The UTI was established in March of 1998 by two Church/School Community Organizers. The UTI was born out of the need for trained leaders expressed by Developing Communities Project (DCP) a church/based organization on the south side of Chicago.

Michael Evans and Debra Strickland were trained by the Gamaliel Foundation. Using their expertise gained in over 11 years of community organizing and leadership development, they have trained more than 1000 community leaders.

The list of training courses offered by The UTI:

• Building Relationships
• Issues Versus Problems
• A Building or a Church
• Politics the Church and the Community
• Time Use it or Loose It
• Conducting Effective Meetings
• Power, Who Has It?
• Private Life versus Public Life
• Should African Americans Vote?
• How To Develop Core Teams & Task Forces
  *Community Outreach Strategies that Work
  *Organized People In Society = Real Leadership
  *A Functioning Local School Council.
  *What Happens After You Win The Fight? (Life after issues victories)
  *The Importance of An Issues Assembly.
  *The Importance of Agitation. (The positive use of anger)
  *Cutting Issues for Action.