Leadership development forms the core of POWER’s work. We believe that to win our fights and build a movement that can really change San Francisco and the world, we need to build new worker and community leaders.  Our leaders are members that have the capacity to lead both within the organization and in the development of progressive anti-poverty policy. To accomplish this we must create spaces for members of POWER to sharpen their ability to analyze their situation and develop organizing skills and tactics for change. POWER has developed a comprehensive program to give our members an opportunity to further develop as leaders.

FANTASTIC FRIDAYS · The first Friday of every month, POWER members get together to discuss various issues to better understand our work and the world around us. The education sessions create a space for members to analyze and discuss a variety of topics that directly relate to our work and help us to build a strong multi-racial and multi-cultural organization. All of the Fantastic Friday sessions increase the effectiveness of our leadership development, alliance-building, and campaign work.

POWER UNIVERSITY · In order to help members to become leaders of the organization, POWER established POWER University (PU) 100 and 200 Series.  The POWER University 100 Series is our nine-week, leadership development institute designed to deepen new members’ understanding of POWER’s mission, history and current work and to increase their ability to participate in the organization. In 2004, 50 POWER members graduated from the 100 series of PU.  POWER also offers the University 200 Series for graduates of the PU 100 Series.  Through this sixteen-week institute, participants learn advanced organizing skills and explore the political and economic context of the Bay Area. We conducted the 200 series for the first time in 2004 with participation from 15 of POWER’s veteran leaders.

ONE-ON-ONE'S · All POWER members have regular one-on-one's with either other lead members or organizers.  The one-on-one's allow members to discuss their ideas and feelings about how the work is proceeding, and reflect on how to make the work and their own participation more effective.  POWER staff conduct the one-on-one's with leading members of POWER, while experienced leading members conduct one-on-one's with newer members.

MEMBER INTERNSHIP · Organizing is a skill best learned with the support of a mentor. POWER developed the Member Internship to train low-income people as skilled community organizers.  Every four months, two POWER members participate in a paid internship.  They work under the supervision of POWER’s staff organizers and gain hands-on experience in community outreach, recruitment, campaign development, and building the leadership skills of others. Former POWER interns have gone on to gain employment as community and labor organizers.