What is the New Leadership?

Public Allies is about new leadership for new times. We are changing the face and practice of leadership to meet the demands of our changing times. 

We're living in new times…
Our communities, our country and our world are changing rapidly. The problems that continue to challenge our society—from access to quality education and health care to lack of economic security to a threatened environment—need new solutions and a new kind of leadership that engages people of all backgrounds to work together for change.

Even before President Bill Clinton declared the era of big government over, government was shifting responsibility to local governments, nonprofits, and citizens to solve pressing problems.

The good news is that rates of volunteerism have hit a 30-year high. The bad news is that only 15% of 18-34 year olds believe they can make a great difference in their communities, and only 9% of college seniors know how to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector. This could mean big challenges for a sector that employs more than 14 million workers and will need 640,000 new leaders over the next 10 years to address critical social issues. 

The Millennial Generation is emerging to address these issues, and it's the most diverse generation yet. We've grown up in a flat world where technology has changed the perception of work, community and politics.

Creating change today is all about mobilizing diverse communities to work together for common good… at Public Allies, we create pathways for young people to engage in community, and we help communities get the knowledge and practices they need to tap the energy and perspectives of a new generation of leaders.

…and new times demand new leadership.
We identify and develop young, diverse leaders who promote this new understanding of leadership.  Public Allies changes the face and practice of leadership so that the next generation of American leadership will:

* look like America will look
* connect across cultures
* facilitate collaborative action
* recognize and mobilize all of a community's assets
* commit to learning and self development
* be accountable to those they work with and hte communities they serve

In short, we believe everyone leads. History shows that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. Social change has always come from the courageous acts of many, not the heroic actions of a few. Leadership rarely comes from where it is expected, so Public Allies looks in new places and networks leaders across social boundaries in order to create real change. The leadership we need for today's changing times is already in communities—it's only a matter of finding, cultivating, and connecting leaders to make a difference. We're the ones we're waiting for.

Ultimately, We believe a network of leaders practicing these values will engage more community members to participate in public life, unite people across social boundaries to work for the common good, create more innovative, responsive and effective solutions to social problems, and ultimately build a more just society for all.