Vision
On the 22nd of October 2013 Israel will hold municipal elections in over 200 municipalities. Using a conservative estimation, we believe that at least 25- 30 new mayors will be elected. Our proposal is to offer these first-time mayors training for their new and demanding role, and to provide them with close assistance and coaching during their first year in office.
Activity
We will start recruiting participants even before the elections. We plan on approaching the new mayoral candidates in the following months, to offer them our services, should they be elected. We are in the final stages of developing our training program, together with our partners in the Ministry of Interior and the Israeli Union of Local Authorities. The program consists of two parts: training and coaching.
1) Training will include concentrated study days focusing on core municipal issues, taught by a group of experts. Among the subjects are budget management, project funding, decision making, marketing and branding, citizen participation, relations with the central government, and more. The training will be given soon after the municipal elections, in a series of intensive sessions.
2) Professional guidance and coaching. A team of experts will conduct individual coaching sessions with each elected mayor. The sessions will focus on the dilemmas, challenges and difficulties the mayors will face in their new role. In addition, the mayors will take part in bi-monthly group meetings, providing peer learning based on the real-life experiences of all participating mayors. The group sessions will take place during the mayors’ first year in office.