioning, strategic planning, organizational development
and capacity building, community mobilization, etc. The
Centers will also provide an ongoing schedule of seminars
and workshops on various empowerment programs including
Success University, Introduction To Personal Success
Techniques, Successful Living Coaching workshops and
certification, Micro-enterprise Development, Need To Excel
Workshops, and individual seminars and workshops on
successful life and work skills such as how to set and
achieve goals, time management, creative thinking and
problem solving, communication skills, how to motivate
yourself and others, team building, masterminding, how to
start and manage a business, debt free and prosperous living
workshops, introduction to computers and e-commerce, etc.
ADVANTAGES: Co-location of many diverse
organizations that share a vision of empowerment,
cooperation and collaboration will produce many significant
synergistic benefits. For example, efficiencies and
economies of scale will be realized by sharing receptionist
space and personnel, shared conference and training rooms,
shared office equipment and training equipment, etc. In
addition, each organization and program based in the Center
or whose programs are offered through the Center will
benefit from more like-minded people learning about them by
attending other programs at the Center.
Each major partner brings substantial expertise in keys areas. For example, CENTER SPACE has been producing highly successful large-scale development training programs since 1990 featuring world-class trainers including Les Brown, Norman Vincent Peale, Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, Bonnie St. John and Mark Victor Hansen.
The key staff of CENTER SPACE have been developing award-winning Community Resource Centers for almost 40 years including serving as the catalyst for the establishment of Community Development Corporations, and the development of award-winning Micro-enterprise Development training programs.
CENTER SPACE has developed models for generating massive positive publicity and broad based community partnerships including helping the Muncie, Indiana Public Housing Authority create an award-winning Success Center Partnership. CENTER SPACE has also developed effective models for generating co-creative participation in the programs offered through an Empowerment Resource Center. This includes large-scale development training programs with world-class “Success Coaches” and periodic all day Resource Showcases that enable participants to experience one hour introductions to the various programs available from the Empowerment Resource Center.
The economic feasibility of the project will be realized through a combination of financial resources. This will include rental income from organizations based in the Center, program income from various seminars and workshops, membership fees, donations and grants.
DISADVANTAGES: While this proposal format known as S.O.P.A.D.A. requires consideration of any possible disadvantages, the author can’t think of any.
ACTION STEPS:
Share this proposal with all present and prospective
partners and strategic alliance partners for input and
refinement and set a brainstorming session.
Generate letters of intent from organizations that will be housed in the Center
Identify additional prospecting partners, co-locating possibilities and obtain additional project feasibility documentation.
Develop a marketing brochure to share the proposal with additional possible partners and supporters and participants of various programs.
Determine the amount of space required for the project and a budget.
Obtain the target cities’ Consolidated Five Year Plan and One Year Action Plan to identify possible strategies for obtaining their support.
Develop a public relations campaign strategy including a major high visibility, introductory fundraiser workshop featuring well-known trainers.
Publish newsletters on progress of transforming the vision into reality.
Host periodic introductory sessions for non-profit organizations & funders.
Develop grant applications for generating financial support.
Identify suitable locations and acquire facility.
Furnish and equip the Empowerment Resource Center.
Establish and deliver an on-going schedule of educational and transformational seminars, workshops and retreat programs.
Produce periodic Empowerment Resource Showcases
Produce periodic CAN DO! development training programs
Develop and implement an evaluation component.
Replicate the concept in other cities.
MORE INFORMATION: For more information, contact Charles Betterton at 760-212-9931 or by email at charlesbetterton@gmail.com