WHY JOIN WAAL?

We surveyed longtime members of WAAL about their experiences. Read a summary below.

• Experience for CVs or resumes
• A place to try new leadership skills and strategies 
• Thinking about and practicing different approaches to leadership
• Skill Development:
  • Communication Skills: Public speaking, formal presentations, strategic planning, and interpersonal communication
  • Meeting and Discussion Facilitation: Skills like leading discussions, facilitating meetings, and managing Zoom and other group communication technologies 
  • Administrative Skills: Agenda making, note-taking, and using tools like Google Docs to organize information
  • Personal Growth: Gaining confidence in speaking and leadership, enhancing self-efficacy and focus on life goals
• Having a community that stimulates intellectual curiosity and offers a sense of accountability
• WAAL’s consensus-based orientation helps understand and improve group decision making and collective action

• Learning about leadership and engaging in discussions that question the status quo
• The opportunity to practice new skills and learn tips and tricks related to leadership
• The strong sense of purpose; feeling involvement in WAAL contributes to societal betterment and helps prepare current and future generations for self-advocacy and social justice
• The different types of WAAL meetings (e.g., speaker meetings, workshops, political education book clubs, speaker meetings)
• Learning from others with different backgrounds, viewpoints, and leadership experiences 
• The presence of like-minded individuals focused on intentional leadership development, which creates a sense of community, personal connection, and collaborative learning
• The space provided to receive feedback and practice leadership skills
• An environment that supports growth and experimentation
• The engaging, relevant, and thought-provoking content

Time and the willingness to be accountable to others were the only responses.