America Walks and AARP South Dakota invites advocates for walkable, more livable communities to apply for a six-month Fellowship with the South Dakota State Walking College.

Residents of South Dakota who are interested in the program and able to commit 4-6 hours per week from June to November are invited to complete this online application form no later than Thursday, March 31, 2022. Fellowships are limited and the application process is competitive. 

“AARP South Dakota strives to help cities and towns adopt good design practices to become great places, and even lifelong homes, for people of all ages,” said Lindsey Holmquest, Associate State Director of Community Outreach at AARP South Dakota. “We believe that communities should provide safe, walkable streets; age-friendly transportation options; access to needed services; and opportunities for residents of all ages to participate in community life.”

Fellows will complete a series of modules covering leadership development, coalition-building, walkable community design, local public policy, and strategic planning.  The instructional content includes online study materials, video-conferenced discussion forums with other Fellows, and community assignments.  Each Fellow will receive one-on-one coaching from a Personal Mentor to assist them in developing a Walking Action Plan for their community. 

The overall goal of the Walking College curriculum is to build the capacity of local advocates to advance policy, systems, and environment change to create healthy, walkable communities throughout the state. 

Training modules focus on the following areas:

• How We Got Here – transportation policy, systemic injustice, accessible communities

• Developing Leadership - inspiring others, story-telling, starting a movement, cultivating champions

• Organizing for Change - strategic communications, campaigns and organizing, events and programs

• Designing for People - walk audits, pedestrian infrastructure, traffic calming, place-making

• Shifting Public Policy - local government, public policy, complete streets, vision zero, resisting gentrification
  

This statewide program is modeled after the Walking College – America Walks’ six-month, distance-education program for walkable community advocates across the country. Visit www.AARP.org/LivableCommunities to learn more about how AARP supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and rural areas to be great places for people of all ages.

Please contact America Walks’ Ian Thomas with any questions.