The National Security and Human Rights Campaign was launched in 2008 as a three-year grantmaking effort to reform national security policies and to promote policies that respect human rights and the rule of law.  A partnership between The Open Society Institute, Atlantic Philanthropies, and the Proteus Fund, the campaign provided grantmaking and operational support to challenge torture, arbitrary detention, racial profiling, excessive government secrecy, surveillance, and other policies that have destroyed U.S. credibility as a champion of human rights and have eroded support for human rights around the world.

In 2010, Rockwood partnered with the Proteus Fund Security and Rights Collaborative to pilot a Fellowship program for leaders in the field. After a successful pilot partnership in 2010, Rockwood Leadership Institute is proud to launch a second year of the FELLOWSHIP FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND NATIONAL SECURITY REFORM (HRNSR) LEADERS to support 24 leaders engaged in U.S. national security policy reform and the protection of diverse communities’ human rights. With generous support from the Proteus Fund Security and Rights Collaborative, the 2011 HRNSR Fellowship aims to (1) enhance their capacity to lead and foster their organizations and networks more effectively; and (2) to collaborate across the boundaries of issue area, race and ethnicity, organizational size and resources, and geography.

Rockwood would like to recognize the deep personal and professional commitment to leadership development and collaboration exemplified by the 2010 pilot cohort. As a result of their pioneering efforts for transformational change, we were able to host a second Fellowship in 2011 with this important national security and human rights sector. For a list of these incredible HRNSR Fellow alumni, please follow this link.

• What to expect
• Fellowship participant criteria
• Costs
• How to apply
• For more information

What to expect

This six-month intensive leadership program is designed to teach powerful visioning, listening, speaking, presentation, coaching, team-building and feedback skills to leaders engaged with advocacy and organizing for progressive national security reform. The program includes two 5-day residential retreats, professional and peer coaching sessions, and additional leadership support.

Key skills developed through the Fellowship are:

• Deal more effectively with organizational challenges
• Manage relationships to increase personal and organizational effectiveness
• Sharpen and sustain compelling visions for your work
• Inspire and align others to work effectively towards common goals
• Increase sustainability and engage with tools to prevent burnout
• Build partnerships inside and outside your organization
• Engage in a learning community of leaders working across the country on human rights and progressive national security

Program Offerings

Between June 2011 and November 2011, each Fellow participates in two 5-day residential retreats, professional and peer coaching sessions, and leadership practice assignments.

Art of Collaborative Leadership: June 20-24: Airlie Center, Warrenton, Virginia

To launch the Fellowship, all 24 HRNSR Fellows will attend The Art of Collaborative Leadership. This is an intensive retreat workshop in which participants will hone skills related to articulating vision, managing difficult conversations, and identifying personal leadership strengths and challenges. Each participant receives a 360-degree leadership evaluation from peers. The training includes time for participant-driven dialogue aimed at strengthening collaborative work in the national security and human rights field.

Professional Coaching Sessions & Peer Coaching

Coaching is both an important leadership skill and resource for social change leaders. Following the Art of Collaborative Leadership, Fellows form peer coaching partners to provide support to each other in managing leadership challenges back in their organizations and reinforce tools from the training. Pairs develop goals and a schedule for their sessions together throughout the Fellowship.

In addition, each Fellow has access to four hours of professional coaching from a Rockwood trainer. Professional coaching sessions help provide an opportunity for Fellows to get deeper support on leadership challenges such as time management, strategic planning, courageous conversations and overcoming obstacles to the success of their organizations.

Leadership Practices

To reinforce the tools of the training, Rockwood has designed leadership practice “homework” assignments for Fellows. Assignments involve “practicing” with the tools from the trainings. As an example, the Art of Collaborative Leadership offers some strategies to engage with difficult conversations. One Leadership Practice assignment invites Fellows identifying an actual conversation that they can use the training tools for and implementing the tools. Leadership Practices will be supported by group conference calls where Fellows can share stories and connect to other Fellows in the program over the phone.

Advanced Art of Leadership: Leadership in Action: October 31-November 4: Travaasa, Austin, Texas

Six months after the start of the program, Fellows attend a second residential retreat. The Advanced Art of Leadership: Leadership In Action challenges Fellows to delve deeper into their professional development and partnerships, building off the tools and experience of the Art of Collaborative Leadership. In addition to furthering the practice of leadership development, the Advanced training will reserve time and space for Fellows to collaborate through essential conversations specific to the national security and human rights sector. It is designed for leaders to enhance their skills in areas of both leadership and collaboration, including an examination of power (personal, positional and institutional), strategy and performance, and personal and organizational sustainability.

The Trainers

Our programs are led by nationally and internationally-recognized thinkers, educators, and activists who are experienced in sharing the most in depth, leading insights on leadership development, collaboration and capacity building.

The Fellowship for Human Rights and National Security Reform Leaders will be led by:

Helen S. Kim, who is an organizational development consultant, facilitator and executive coach with 18 years of experience working with social change organizations and leaders in the U.S. and internationally.

Leslie Sholl Jaffe, who has over 24 years experience as a consultant and trainer across a broad spectrum of businesses and non-profit organizations as well as 6 years as an executive director.

Fellowship Participant Criteria

Rockwood’s optimal criteria for enrollment the Fellowship include a cohort of leaders who:

• Are grantees of the National Security and Human Rights Campaign* or the current Proteus Fund Security and Rights Collaborative
  • *2008-2010 NSHR grantees from: The Open Society Institute, Atlantic Philanthropies, Proteus Fund
• Are engaged in US human rights advocacy and progressive national security reform – including work on restoration of due process, reform of surveillance laws, restore broad privacy protections, protect freedom of speech, association, or religious expression, combat  racial, ethnic, and religious profiling, increase government accountability and transparency.
• Have been engaged with this work for at least 3 years
• Play a decision-making/leadership role within their organization.
• Demonstrate personal/professional readiness to learn new leadership skills-and to be assessed and evaluated for same
• Have experience with and interest in gaining more skills with cross-strategy collaboration
• Will contribute to a learning community that reflects the diversity of issues, strategies, geographic and community focus.
• Will make the full time commitment to the program – including participating in the two 5-day retreats, coaching, and leadership practice assignments.
• Will make a contribution towards program participation based on organizational budget (see COSTS below)