The Community Learning Partnership (CLP) contributes to strengthening the workforce of credentialed, knowledgeable community organizers, change agents, and skilled leaders.
Community change learn-and-earn career pathways prepare students to become organizers and leaders in their local communities.
The Community Learning Partnership (CLP) was co-founded in 2010 by Andy Mott and Denise Fairchild to build educational pathways by partnering with community colleges as an untapped resource for developing community organizers, change agents, and community leaders.
The long-term vision was to address the severe shortage of community organizers. As such, the founders saw the need to provide community change career pathways.
We envision a multi-ethnic, multi-racial, equitable and sustainable society where justice and equity triumphs over exploitation.
To achieve a just, humane and healthy world, it is essential that people, particularly marginalized youth and communities of color, be actively involved in determining the conditions that shape and affect their lives – and the structures, policies, and practices that support those conditions.
CLP embraces, individually and collectively, a continuing mandate to consciously operate from principles that are inclusive, participatory and respectful of the diverse and life-serving practices among all individuals and communities, especially our youth.
These core beliefs guide our work:
Every human being deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. All people have the capacity to learn and to grow. Continuous learning and growth happens best within the context of compassionate, holistic, diverse and safe environments.
Bringing about the changes needed for more just and humane systems requires building the power of youth and communities who have been most marginalized from democracy to be at the forefront of civic engagement campaigns.
Issues of race, class, national origin, gender, sexuality, disability and immigration status must be addressed as primary and integral parts of social justice and full democratic participation.
Education is a fundamental human right. Government has an obligation to provide accessible educational pathways that invest in developing local leadership that fosters social responsibility and civic engagement in all communities, especially in communities that have endured injustice and inequity.
Investing in the leadership of historically marginalized youth and their communities is essential to building and sustaining an inclusive and integrated (bottom-up, top-down), social justice movement and participatory democracy.
We partner with allies who demonstrate the capacity to work effectively and respectfully with people from diverse communities as a necessary part of establishing a partnership.
CLP programs encompass these seven key elements:
CLP builds partnerships among community colleges/public 4-year universities, social justice and grassroots organizations, and community leaders who work together to create community change career pathways.
CLP prepares youth and adults, including students with low incomes, people of color, immigrants, Opportunity Youth, individuals impacted by the criminal legal system and students who wish to enter careers in community change across diverse social justice issues.
CLP students receive a certificate and/or degree (minor or major), or community-based training in a community change career pathway. CLP academic programs are designed to build the leadership and organizing capacity of people who have been directly impacted by injustice.
CLP programs offer academic curricula or community-based training co-designed with local and national partners and co-grounded in the lived experience of students and their communities and recognizing that experience as an asset.
CLP students gain skills in community organizing, advocacy, leadership and development.
CLP students gain invaluable experience by doing meaningful community change work with local partners working on a variety of issues important to the students and their communities.
CLP students receive ongoing academic and social-emotional support, mentoring, and leadership development opportunities.
Thousands of CLP students and alumni across the country are developing leadership skills through work-based learning.
“I am so proud to have the California Youth Leadership Corps at De Anza College. This program is providing learning opportunities and career pathways for people in our community who never thought they could go to college or get a well-paying job serving their communities.”
– Dr. Lloyd Holmes, President, De Anza College
See where they are on their pathway as a
community change agent.
Southeast MI alum Staci Lowry founded Black Unicorn to provide consulting in grassroots organizing and movement building.
Minneapolis alum Say Yang is a Senior Program Advisor at the Center for Earth Energy and Democracy where she supports community development and civic participation in the Twin Cities.
CCNY alum Edward Garcia is director of Housing Justice & Community Development at the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, where he leads fights for economic justice in the Bronx.
DeAnza alum Mariam Ahmed works with a consulting group on political and advocacy campaigns.
West Chester University alum Lilah Saber is the organizing director for POWER where she organizes and trains congregations in Northwest Philadelphia to engage in fights for racial and economic justice and develops youth leadership.
Are you a young person interested in developing your leadership skills and exploring career pathways? Are you a college or community organization interested in exploring a partnership? CLP would love to hear from you!