Table of Contents
Program Purpose:
The City of North Miami’s Leaders in Training (LIT) Program, is designed to develop our city’s next generation of public servants through higher education preparation, career readiness, and enhanced understanding of local civic processes. The program will serve as a pipeline and prerequisite for North Miami students, grades 9 through 12, to transition into the City’s signature Youth Opportunity Board (YOB) Summer Internship Program. Upon completing the program’s hands-on professional leadership training, participants will gain soft skills needed to succeed in any profession.
This initiative was created by Councilman Alix Desulme in collaboration with Patricia Elizee, Esquire.
Program Components:
LIT includes three focus areas:
- Career Readiness: Many young residents are in need of resources to help them identify a career focus. Few understand the preparation involved in landing the ideal job opportunity. Through exposure to various career paths in the field of public service, LIT provides practical guidance for cultivating hard and soft skills required for life-long professional success. LIT assists youth participants in identifying and matching their individual interests, talents, and skills with complimentary career opportunities. During this process participants receive a general overview of the responsibilities and functions of municipal government, by engaging with various department directors and learning their roles and contributions to the City of North Miami’s daily operations.
- Civic Engagement: Through one-on-one interactions with the City of North Miami’s elected officials and observation of government operations, LIT Program participants will be taught the fundamentals of government service, structure, and leadership. Youth will also witness firsthand North Miami’s government practices and processes from the perspective of the City’s elected leadership.
- Leadership Development: LIT program participants will be taught to recognize various professional leadership styles. Participants will learn how to apply these styles to chosen career interests and goals.
Leaders in Training Administrator
Social Services Administrator Housing and Social Services
E-mail: socialservices@northmiamifl.gov
Office: 305-893-6511, ext. 20000
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Program Day & Time (In-Person)
Saturdays (12 sessions)
10:00 am – 1:30 pm / In-person
Location
Joe Celestin Center / In-person
Eligibility Requirements (must show proof)
- High school student between 9th-12th grade.
- Reside in the City of North Miami
- Willingness to learn and work in a group setting
- Show up with a positive attitude and self-discipline
- Complete a project on civic engagement
- Receive priority for a PAID summer internship with the City of North Miami
Program Acceptance
To be considered for the program, a candidate must complete an application and submit required documents that shows proof of residency within the city of North Miami.
Recommended Materials
- One inch binder with 5 dividers and tabs
- One pack of college ruled notebook paper
- Two pens and one pencil
- Electronic device with wifi capability
Highly Recommended Texts (*minimum of 2 required)
- 101 Ways to Improve Your Communication Skills (Instantly), by Jo Condrill &
Bennie Bough, Ph.D. - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, by Sean Covey*
- The Hero Code: Lessons Learned from Lives Well Lived, by Admiral William H.
McRaven (US Navy Retired) - Keys to Success: The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement, by Napoleon Hill
- Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson, M.D.*
- The Leadership Pill, by Ken Blanchard & Marc Muchnick
- The Little Book of Etiquette, by Sheila M. Long
Recommended Websites
City of North Miami – https://www.northmiamifl.gov
The Florida Joint Center for Citizenship – http://floridacitizen.org
Bureau of Labor Statistics – https://www.bls.gov/
College & Career Planning – https://www.myplan.com
Self-Management – https://transformingeducation.org/
Hands On Banking Money Skills for Life – https://handsonbanking.org/practitioner
Career Exploration Resources – https://www.fldoe.org/academics/college-career-planning
Additional City of North Miami Resources
North Miami CRA – https://www.northmiamicra.org/
NoMi Cares – https://nomicares.org/
NoMi Fest – https://nomifest.com/
Course Description
The Leaders in Training (LIT) program is a 12-week program created by Mayor, Alix Desulme in collaboration with Patricia Elizee, Esquire, that provides hands-on, practical training on workforce readiness, exposure to civic engagement and effective leadership skills development.
Course Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of the program, participants will:
- Identify elements of local government and their responsibilities
- Become familiar with the essential steps to preparing for and landing a job
- Know and understand the difference between a career and a job
- Acquire knowledge of what it takes to be a productive contributor in the
workplace - Become knowledgeable in what it takes to be civically engaged
- Learn transferrable skills applicable at work, school, and life
- Analyze, develop, and implement goals and use self-awareness and
self-management skills - Apply time-management skills with respect to class assignments and project
completion - Engage in hands-on practices in responsible financial practices
- Interact and network with guest presenters
- Establish a college and career path that is designed on best-fit practices
Course Design
LIT is designed to prepare, engage, and empower future leaders for the workforce. To offer an enlightening and engaging experience, the lessons will be presented in a diverse format and include the following:
- Lecture Format
- Guest Speakers
- Project-based Learning
- Activities that Teach
- Reading and Group Discussions
- Evaluation & Feedback
Participants are encouraged to supplement their learning experience with independent research, reading of recommended texts, and exploring relevant websites.
Program Participation
To fully submerge in the LIT experience and gain valuable skills, participation is required. Participation goes beyond just showing up. It requires showing up with a good attitude and prepared to learn, volunteering in class discussions, offering opinions on related topics, completion of group and individual assignments and following the attendance guidelines.
Come prepared with your assigned class binder and homework each week.
Attendance Policy
When you show up, you will learn. This is a 12-week program that requires multi-level engagement. With that understanding, the more you are present, the more you will learn and the more confident you will feel about your skills. To fully prepare for success in the workforce, you must show up for the weekly sessions, as the lesson you are not present to learn will not help you.
To successfully complete the LIT program, participants must NOT miss no more than two sessions. For an absence to be considered EXCUSED, each of the two absences must be notified in advance and followed by a written notification from a parent or school official (SAT/ACT testing, or school activity such as sports or senior activities). You MUST call or email the program facilitator in advance if you know you are going to miss a session.
Punctuality counts: Arrive on time to finish on time.
Perfect Attendance
Participants with PERFECT attendance (0 absences) will be recognized for their commitment at the end of program luncheon.
Cell Phone Use Policy
Upon arrival at the facility or virtual platform, all cell phones MUST be put on MUTE or VIBRATE mode. Participants are not allowed to answer calls during the sessions. In the case of an emergency (call from a parent or a sibling), participant must step out of class to answer the call and return to class within no more than 5 minutes of exiting class. Participants are free to use their phones during breaks.
Virtual Etiquette
Dress Code Policy
The LIT Program is a program designed to prepare participants to look, feel, think, and act like professionals in the workplace. With that in mind, participants are expected to act the part immediately following the program orientation. The dress code and standards are as such:
Young Ladies – Dress, suit, skirt, pants and blouse with dress flats or high heels are acceptable
Young Men – Slacks and dress shirt or pollo or suit is acceptable
Accessories – Pearls, earrings, watch and socks, stockings
Unacceptable Clothes or Accessories
The following are deemed unacceptable and inappropriate. Spaghetti-strapped dress, miniskirts or mini-dress, jeans hat, cap, flip-flops, tennis shoes, sneakers, head wrap, bonnet, or head scarf
Program Topics
During the 12-week program, we will explore and discuss the following topics:
- Civic Engagement
- Project-Based Learning
- Leadership Development
- Career Exploration
- College Major Exploration (Interest Survey)
- Financial Literacy
- Self-Assessment of Skills and Abilities
- Time Management Skills
- Organizational Skills (for the workplace)
- Job Interviewing Skills
- Customer Service Skills
- Office Etiquette
- Telephone Etiquette
- Resume Development
- Dress for Success
Guest Speakers
The preparation of a LIT Program participants requires a team effort. A host of professionals will contribute to the success of the program. Each week, a City of North Miami elected official(s), administrator or staff will be invited to speak and present on their personal and professional journey. The purpose of this added perspective is so that each participant can hear a relatable message that we hope will serve as an inspiration. During the guest presentations it is expected that participants listen attentively and respectfully, ask questions, and participate in guest-initiated activities.