The General Assembly finds and declares that this Commonwealth has the largest rural population of any state in the nation. However, many rural communities in this Commonwealth rely on volunteer leadership to manage public affairs. The General Assembly recognizes that this dependence on volunteer leadership is the result of limited financial and instructional resources which serve to impede a rural community's ability to develop a pool of qualified leaders. It is further recognized that qualified local leadership is needed to resolve the complicated economic and social problems of contemporary society. Accordingly, the General Assembly finds and declares that an educational program aimed at encouraging the development of a pool of qualified leaders will provide the local leadership essential to growth and will enable rural communities to effectively meet the challenges of the 21st century.