Community Leadership Certificate

A free leadership development program made by students for students.

The Community Leadership Certificate (CLC) focuses on anti-oppressive, community-centered leadership and teaches collaborative skills and practical knowledge. This program is for all undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of whether you currently hold a leadership position or not.

Complete the program in three steps to earn the University of Waterloo Certificate in Leadership Development.

Attend the four core workshops
Complete ten leadership hours
Submit your reflection

IMPORTANT: Please note CLC replaces the Student Leadership Program (SLP) and Foundational Training Program (FTP). Please visit our frequently asked questions page for more details.

Participating in CLC will allow you to:

Explore equity and leadership theories in conversation-based workshops led by fellow students.
Engage with the Waterloo community in leadership roles to practice your skills.
Reflect on your experiences to understand and communicate what you've learned.
Boost your resume by honing sought-after soft skills.
Grow your network by connecting with students from all six faculties.

Three steps to achieving the CLC

Step one: attend the core four workshops

Explore the building blocks of community and leadership led by current student leaders. CLC consists of four sequential workshops that must be taken in this specific order:

Foundations of Collaborative Leadership (FCL)
Leading with Curiosity

Collaborative Team Building
Harm Reductive Communication and Conflict Resolution

Step two: complete ten leadership hours

Engaging in your learning process is crucial for honing your leadership vision. While acquiring knowledge is a vital step one, applying knowledge is a crucial step two.

To fulfill step two requirements, complete 10 hours of volunteer or paid time in a leadership position of your choosing. The position must:

be completed after you’ve attended all four of the CLC workshops
have some level of responsibility such as an active role in planning or organizing. (i.e not only a participant/attendee).
allow validation of hours through a reference

What counts as a leadership experience?

Any role or activity where you lead counts. The position can be inside or outside the UWaterloo community.

We encourage you to pursue opportunities that interest you. Possible leadership opportunities may include (but are not restricted to) the following:

Student ambassador
Workshop facilitator
Coaching
Care giving
Event/conference volunteer
Planning or supporting a campus event
Faculty opportunities
- Arts
- Science
- Health
- Engineering
- Environment
- Math

You will be required to provide the name and contact information of the person who can verify your experience.

If you need support finding an activity or would like to discuss off-campus/community opportunities, please contact Sam Germann.

Step three: Submit your reflection

After finishing the four workshops and 10 leadership hours, complete this short, guided reflection. Take your time to connect what you learned in workshops and from your experience by answering three questions.

The reflection is the final component of the program and can be completed in written, video, PowerPoint, or ePortfolio format.

Please find full details and submission portal for your reflection on the Certify page.