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Friday, March 29, 2024

City tour program helps foster civic engagement

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Whether you’re new in town or a lifelong Indy resident, there’s always more to learn about the Circle City, and there are plenty of opportunities to become engaged in the community. Leadership Indianapolis, a nonprofit organization that works to create a pipeline of civic leaders in the city, wants to help residents find those opportunities.

To that end, the organization offers a program called Opportunity Indianapolis, which occurs only twice per year — once in April and once in August — to teach community members about various city initiatives and engagement possibilities.

“It’s like a two-day field trip around the city during which you get to learn about issues and hear from the leaders who are working on those issues,” said Rebecca King, vice president of programs and alumni relations at Leadership Indianapolis.

King said about 50 people attend each two-day session, and the groups include people from all walks of life.

“Last year, we had somebody who had been in the city for less than two weeks, but we also had in the same session people who had been living in Indianapolis for 60 years,” she said.

Though program participants might not seem to have much in common on the surface, King said all participants have at least one tract of common ground: a desire to be engaged in the community.

During each two-day session, participants make their way around a planned route with various stops along the way, where they’ll talk with local leaders about a particular issue impacting the city and how participants can become involved. The topics can range from arts and sports to public safety and education, and each session can be different.

“That’s one thing that’s really cool about the program; we build it from scratch each year,” King said. “There are certainly speakers we invite back each year, but every year when we are planning the program, we just ask what’s happening in the city, what are the issues … I think it’s really cool that the program doesn’t get stale.”

One example King gave of an Opportunity Indianapolis tour stop includes meeting with Chris Gahl, of Visit Indy, and Bob Schultz, of Downtown Indy, to learn about downtown as both a residential neighborhood and as a tourist destination. King said time is always built in for questions and answers, so participants aren’t just listening the whole time.

King said feedback from participants (who, after completing the two-day program are called alumni) and presenters has been overwhelmingly positive, and most alumni leave with a spark.

“I think people are often surprised at how much they learn about the city in two days,” she said. “Afterward, people are excited and inspired and ready to jump in right away.”

In addition to being inspired to get involved in various roles around the city, Opportunity Indianapolis alumni also earn ongoing benefits from participation in the program.

“Once somebody completes the program, they are an alumni of Leadership Indianapolis. Once you’re an alumni of a program, there are alumni events and an alumni network you’re a part of,” King said. “We’re working on extending that program experience beyond just two days.”

Registration for this year’s Opportunity Indianapolis sessions — April 14–15 and Aug. 18–19 — are already open. The cost for the two-day program is $650, which includes breakfast, lunch and an end-of-day reception. Some scholarships are available based on financial need, King said.

“We’re a nonprofit, so we have to charge for the program, but we don’t want there to be a financial barrier for people,” she said.

To learn more about Opportunity Indianapolis or to register for one of this year’s sessions, visit leadershipindianapolis.com.

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