User:Photolimo/DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative

DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative The DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative (DVULI) is a philanthropic program created by the Rich DeVos family of Amway. Rich challenged his kids to come together around a single program that the family could fund together. In 1996 the family decided to focus on at-risk urban youth. Through a process of research with hundreds involved they concluded that there was a huge need for leadership development in this area. They hired consultants to put a program together. In 1998 a pilot program was born. It was not about ‘how to do youth programs’ but rather how to teach how to think critically and identify the next steps for development. Out of the pilot program they identified that individual development (help you to stay in ministry and finish well), ministry development (replicate leadership; increase scope or impact of ministry), and community collaboration were the key points they needed to focus on.