An updated curriculum reaching the right target audience is what will be needed to restart a program to possibly get more racial minorities involved in community boards.

Tory Irgang, United Way of Southern Chautauqua County executive director, said she doesn’t know how long it would take to restart the United Way’s program known as ”Project Blueprint.” However, with new interest concerning racial diversity in the community, Irgang said the opportune time is now to restart the program.

”I’ve had several people reach out to me from the perspective they want to have new voices on their board. It is something people want to see,” she said. ”Right now, this moment in time in our community, we have a lot of engagement from a lot of voices. It seems like the right opportunity to get folks engaged or to have them recruit friends and neighbors.”

Project Blueprint was designed to develop leadership for community organizations, promote volunteerism on boards and committees of the United Way, its member agencies, local governments and other community organizations, with a special emphasis on the increased representation of people of color.

Participants attended 21 hours of training, including two observations of board meetings. Workshop topics included board basics, board ethics and legal issues, strategic planning and fundraising, problem solving, team building, communication and understanding a financial statement. Project Blueprint also includes direction and placement.

Irgang said an updated curriculum for the program would be needed before it could be restarted. She said when the program was operated previously in the community, it might not have been attracting those the program was intended to reach.

”Getting the curriculum updated and identifying the participants is the most critical piece and is what we need to do right,” she said. ”We need to make sure it is delivered to the desired target audience and has long-term benefits. We need to dedicate the time and resources to do this correctly.”

Earlier this month, Irgang said Project Blueprint was halted about four years ago. She said Project Blueprint did a quality job of educating young people about being a board member, but wasn’t doing a good job of reaching racial minorities. However, Irgang said with assistance from those in the Hispanic community, the program might be more effective if it is restarted. She said, following the Hispanic Immersion Action Team’s meeting with Hispanic pastors, those working in Hispanic churches might be able to attract more racial minorities to participate in Project Blueprint.

Once someone has graduated from the Project Blueprint program, Irgang said the United Way could help the graduate find a position on a board that is most suited for their skill set and their passion. She said the United Way would catalog a graduate’s skills and their passions. Then when the United Way is contacted by a community organization needing a board member, they could connect them with the most appropriate graduate of Project Blueprint.

”For example, when an agency would call us saying they need someone with a public relations background, we can easily identify the right person for them,” she said. ”At the end, it is really important to have placement happen as soon as possible. Give them the opportunity to serve right away.”

Irgang said those who are interested in serving their community don’t have to wait for a program like Project Blueprint to be restarted.

”If you are passionate and educated on the issues, any nonprofit is eager to have passionate board members who bring a diverse skill set with them,” she said. ”What Project Blueprint can do is give confidence to those who want to enter a board room. This helps boards because the board member has an education in board governance.”