The United Way of Berks County offers a multitude of volunteer leadership training programs through Leadership United. The division is designed to engage local Berks County residents in professional development and community engagement opportunities and to prepare them for nonprofit volunteer leadership.
Jean Morrow, Sr. Vice President of Leadership United at United Way of Berks County, was thrilled when President Tammy White approached her about spearheading what is now known as Leadership United back in 2020. In 2024, it has expanded into Blueprint for Leadership, Leadership United, Emerging Leaders United (ELU) and the Community Volunteer Center.
“It's been so exciting and gratifying to know that we are playing this role in the community,” says Morrow. “Many organizations look to us to really help them find volunteers for their boards and nonprofits through our Volunteer Center — work that they would not necessarily be able to do on their own in terms of volunteers. It's been great to see our Leadership United programs making a real impact.”
Blueprint for Leadership
Blueprint for Leadership is the community leadership program curated for Berks County residents from underrepresented populations. It facilitates seven training sessions that foster awareness of the impact of culture, values and beliefs on leadership, teach professionalism and allow participants to volunteer with a local organization through the Volunteer Center.
“It's designed to provide participants with an opportunity to get to know each other and feel comfortable, capable and confident in the skills that they have to be able to serve on a committee or a board in the community.”
Morrow explains that the programs can create a pipeline for each other and work well together or on their own.
“It's amazing when you start connecting the dots and recognizing that people who are involved in Blueprint for Leadership or Leadership Berks are also ELU members,” says Morrow. “They can pick and choose programming based on their schedule by participating in a volunteer activity through our Volunteer Center or become an official member of the other programs.”
Leadership Berks
More than 1,000 Berks County residents have graduated from Leadership Berks, which has provided leadership training and development to prepare them to serve in nonprofit leadership roles for nearly 40 years. The robust program requires 75 hours of class time and cohort relationship building, 35 hours for a community service project and 10 hours of volunteer leadership placement.
“We also provide what we call ‘Servant Leadership Essentials,’” says Morrow. “It teaches qualities that are important as the members of the cohort grow personally and professionally, such as purpose, courage, self-awareness, diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, resilience and adaptability. All of these things are so important to consider as you face any kind of challenge or opportunity.”
Emerging Leaders United
ELU is a group of 350+ emerging leaders in Berks County that are driven to improve the lives of others through philanthropy and volunteerism. Members are required to partake in at least two opportunities through the Volunteer Center each month. In 2023, ELU members participated in 46 opportunities that provided learning and engagement. Many of these were volunteer projects with local organizations.
“My inspiration and aspiration for others is finding out what they really love to do. All four programs allow people to really get a sense of their ‘why,’” says Morrow. “It prompts them to reflect on what gets them excited and what kind of impact they want to have in our community and connects them with a whole new network of people who are like-minded and committed to strengthening our community.”
Fun Facts
Take the Leap. If you want to make a difference in the community or serve on a nonprofit board, Leadership Berks is recruiting for its next cohort. Contact Jean Morrow at 610.685.4587 or email jeanmor@uwberks.org.
Celebrate United. United Way’s annual event on April 18 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading features people who have been impacted and the volunteers involved with that change. Visit uwberks.org for details.
