Empowering youth to be leaders is one of the most important things that we can do to create a better future for all. When young people are empowered to lead, they are more likely to make a positive difference in their communities, their schools, and their world.

So, how can professionals who work with young people empower them to be leaders? Here are a few tips:

1. Create a Safe and Supportive Environment
2. Provide Leadership Opportunities
3. Mentoring and Coaching
4. Celebrate Successes
5. Conclusion
6. Additional Resources

Create a Safe and Supportive Environment

The first step to empowering youth to be leaders is to create a safe and supportive environment where they feel comfortable taking risks, learning from their mistakes, and sharing their ideas. This means creating a culture of respect and inclusion, where all young people feel valued and supported.

It is also important to help young people to develop their self-confidence and self-efficacy. This means helping them to believe in their ability to lead and to accomplish their goals.

To create a safe and supportive environment for youth, you can:

• Establish clear expectations and boundaries. This includes having a code of conduct that outlines acceptable and unacceptable behaviours. It is important to communicate these expectations clearly to youth and to enforce them consistently.
• Create a culture of respect and inclusion. This means valuing all youth, regardless of their background, identity, or experiences. It also means ensuring that all youth feel safe and comfortable sharing their ideas and opinions.
• Promote positive communication and conflict resolution skills. This means teaching youth how to communicate effectively with each other, even when they disagree. It also means teaching them how to resolve conflict peacefully.
• Provide opportunities for youth to participate in decision-making and problem-solving. This helps youth to feel empowered and to develop their leadership skills.
• Build relationships with youth. This means taking the time to get to know youth individually and to build trust with them. It also means being supportive and available to them when they need help.

Specific things you can do to create a safe and supportive environment for youth in your program or setting:

• Create a physical space that is welcoming and inclusive. This means having a space that is clean, well-lit, and comfortable. It also means having a space that is decorated in a way that reflects the diversity of the youth you serve.
• Have a clear and accessible grievance procedure in place. This means having a procedure that youth can follow if they feel unsafe or unsupported. It also means ensuring that the procedure is fair and effective.
• Provide training to staff and volunteers on how to create a safe and supportive environment for youth. This training should cover topics such as child abuse prevention, bullying prevention, and LGBTQ+ inclusion.
• Regularly evaluate your program or setting to ensure that it is safe and supportive for youth. This may involve conducting surveys or interviews with youth, staff, and volunteers.

By taking these steps, you can create a safe and supportive environment where youth can thrive.

Provide Leadership Opportunities

One of the best ways to empower youth to be leaders is to give them opportunities to lead. This means providing them with opportunities to take on leadership roles in their communities, schools, and extracurricular activities.

Professionals who work with young people can help to identify leadership opportunities for young people based on their strengths and interests. They can also support young people to develop and implement their own leadership projects and initiatives.

There are many ways to provide leadership opportunities for youth. Here are a few ideas:

• Create leadership positions within your program or organisation. This could include positions such as youth council members, peer mentors, or committee chairs.
• Provide youth with opportunities to lead projects and initiatives. This could include things like planning and implementing a community service project, starting a new club or organisation, or developing a new program or activity.
• Encourage youth to participate in decision-making and problem-solving. This could involve things like having youth input on program planning, budgeting, and staff hiring decisions.
• Send youth to leadership conferences and trainings. This is a great way for youth to learn about leadership from experts and to network with other youth leaders.
• Connect youth with mentors and coaches. Mentors and coaches can provide youth with guidance and support as they develop their leadership skills.

Here are some specific examples of leadership opportunities you can provide for youth:

• Have youth lead warm-up activities or games at the beginning of a program or meeting.
• Have youth give presentations or lead discussions on topics they are interested in.
• Have youth help to plan and implement field trips or community service projects.
• Have youth lead committees or task forces on specific issues or projects.
• Have youth represent your program or organisation at community events or meetings.
• Have youth serve on your board of directors or advisory council.

When providing leadership opportunities for youth, it is important to keep the following things in mind:

• Make sure the opportunities are aligned with the youth’s interests and skills.
• Provide youth with the support and resources they need to be successful.
• Recognize and celebrate the youth’s leadership contributions.

By providing youth with leadership opportunities, you can help them to develop the skills and confidence they need to be successful in life.

Mentoring and Coaching

Mentorship and coaching can play a vital role in empowering youth to be leaders. Mentors and coaches can provide young people with guidance, support, and feedback. They can also help young people to develop their leadership skills and knowledge.

Professionals who work with young people can help to connect young people with mentors and coaches who are aligned with their values and goals. They can also provide training and support for mentors and coaches who are working with youth.

There are many ways to provide mentorship and coaching opportunities for youth. Here are a few ideas:

• Create a formal mentorship program within your program or organisation. This could involve matching youth with mentors who are aligned with their interests and goals. Mentors can provide youth with guidance, support, and feedback on a regular basis.
• Connect youth with mentors in the community. This could involve partnering with local businesses, schools, or nonprofits to identify mentors for youth.
• Encourage staff and volunteers to mentor youth. This is a great way to leverage the expertise and experience of your staff and volunteers to support youth.
• Provide training and support for mentors. This could involve providing mentors with resources on youth development, mentorship best practices, and how to create a safe and supportive environment for youth.

Specific things you can do to provide mentorship and coaching opportunities for youth:

• Identify potential mentors within your program or organisation. This could include staff, volunteers, board members, or community members.
• Create a database of potential mentors and their areas of expertise. This will help you to match youth with mentors who are aligned with their interests and goals.
• Develop a mentorship agreement. This agreement should outline the expectations for both the mentor and the mentee.
• Provide regular support and supervision for mentors. This could involve meeting with mentors individually or in groups to discuss their progress and to provide support.
• Recognize and celebrate the contributions of mentors. This could involve sending mentors thank-you notes, giving them awards, or featuring them in your program’s newsletter or website.

When providing mentorship and coaching opportunities for youth, it is important to keep the following things in mind:

• Make sure that mentors are screened and trained before being matched with youth.
• Provide youth with the opportunity to choose their own mentors. This will help to ensure that the relationship is a good fit for both the mentor and the mentee.
• Encourage mentors and mentees to meet regularly. This will help to build trust and rapport.
• Provide mentors and mentees with resources and support. This could include things like providing them with meeting spaces, training materials, and access to other professionals.
• Recognize and celebrate the successes of mentors and mentees. This will help to motivate them to continue their relationship.

By providing youth with mentorship and coaching opportunities, you can help them to develop the skills and confidence they need to be successful in life.

Celebrate Successes

It is important to recognize and celebrate the successes of youth leaders, both big and small. This helps to boost their self-confidence and motivation. It also sends the message that their leadership contributions are valued and appreciated.

Professionals who work with young people can publicly acknowledge and recognize the leadership contributions of youth. They can also amplify the voices and stories of youth leaders.

Conclusion

Empowering youth to be leaders is an essential investment in the future. By creating a safe and supportive environment, providing leadership opportunities, and offering mentorship and coaching, we can help young people to develop the skills and confidence they need to lead.

Additional Resources

Here is a list of resources where you can learn more about empowering youth to be leaders:

• The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award: https://www.intaward.org/ 
• The World Scout Organization: https://www.scout.org/ 
• The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts: https://www.wagggs.org/ 
• Center for Creative Leadership: https://www.ccl.org/ 
• National Association of Secondary School Principals: https://www.nassp.org/ 
• Young Nonprofit Professionals Network: https://www.ynpn.org/ 

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: https://www.bgca.org/ 
• Girl Scouts of the USA: https://www.girlscouts.org/ 
• 4-H: https://4h.unl.edu/
• Plan International: https://plan-international.org/ 
• Save the Children: https://www.savethechildren.org/ 
• United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF): https://www.unicef.org/