Leadership Development

SWOP leaders are immersed in a culture committed to ongoing learning; SWOP is deliberate about seeking to be a school for public life. SWOP staff and senior leaders provide formal leadership training at least three times per year in Spanish and in English. Each training series explores topics such as values, power, self interest, problems and issues, mediating institutions, public and private relationships, relational meetings and life lived in the tension between "the world as it is" and "the world as it should or could be". Potential attendees are identified by SWOP staff and leaders through their participation in their local institution or SWOP actions, or through one to one meetings. SWOP regularly sends at least five more experienced leaders to IAF 10-day training each year.

SWOP is affiliated with United Power for Action and Justice; staff and primary leaders receive ongoing training opportunities from United Power's senior organizers. SWOP is also active in several coalitions which create additional opportunities to build public life skills. SWOP staff has also recently developed a training on the nature of reflection in public life.