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WI today: Women Involved! AALP aims to improve lives of rural families The Federated Women 's Institutes of Ontario pledged $5,000 in 1985 to aid a new provincial leadership development program aimed at preparing rural leaders to meet the challenges of tomorrow. At the time the $5, 000 Commitment was made to the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP), a proposal was put forth that the F W10 donate an additional $5,000 to the program in 1986. The total amount of $l0.000 would be used to co ver the cost ofdfour-day seminarfor the 30 participants of the program. F W10 representatives will be asked to vote on the second $5,000 contribuâ€" tion when the board's annual meeting takes place in November. The following stories were prepared by Home & Country to make F W10 members more aware of AA LP and the significance of rheirfinancial support to the agricultural leadership program. Trying to explain the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program in 20 words or less is like trying to squeeze the Sunday edition of The New York Times into your dainty beaded evening purse. It just can‘t be done without drop- ping a lot of important parts, thus withholding valuable information from the reader. So, instead of giving you just a rough sketch of AALP, you’re about to get the complete picture â€" with lots of color and detail thrown in for good measure. Ready? Okay, then pour yourself a cup of tea, put your feet up and read on about what AALP board members hope will become one of your pet projects in future. Jack Hagarty provides continuing education oppor~ tunities for those who have already demonstrated leadership skills. en- suring a pool of knowledgeable and effective leaders in agriculture and The Advanced Agricultural Leader- ship Program is aimed at developing well-rounded people, who are skilled in communication, educated in naâ€" tional and world affairs and familiar with the changing needs of our soâ€" cicty. The program is primarily designed for men and women in the early stages of their leadership careers â€" usually about 25 to 40 years old. Participants can be farmers, employees of agriculâ€" turally-related businesses, or individ- uals committed to Ontario agriculture. A group of 30 participants is selected following an interview process. Modelled from the most successful components of more than 20 state agricultural and rural leadership pro- grams in the United States, AALP rural Ontario. The objectives of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program are: C To increase the participants‘ aware- ness of Ontario’s agricultural in- dustry in relation to the national and international community. I To expand the participants’ under- standing of the Canadian eco- nomic, political, cultural and social system. ' To broaden the participants’ per- spectives on the major issues face ing society. I To increase the participants’ abili» ties to analyze and react to the complex problems facing people, agricultural systems and rural communities. The program consists of 55 days (including 10 seminars), in North American study travel and an inter- national study travel. The seminars actually take up 30 of the 55 days. Subject material is drawn from the areas of political science, economics, sociology, com- munications. philosophy, history and education. Each seminar is a mix- ture of classroom and field activity. Seminar topics include: policy and decisionâ€"making, effective lobbying. international trade, labor unions, business management. foreign aid. exchange in commodity markets, social welfare, media, taxation, en- vironmental issues, money, banking and credit. and trends in agriculture and society. (continued on page 12) ll