Essential Skills in DeKalb County
In 2003, the DeKalb County Community Foundation launched the CommunityWorks initiative to serve as a catalyst for change and community leadership. With input gathered from across DeKalb County, IL the Foundation identified three key areas where long-term investment could make a lasting difference: early care and education, land use, and workforce development.
Thanks to 20 CommunityWorks Funds and the generosity of local donors, more than $100,000 is generated annually to support efforts in these areas—fueling collaboration, innovation, and tangible impact across the county.
As part of its commitment to workforce development, the Community Foundation actively supports the development of essential skills among youth throughout the county. Essential skills—sometimes called soft skills—refer to the social, personal, and communication abilities that help individuals collaborate, lead, and succeed in both school and the workplace. These skills complement the technical or “hard” skills needed for specific jobs.
The Foundation’s goal is twofold:
Strengthen essential skills education for middle and high school students
Increase employer engagement in preparing youth for the workforce
Guided by the Foundation’s Workforce Development Committee, and powered by strong community partnerships, this initiative continues to create meaningful momentum in helping youth prepare for future success.
For questions or additional information, please contact Grants & Community Initiatives Director Jolene Willis at 815-748-5383 or j.willis@dekalbccf.org.
Essential Skills Resources
Essential Skills For Success Wheel
To support workforce readiness in DeKalb County youth, the Community Foundation collaborated with local middle school educators to identify 16 key soft skills essential to success in school, work, and life. This collaboration led to the creation of the Essential Skills for Success Wheel—a visual tool designed to highlight and reinforce these skills in classrooms and youth programs.
The Wheel has been copyrighted and shared with area schools and organizations working with middle school students, providing a practical way to build awareness and strengthen soft skills development early on.
Essential Skills Video Series
The Essential Skills Video Series was created to emphasize the value of soft skills among middle and high school youth. This free, engaging resource includes five short videos designed to spark conversation, reflection, and learning around essential skills needed for success in school, work, and life.
Whether you're an educator, parent, mentor, or student, the series offers practical examples and discussion prompts to reinforce these vital life skills in a fun and accessible way.
The Community Foundation's commitment and support to essential skills and workforce development is supported by 20 CommunityWorks Funds, collectively generating over $100,000 annually. We sincerely thank the generous donors whose support makes this work possible.
