The EPIC Leadership Center develops moral and ethical everyday leaders throughout vulnerable communities. This is our methodology for transforming people and their communities.
Both the development and transformation of character depend upon consistent reinforcement of good personal choices. For this reason, EPIC Everyday Leadership Workshops are available from Grades 3 - 12. Further, the at-risk youth graduating into High School become leaders to younger children, which reinforces all they have learned in EPIC’s workshops.
In July 1992, Josephson Institute convened in Aspen, Colorado a diverse group of ethicists and educators to find common ground for establishing a character institute.
EPIC can find no better anchor on which to base our development of everyday leaders.
⦁ The next generation will be the stewards of our communities, nation, and planet in extraordinarily critical times
⦁ The present and future well-being of our society requires an involved, caring citizenry with good moral character.
⦁ People do not automatically develop good moral character; therefore, conscientious efforts must be made to instruct young people in the values and abilities necessary for moral decision-making and conduct.
⦁ Effective character education is based on core ethical values rooted in democratic society. In particular, trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship.
⦁ These core ethical values transcend cultural, religious, and socioeconomic differences.
⦁ Character education is, first and foremost, an obligation of families and faith communities, but schools and youth-service organizations also have a responsibility to develop the character of young people.
⦁ These responsibilities are best achieved when these groups work in concert.
⦁ The character and conduct of our youth reflect the character and conduct of society; therefore, every adult has the responsibility to teach and model the core ethical values, and every social institution has the responsibility to promote the development of good character. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.-Matthew 7:12
In seeking a universally accepted standard for moral and ethical behavior, the Josephson Institute settled on the time-tested principle of the Golden Rule. The law of universality consists of this,
“Do only those acts that you’re willing to allow to become universal standards of behavior applicable to all people in similar situations. Ask yourself: If everyone did it, would it be a good thing?”
Most religions and cultures have a Golden Rule in one form or another that guides moral conduct. By using the Golden Rule principle as our standard, the EPIC Leadership Center is able to teach character in any culture.
Eugene Peterson, a gifted American scholar, has offered this new translation of the Golden Rule.
“Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.
EPIC’s focus is on “grabbing the initiative.”
If you can imagine people living out this version of the Golden Rule in neighborhoods marked by poverty and crime, you can grasp the scope of what EPIC is doing.