I.  PURPOSE

The purpose of the Trainers of Pastors International Coalition (TOPIC) Leadership Development Research Project is to create a current and accurate information system of Church leadership needs and the formal / non-formal leadership training opportunities available in Southern Africa.  The project will help training organizations to better understand their potential students and other trainers and provide leaders with a broad exposure of existing training choices. 

The TOPIC committees of each Southern African country will oversee and implement a leadership development project for their respective countries with assistance from the TOPIC regional coordination team.  The project will be initiated in South Africa and spread to the other countries as national leadership is available and ready to proceed.  The goal of the research project is to provide an accessible and accurate tool to progressively mature the Christian Leadership in Southern Africa for the glory of God.

II.  ELEMENTS

  1.  LEADERSHIP NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The Leadership Needs Assessment element is a national sample of the various needs that face church leadership today.  Needs such as personal, marriage, family, and ministry will be surveyed from a variety of cultural, socio-economic, and geographic contexts.  The survey tool is called the Leadership Needs Questionnaire.

  2.  LEADERSHIP TRAINING RESOURCES DATABASE

The Leadership Training Resources Database element is a national census of the formal and non-formal training available to Church leaders at the moment.  Training opportunities will be adequately identified and described.  From this a baseline can be established, gaps identified, and future training developed.  Effective models will be highlighted to encourage the creative multiplication of training options.  The survey tool is called the Leadership Training Resources Questionnaire.

III.  OUTCOME

An internet web-based information system will be developed and maintained to allow leaders to easily access and identify available leadership training opportunities.  Needs and opportunities could be inputted and options queried, printed, or downloaded directly from the web-site.   Relevant contact details will be provided for individual follow-up as well.  Hard copies of the information could be printed and distributed as necessary to those without internet access.

 IV.  PROCESS (Tentative)

  1.  CONCEPT PHASE: July – September 2004
    A.  Finalize project description
    B.  Determine research definitions and team responsibilities
    C.  Refine schedule and budget
    D.  Draft survey tools
    E.. Present project to individuals and organizations to recruit volunteers, gain input, and enlist support / partnerships
         
  2.  PLANNING PHASE: October 2004 – October 2005
    A.  Appoint team responsibilities
    B.  Confirm project plan, schedule, definitions, and budget
    C.  Finalize survey tools and research process
    D.  Initial data base development and web-site integration

  3.  RESEARCH PHASE: November 2005 – June 2006
    A.  Train and mobilize researchers
    B.  Monitor data collection progress and quality
    C.  Consider other sources and changes as needed

  4.  ANALYSIS PHASE: July – September 2006
    A.  Review data quality and completeness
    B.  Discover similarities, correlations, and gaps
    C.  Test web-site interface and operations

  5.  REPORTING PHASE: October – December 2006
    A.  Individual and group presentations of the information
    B.  Promotion of the web-site made through various means
    C.  Articles and reports written regarding the findings

  6.  UPDATE PHASE: Ongoing
    A.  Continuously encourage and receive data input
    B.  Review quality and completeness
    C.  Consider new areas of needs and opportunity assessment

Prepared by Karl Teichert
Revised:  23 November 2005