Developing youth leadership : a trend or a necessity ?

By: Sanaa Saidi

In a rapidly changing world, youth leadership is an important topic of discussion. Youth play a vital role in shaping the future,which makes the development of effective youth leadership crucial. 

Youth leadership is an important issue in modern society. The world is changing at an increasing pace , and young people are the heart of these changes; making it crucial to have young leaders who help shape the future. Numerous studies have examined the importance of youth leadership and have developed models for effective youth leadership. In this article, we will examine the key features of these approaches and explore why youth leadership development is a necessity rather than a trend.

 One such model is presented by Laura Brannelly and Mark Dooney in their paper « Youth Leadership: Modeling Best Practices. » The model emphasizes four key elements that are essential to developing effective youth leadership: relationship building, opportunities to learn and grow, promoting youth voice and choice, and community engagement .

 First, building relationships is central to youth leadership development. Youth leaders have the need to connect to supportive adults, as well as to their peers and community. Feeling a tangible support is highly important for young people, as they have an undeniable need to feel valued and respected . 

Second, it is important to provide young leaders with learning and development opportunities in order  to develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. Providing these opportunities for youth leaders are effective investments to the future of our communities and an empowering approach into pushing young people to make a difference. 

Third, the promotion of youth voice and choice making is fundamental in the development of effective youth leadership.It is indeed the community’s responsibility to push its youth to contribute to the decision making process as well as creating a space for them to share their thoughts and perspective. 

In conclusion, youth leadership development is far from being a trend, it is in fact a necessity in modern society. The model we presented  highlights the importance of providing leadership opportunities to youth in order to make a positive difference in their communities.