Our flagship program, known as The Leadership Crucible: Preparing Young Women to Lead, currently serves undergraduate women in their fourth year of study. It is an intensive development program that includes regular and personalized contact with our participants. We meet formally with them twice a month for rigorous workshops, coupled with as-needed mentoring throughout the month. In addition, each participant submits work regularly which is used to assess progress. Finally, each participant is paired with a South Sudanese mentor, which is extremely important for young women aspiring to be leaders. Each participant who successfully completes the program is awarded a certificate, admitted into The Leadership Crucible alumni network, and given the opportunity to participate in ongoing programming.
Keys to Success
Our programs are built upon the following principles:
- Strong Underpinnings. The programs are both theoretically- and experientially-based. They are built upon relevant research, as well as the experiences of other leadership development programs.
- Customized. The programs are designed to resonate with young women in South Sudan – one of the least developed and most-fragile countries in the world.
- Comprehensive. The programs are comprehensive. They involve more than just skills training. The programs are designed to help our young women develop a leadership identity, and to encourage them to take on leadership roles – even if this means stepping outside their comfort zone. The programs are also designed to help participants see that the benefits of leadership outweigh the risks.
- Mentors. The programs include mentoring. Developing a professional network that includes mentors is important to emerging leaders. Through mentors, our young women can observe different leadership styles – and select from a menu of leadership traits with which to experiment. Moreover, hearing about the career paths of successful women – seldom linear – can inspire them and bolster their resilience. Finally, our mentors help participants navigate career obstacles and opportunities – asking important questions and providing advice based on their own hard-won experiences.
- Role Models. The programs also include role models. Unlike mentors, participants need not meet role models. Through CrucibleProfiles, participants are introduced to and inspired by a wide-range of role models, including heads of state, heads of multinational corporations, and leaders in political, cultural, and social movements.