Beginning in January of 2009, Owen County HomeTown Competitiveness set out to thoroughly assess challenges and identify opportunities in the four "pillars" of focus. The project involved dozens of community leaders on various levels. Focus groups, surveys, key stakeholder interviews and multiple planning meetings were squeezed into a matter of four months. At the end of the assessment, there were clear objectives and identifiable opportunities from which to develop sustainable programs.

Throughout the assessment phase, youth engagement became the focal point of nearly every discussion. Owen County, like many rural communities, suffers the ever-present challenge of "brain drain". During the assessment process, students at Owen Valley High School were invited to participate in the highly successful, "Where Do You Want to Be?" model. Within this activity, most in attendance were surprised to find the bulk of our youth have a strong desire to remain in the community or, after college, return to raise their families. On this note, youth engagement ended up being the topic of most HTC discussions and a factor to be considered in every part of the decision-making process.

Beginning in the fall of 2009 and throughout the first part of 2010, the four task forces began the arduous task of program development. As of June 1, there are three fundable, sustainable projects to be launched with the start of the school year in the fall.

As it is with every community, unsuspecting citizens have the potential of being civic leaders; this is why training/education plays a big part in the success of any hometown. Of all the HTC projects that could be undertaken, leadership development must be at the forefront of whatever we do.

The main goal of The Leadership Exchange is to help prepare future leaders by fostering basic leadership skills, by orienting them to a wide range of institutions (public and private), and by introducing them to critical issues impacting the community. The leadership curriculum is broken down into six, half-day sessions within the school-year calendar, addressing a wide variety of community issues and introducing prominent leaders. Basic instructional segments, such as public speaking, meeting preparation and team-building exercises will also be included in every session.

Cost per participant is $195. These fees are still considerably lower than most leadership programs in the area.

As new leaders are trained and given projects as class assignments, there will be additional programs added to accommodate their vision. Such programs might include quarterly luncheons on topics like "How to Run for Political Office," "Effective Mentoring: Formal and Informal" or "People Skills". With each graduating class more interest, projects, and community engagement should occur, thus creating its own sustainable momentum. Success will be measured by the number of graduates that go on to serve on boards and committees within the community as well as those that might run for political office.

Now accepting applications for the 2012-2013 Owen County Leadership Exchange
Sessions start sometime in August
Deadline for registration 8/1/2012
Click here for more information

Entrepreneurship Education Series

Even with an excellent leadership program in place, individuals must be able to have the courage and the correct information to start their own successful business. From an economic development perspective, entrepreneurship and small business development is a very important key to the sustainability of any small community. For Owen County, every local major employer was born from an entrepreneurial endeavor. If there is any hope of survival or improved quality of life, we must develop from within.

With this in mind, an Entrepreneurial Education Series was identified as a prominent need and opportunity. Beginning in March of 2010 and in partnership with the West Central Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) out of Terre Haute, periodic workshops have been offered on a variety of topics; providing meaningful educational opportunities for individuals and companies that want to start, grow or improve their small businesses. The ISBDC is also currently offering free counseling (by appointment only) through the OCCC/EDC offices for existing businesses and start-ups.

Also, work is currently underway to establish a SCORE branch in Owen County. SCORE is the acronym for Senior Corp of Retired Executives. The establishment of a local branch will enable entrepreneurship to go to the next level by mobilizing local counselors that are familiar with the unique needs of the community.

The vision for HTC Small Business does not stop with counseling, workshops and seminars: (1) work is currently underway to establish a revolving loan fund (Launch party was 12/6/2011), and (2) looming on the horizon, is the need for some sort of a business incubator (without walls, perhaps).Progress will be measured by the number of successful business start-ups within the community; as well as the number of "saves" (i.e. struggling businesses put back on track with wise counsel and sound fiscal management).

Youth Leadership Academy

With youth engagement and leadership being at the forefront of the HTC vision, a youth leadership academy seems like a natural step in the progression of successful development. In partnership with Owen Valley High School (OVHS), Owen County HTC is a whole-hearted and financial supporter of the Youth Leadership Academy. As local school budgets decrease, community partnerships and involvement in projects such as this will become increasingly more crucial to survival. Because this program is closely matched with our mission, HTC is willing to take a more active role in its ongoing success and sustainability.

This partnership goes well beyond just funding. The HTC Leadership Exchange (described previously), working together with the OVHS Youth Leadership Academy has found a way to intermingle the two programs. OVHS leadership candidates are encouraged to participate in 4 of the 6 Leadership Exchange courses at various times throughout the school year. This is leadership development and youth engagement at its best. By including teen leaders in the adult sessions, ideas are shared, community vision imparted, and healthy relationships ignited.

Students involved in the high school program will learn about or participate in segments related to: self-evaluation of leadership skills and traits, leadership training proficiency, civic and school engagement, team and consensus building, goal planning as well as evaluation of action plans. Trained student leaders impart what they have learned to younger students at the middle school and elementary levels.

As the community evolves, it is essential that our future leaders develop along with it. Young adults must have a solid understanding of the importance of the subject. These young men and women will take over community oversight soon enough. With a focus on teenagers, the Youth Leadership Academy will remain an ever-present need within the local school corporation and community. HTC stands ready to insure that it remains a success for many years to come.