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Human Capital Development


Human Capital Development“Human capital” represents the knowledge, skills and abilities that make it possible for people to do their jobs. Human capital development is about recruiting, supporting and investing in people, using a variety of means, including education, training, coaching, mentoring, internships, organizational development and human resource management.

Strengthening the human capital of CDCs and the larger community development field is an important LISC goal.  LISC believes that CDCs will remain effective and keep their edge only as long as the have competent and committed individuals working for them.  As the community development movement in Greater Boston matures, attracting new talent and passing along the experience and wisdom of the more seasoned professionals are critical challenges.   From 1997 through 2001, LISC was one of  13 sites from around the country that participated in the Human Capital Development Initiative.


LISC’s human capital development programs and initiatives include:

Career Paths |  Twenty-three junior and mid-level staff members from the ten CDCs that  participated in HCDI benefited from Career Paths. Their CDCs received grants to cover tuition for coursework and/or coaching costs to elevate participant's skills and position them to advance to higher level positions within their CDC or elsewhere in the field.  Each participant also received individualized career counseling to map out a career development plan. To date, all participants took advantage of training, coaching and/or mentoring; six have enrolled in college degree programs; seven individuals have advanced, and most continue to work on their career plans.

 

AmericorpsAmeriCorps |  Since 1994, LISC has been placing AmeriCorps members at local CDCs  for 1 to 2 year service projects.  LISC emphasizes recruiting AmeriCorps participants from neighborhoods where CDCs work.  AmeriCorps members have served in resident services programs, home-ownership training programs, youth programs and real estate development projects.  AmeriCorps members receive local training sponsored by the Boston LISC Program  and national training sponsord by National LISC and the Corporation for National and Community Service.   In addition to the important community services that AmeriCorps members provide and the volunteers whom they recruit, the program has served as an entry point to community development for many of the participants.  More than 50 percent of the Boston LISC AmeriCorps members have gone on to  take permanent positions at CDCs or community development organizations.  Several senior managers currently working at Boston CDCs began their work in community development as LISC AmeriCorps members.


In-Service TrainingIn-Service Training |  LISC has developed several courses for CDC staff to build specialized skills.  These multi-session courses have been tailored specifically to Boston CDC needs, requests  and opportunities.   The courses have been taught by experts in the field who have familiarity with local CDCs and the Greater Boston community development environment.  Some examples are:  Directors of Real Estate Development Seminar; Project Manager Seminar; Workplace Leadership: supervision principles and practice.


Mentoring |In partnership with Mass. Association of CDCs, LISC has identified a dozen experienced community development professionals to mentor junior level CDC employees.  These mentoring relationships usually last about a year and typically involve one meeting a month between the mentor and mentee, as well as phone calls or emails. 


Transforming the Face of Community Development | Building on experiences and lessons from their human capital and diversity work over a five year period, in 2003 LISC and MACDC convened a group of community development professionals from CDCs, community development funders, lending organizations, government agencies, universities and advocacy groups to identify barriers for people of color to advance into senior management and leadership positions in the community development field and to develop new strategies and initiatives to remove those barriers.  Through a facilitated four-session process, using an approach called “appreciative inquiry,” this group of stakeholders and leaders in the field will develop an action agenda for making the community development field in Massachusetts more reflective of the communities in which the field does its work.  Future action agenda and updates on accomplishments will be available through this website.]



Human Capital Development  Initiative    

The Human Capital Development Initiative (HCDI) represented the first large-scale effort to address the need for more talented and committed people in the community development field.  Initially funded by the National Community Development Initiative (NCDI) and the Ford foundation, and administered by the National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED), HCDI was implemented in 13 sites across the country.  In Boston, our main goal has been the recruitment, retention and advancement of people of color and residents of the communities served by CDCs as staff at CDCs – especially in management and leadership positions. Ten CDCs – Allston Brighton, Asian, Boston Aging Concerns – Young and Old United, Codman Square, Fenway, NOAH, New Vision, Salem Harbor, Tent City and Viet-AID, along with the Mass Association of CDCs, collaborated with Boston LISC to implement a comprehensive HCDI strategy. Boston LISC continues to build upon the accomplishments and lessons of HCDI.