youth leadership essay

Essay on Youth Leadership

Students are often asked to write an essay on Youth Leadership in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Youth Leadership

What is youth leadership.

Youth leadership is when young people take charge and guide others. It’s not just about being the boss. It’s about listening, learning, and helping everyone work together. Young leaders can be in schools, teams, or community groups. They show others how to be brave, solve problems, and make good choices.

Why is Youth Leadership Important?

When young people lead, they grow. They become more confident and learn how to talk with others. They also inspire their friends and classmates. Leaders can make a big difference in their schools and neighborhoods by starting projects that help everyone.

How to Become a Young Leader?

Becoming a leader starts with caring. Find something you’re passionate about, like sports, art, or helping people. Learn all you can about it. Then, share your ideas and get others excited. Remember, being a leader means being kind, fair, and always ready to listen.

250 Words Essay on Youth Leadership

Youth leadership is about young people taking charge and making a difference in their communities. It’s like being the captain of a team, where you guide others and work together to achieve goals. Young leaders are not just thinking about themselves but are also helping their friends and neighbors.

When young people lead, they learn important skills like speaking in public, planning, and making smart choices. These skills are like tools that help them do well in school and later in life. Also, when kids and teenagers lead, they show adults and other young people that age does not stop anyone from making positive changes.

How Can You Become a Youth Leader?

To become a youth leader, you can start small. Maybe you can help plan a fun day at school or clean up a park in your area. You can also join groups that focus on things you care about, like protecting the environment or helping animals. The key is to care about something and then do something about it.

Challenges Young Leaders Face

Being a leader isn’t always easy. Sometimes, other people might not listen to you because you’re young. But don’t let that stop you. Keep trying, and show them what you can do. Remember, every big leader once started out as a young person with a dream, just like you.

In Conclusion

Youth leadership is a bright path that leads to learning, helping others, and growing into a person who can change the world. It’s about starting now, where you are, with what you have. So why wait? You can be a leader today!

500 Words Essay on Youth Leadership

Youth leadership is when young people, often still in school, take the lead in organizing and guiding others to achieve a goal or improve something. Imagine a captain of a sports team or a class president; these are examples of young leaders. They are not grown-ups yet, but they have big ideas and the courage to act on them. These young folks show us that you don’t need to be an adult to make a difference in your community or the world.

Qualities of Young Leaders

Great young leaders have some special traits. They are confident, which means they believe in themselves and their ideas. They are also good at working with others because getting things done usually means working as a team. Being a good listener is important too. Leaders need to hear what others have to say to make the best choices. Lastly, they are not afraid to try new things, even if they might fail. They know that making mistakes is part of learning.

Why Youth Leadership Matters

When young people lead, it’s good for everyone. They bring fresh ideas and energy that can help solve old problems in new ways. They also inspire other young people to believe in themselves and to try to make a difference. When a young person leads by example, it shows their friends and classmates that they too can be leaders in their own way.

How Young Leaders Make an Impact

Young leaders do all sorts of things to make an impact. Some might start a club at school to clean up the environment. Others might raise money for people who need help. Some even speak out on big issues like climate change or human rights. They use their voice, their time, and their creativity to bring about positive changes.

Challenges Faced by Young Leaders

Being a young leader isn’t always easy. Sometimes adults don’t take young people seriously, or friends might not want to join in. It can be hard to balance schoolwork, leadership tasks, and just being a kid. Despite these challenges, young leaders keep going because they know their work is important.

Supporting Youth Leadership

Everyone can support young leaders. Teachers and parents can encourage them and give them chances to lead. Friends can join their projects and help spread their ideas. Communities can create spaces where young people can share their thoughts and plans. When everyone helps, young leaders can do even more amazing things.

Youth leadership is about brave young people taking charge and working to make things better. They show us that age is just a number and that even the youngest among us can lead the way. They face challenges, but with support, they can overcome them and do great things. By cheering on these young leaders, we make sure that the future is bright and full of hope.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Happy studying!

Student Essay: The Power of Stories to Inspire Strong Leaders

Google Classroom:

Maya S. is a Muslim, Egyptian and student athlete who has lived in Saudi Arabia for most of her life. She is 16 and a junior at the American International School of Riyadh, where she is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program.

In this Student Essay of the Week, Maya talks about how building a platform for others to share their stories has helped her understand why welcoming diversity of thought and experience will make her a stronger, more empathetic leader.

Three steps forward and two steps back. That was my reality during the privilege walk.

In October 2018, I was selected along with 50 other high school students to attend a leadership trip to a farm outside Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We believed that we were all going to learn about how to become leaders with strong voices. However, the trip took a completely unexpected and inspiring turn. Instead, we left knowing how to listen first and speak second.

At the farm, we participated in an activity called a privilege walk , where we were asked to step forward or backward in response to certain questions. From the responses, it became obvious that all of us were struggling with something that those around us knew nothing about.

I learned that the girl beside me once wondered where her next meal would come from. The girl beside her was afraid to leave the house at night because she had been assaulted. The boy to my left had been held at gunpoint. And the boy beside him had a mental disorder. This realization hit me hard. I was able to understand that although it’s impossible for us all to experience the same things, it is possible for us to try and listen to each other and understand each other’s differences. I began to appreciate the meaning of finding beauty in diversity. During that trip I learned that true leaders listen to the voices of others, and as a result they are able to enrich their own points of view.

“Living with anxiety is like feeling alive through the motions of life, but never freely living. It’s being aware of my surroundings, but lost in another world inside my head.”

During the summer of that year, someone I loved dearly was faced with medical issues, and my family began dealing with a lot of uncertainty. Even when it was all over, I felt lost and changed. I couldn’t explain it, but I wished that someone understood. I then began thinking of the people standing around me that day in Riyadh during the privilege walk, and everyone around the world like us. Did we all feel the same desire to be understood? How could we all feel seen and valued, regardless of our stories? I wanted to hear more about the stories of all those kids I met that day in line. I wanted to understand how we all ended up there, despite our different paths. I wanted to create something that would allow them to express their stories.

That summer, I started Voice of Change , a weblog that allows other teenagers to contribute writing that reflects the experiences that have shaped them. The first story I received was “Purpose,” from a girl struggling with depression. She wrote, “Purpose: a reason, a given, motivation , a point. We all live life because we have a purpose. We realize that there is a point, we have motivation and a reason to live. We look forward to things and create opportunities for ourselves. We see a future. Imagine living life feeling as though you have no purpose… That means no reason, no motivation, simply no point… the best way to describe this feeling is as if [you’re] dead. This feeling is depression.”

After I posted the article, which talked about how depression impacted the author’s life, I received comments, emails and texts from others saying that the article communicated what they needed to hear and couldn’t put into words. This initial response fueled the rest of my work. I began receiving other stories about challenging experiences, ranging from sexual assault and racial discrimination, to losing a loved one and struggling with body image. Here are a few powerful quotes from these articles:

“I’m not sure who or what I’m living for, but I’d never want to risk my family members feeling as I do right now. It’s okay that I’m suffering right now, because I have faith that it will pass, eventually it will.” – “Live On”

“I am not ignorant because I’m Arab. I’m not a terrorist because I’m Muslim. I am not a thug because I’m black. I am not who I am because of what you see on the news. I am who I am because of what I’ve been through, and what I have become.” – “Assume”

“Living with anxiety is like feeling alive through the motions of life, but never freely living. It’s being aware of my surroundings but lost in another world inside my head.” – “I Choose Life”

I see my Voice of Change journey as having so much to do with becoming a better leader. It has helped me to see clearly the type of leader I hope to become. I have developed a stronger perspective by understanding the voices and stories of others. I have become more empathetic to other people’s struggles, a quality I will need when I run my own business one day. You can’t understand your customers’ wants or your employees’ needs if you don’t listen and appreciate where they’re coming from. Also, Voice of Change has shown me how much our experiences shape us and contribute to how we see the world and solve problems. Each person offers a unique voice and a different perspective – all powerful and important in their own way.

Conversation Starters

What is empathy and why is it such an important leadership quality? How is empathy related to storytelling? Use the Related Links with this article if you need to better understand empathy.

How have your experiences shaped you? Share your story in the Comment section of this article.

Maya writes that she has come to appreciate “how much our experiences shape us and contribute to how we see the world and solve problems.” Diversity of thought is incredibly powerful in the business world. Why does it hold such value? How does it enrich the team dynamic and important outcomes?

6 comments on “ Student Essay: The Power of Stories to Inspire Strong Leaders ”

Hi Maya, Thank you for sharing your fantastic story with us. Being able to appreciate the people around you and, in first place, yourself is one of the major keys to success and, most importantly, happiness in life, at least according to my experience. We all come from different environments and experiences, the same ones which make us who we are, in our uniqueness and diversity, as you clearly and beautifully stated in your essay. Appreciation is one of those emotions, if that’s how we want to define it, I have learned to consider and embrace later in life, but it is surely the one all the rest comes down to: appreciation for life, appreciation for love from our beloved ones… Having dealt throughout life with friends who coped with depression and anxiety, I can say I have experienced the emotional upheaval that tends to follow this kind of acknowledgements. It gives you a completely different perspective on the world, on the people that surround you and on the way you look at your very own life. On the other hand, I’ve been lucky enough to feel the wonderful sense of relief and joy which comes after helping this people, which taught me the value of the word, indeed, appreciation. In the same way I’ve been able to help my dearest friends deal with these horrible feelings and find a way out of them, I find what you have done with this very same individuals awesome: not only giving them a voice through the blog, but giving their peers the chance to find sympathy and reassurance in their words. Keep it up! And take care.

Sonder – n. The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness (The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows).

I believe that sonder, a short and simple made-up word to describe a complex feeling, perfectly captures the spirit of Maya and her article. Maya realized the complexity of the lives of those around her, that every stranger on the leadership trip had their own unique story to tell, filled with their personal struggles. She reaches the conclusion that “each person offers a unique voice and a different perspective – all powerful and important in their own way.”

Sonder, and more broadly, empathy, is a crucial element of being a good leader. I had my own moment of sonder last summer when I had the opportunity to volunteer at my local Chinese senior center. I started volunteering there because I had to fill my school’s requirement for service hours but ended up gaining much more out of it than that. At first, I was wary of taking on the job because my Chinese conversational skills were acceptable at best and rudimentary at worst. However, I quickly found that the seniors were very welcoming and were just happy that someone was willing to sacrifice their time to help out. I performed tasks such as preparing and serving food as well as helped teach ESL and citizenship classes. I learned about the hard work ethic of the workers and volunteers around me while washing apples. I learned about the amiability and habits of the seniors in the lunchroom. There would always be those in the back table playing cards, the younger seniors chatting in the front, and the seasoned mahjong players upstairs. I even had the chance to hear some of their rich stories, stories of their journeys of emigrating from communist China, stories of their successful children, stories of their war experiences, and stories of their hope in America. I truly understood that these seniors, whom I would not have given a second glance on the street, lived such deep and meaningful lives, each of which would be a thrilling standalone novel.

Just like Maya learned to understand those from different backgrounds, I was able to empathize with these seniors and develop an appreciation for their experiences. We should all have empathy for each other in this world full of division and hatred. Sonder helps us have that empathy not only with those close to us but with everyone around us.

When I became the youngest Student Council President of my school, my idea of a strong leader was someone who could command and lead a group of people with total authority the way they like it. So, that’s what I tried to do during my early days as a leader. I thought I would be a strong leader by commanding the student council and demonstrating my full authority over the rest. But after the first month, like Maya, the experience of being a leader took a completely unexpected and inspiring turn. I learned, like Maya, that you have to listen first and speak second. It is by listening to others that makes you a stronger leader because it is easier to command and display your authority. But it is harder to swallow your pride and listen to others when their opinions or stories differ from yours.

Therefore, in the Student Council that I am in, I launched an initiative called “Listen Monday” with the purpose of listening to everyone’s opinions and views in the student council and utilizing them for the betterment of the school.

By understanding the voices of others it has helped me develop a better perspective. I have become more empathetic to others. Listening to others has allowed me to see the full picture that I have never seen. And because I see the bigger picture, I realized that other’s experiences can help shape how I see the world and solve problems. As Maya said, each person offers a unique voice and a different perspective, all-powerful and important in their own way.

I want to thank Maya for inspiring me.

I want to thank Maya for inspiring me to become a better leader.

Hello L Dau K!

Thank you for sharing your experience and lessons as a student council president. Listening to your implementation of listening Mondays has brought me back to a time when I was the storyteller, pouring my life out, not to a student council president, but to my mother.

Before the story begins, I must tell you about my mother. She is a very successful corporate leader of hundreds of people. Of course, when it comes to life, she’s never lost her footing when it comes to parenting. Her dogma for me was always the same as that for her employees. She required me to write a time schedule and reflect on life every day and report my academic progress to her with a PowerPoint presentation every week. Similar to your listening Mondays, but coerced. Of course, these rules also apply to her employees. I argued with her countless times, berating her for treating me, at the time, a 12-year-old, as her employee. Perhaps you have already begun to detest my mother’s parenting philosophy, or that she is just another derelict mother who neglects her children’s emotional needs to give her career 100%. But she was a mother for the first time, and I as her oldest child witnessed her growth and how she became a leader, both to her employees and to me.

Where should I begin my story with this leader? As I counted the episodes that flashed through my mind, neither the long conversation in the evening breeze nor the laughing conversation in the dark living room seemed like the most appropriate beginning of the story. Puzzled, I put down my thoughts and sat down to recall the beginning of our conversations. There’s no longer nameless fear and tension when she approaches me, dreading to hear what she has to say. Instead, I always walked up to her when I found her alone, and the dialogue always began with a sigh. I told her many stories about young love, friends, hobbies, and self-reflection, all parts of me that I was reluctant to reveal in PowerPoints. She is busy all day but never said no when I started a conversation. I could feel that she valued every part of our communication, regardless of how nonsensical it was, taking it wholeheartedly. She would sit down and listen to every word I had to say, and she would take to heart every hint of emotion I tried to convey. She did her best to understand my passions, cater to my needs, and embrace my sentiments. And that’s one of the most valuable lessons she’s taught me as a leader.

My mother’s growth as a leader came naturally to her as she listened to every ebullient story and every heart-wrenching sob. She did what many leaders, even in family relationships, fail to do: give the most attention to her children and subordinates, dwelling on their stories, bringing herself into their emotions, and living their experiences. Simply receiving a comment differentiates from understanding the root of their feedback. Through sharing stories with my mother, as my thoughts became words and leaped out of my mouth, my thoughts received a carrier. The stories I told were imparted with meaning through the process of communication. These words made me who I am and marked every footprint of mine. Not only giving her a chance to guide me but giving me a chance to recourse, bonding two unknown souls by building emotional bridges rather than giving ice-cold PowerPoint presentations. I myself am walking on those bridges, and I will be learning to build them up. Through open communication, we can build bridges high enough to see the world from a bigger view, see the tips of Mt. Everest, hear the mumbles of rhinoceros and vaquitas, and unveil a side of the world that we have never seen before.

In her essay “The Power of Stories to Inspire Strong Leaders”, Maya S. quotes “I was able to understand that although it’s impossible for us to all experience the same things, it is possible for us to try and listen to each other and understand each other’s differences. I began to appreciate the meaning of finding beauty in diversity. During that trip I learned that true leaders listen to the voices of others, and as a result they are able to enrich their own points of view.” This quote taught me that in order to be understood, one must learn to understand.

As an international student living in the states, my school days were certainly different from most of my classmates. There were a lot more plane rides, more hours of memorizing English vocabulary, and less people that paid attention to the struggles I went through. It was hard to focus on the upside of life when I knew that my comfort zone was about 6800 miles away. I felt like I was drowning in my own world, and was unsure of what I needed to do to get out of it.

As time passed, I did learn to embrace my new home. That started with a simple step: Learning about how people here lived. I added Kendrick Lamar and Olivia Rodrigo to my playlist, started to watch the NBA, and reached out for corrections when I didn’t recognize an English word. As I began to understand and appreciate what was around me, it was way easier to fit in. My struggles started to pay off as I received multiple honors and varsity MVP awards. Apart from Academics, I also became much more active in the social circle. I learned more about life here from my new friends, and also taught them some parts of life that I left behind back in Korea. After these changes, I could proudly say that I’m definitely leading my own life.

Maya’s story of the privilege walk reminded me of the change in my perspective before and after trying to understand American culture. At first I was hesitant in getting to know the new environment, but now I see the hidden value of entirely different customs, just like how Maya was able to understand the children with more depth. Furthermore, something Maya did that I greatly appreciate is that she didn’t just stop from enlightenment and took action to advocate for her beliefs. I believe that Maya’s propulsion of creating the “Voice of Change” weblog exemplifies what leaders do to promote their voice to the world. As a person aspiring to be a global leader and a businessman, I was greatly inspired by Maya’s quotes of insight and her action to spread her words.

Our world today is heavily interconnected, and the effects of collaborating across diverse backgrounds have never been more apparent. As I reflect on Maya’s quote and my own understanding, I am reminded that true leaders are distinguished by their ability to seek harmony in differences. My journey from a foreign student drowning in isolation to a confident participant in a global community underscores the transformative power of understanding others to be understood. Of course there are still customs that I cannot resonate with, like pineapple on pizza. But as I step forward into a world of connections and communications, I carry with me the invaluable lesson that true understanding is the cornerstone of meaningful process.

Introduction

For many years leadership scholars and practitioners have strived to define youth leadership and design models to illustrate its structure for practical use in leadership education (Whitehead, 2009). Existing research on youth leadership focuses on its various aspects relating to motivation to be leaders, perceptions of leadership, and leadership experiences (Hendricks, 2011; TerMaat-McGrath, 2010; Wright, 2008). Although these aspects of youth leadership are also interconnected to some youth personality elements, youth leadership as a construct is not reflective of youth personality as a whole. Scholarship seemingly is overpopulated with studies that explore only segregated aspects of youth leadership. In fact, the nature of youth leadership is often connected to youth experiences, knowledge, motivation, or skills, and is grounded in leadership definitions emerged as a result of research conducted with adult population (Hogan & Kaiser, 2005). As a result, the definition of youth leadership as a construct lacks core characteristics of youth development (Dempster & Lizzio, 2007; Wright, 2008). In addition, defined from perspectives of organizational theory, society, and power, theories of youth leadership often simplify its complexity.

The purpose of this article is to suggest a theoretically derived conceptual model of youth leadership based on a comprehensive synthesis of main youth personality development theories and ethics. In this article, the term ‘youth’ is used to reference a physical, cognitive, emotional, and socio-cultural stage of adolescence that generally occurs during the period of puberty and adulthood. For the purpose of this article, the period of youth or adolescence is associated with the teenage years between 15 and 18 years old (Crandell, Crandell, & Vander Zanden, 2012).

The first sections of this article situate the scholarship on youth leadership and overview cognitive, sociocultural (motivational), affective, behavioral, and ethical propositions on adolescent development. In achieving the purpose of this article, presented scholarship is synthesized into a working model of youth leadership. The next section describes components of the model and is followed by a discussion of the meaning this model might have for youth leadership theory and practice, leadership education, and policy.

Overview of Literature on Youth Leadership Models

The term ‘youth leadership’ has been greatly explored in education and includes characteristics associated with personality structures such as knowledge, attitudes, will and desire, decision making, reasoning, and critical thinking, intra-/interpersonal skills, and oral and written communication (De Simone, 2012; Jones, 1938; Kenton, 2012; Ricketts & Rudd, 2002). Some leadership models are built upon youth experiences, cognition, and behavior (Kosutic, 2010; Kress, 2006; Ricketts & Rudd, 2012). To be effective, youth leadership must be developed in environments “where skill development is encouraged through hands-on participation and by recognizing that youth experiences are transformed by the youth who participate in them” (Kress, 2006, pp.54-55). Youth leadership is, therefore, viewed as a sum of experiences emerging as a result of adolescent personal transformation and decision-making.

Another group of youth leadership studies and models centers around interpersonal and reflective qualities and include self-awareness, self-confidence, interpersonal efficacy, skills, and motivations (Owen, 2012); inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and consideration (Zacharatos, Barling, & Kelloway, 2000); and empathy, trust, and commitment (Whitehead, 2009). Youth leadership is “complex and tugs on emotional interactions” (Whitehead, 2009, p.847) furthering leader’s self-awareness, self-confidence, ability to grow leadership in others, and integration with community interests and needs.

The potential to be a leader in adulthood has also been examined in correlation to youth’s social skills, extraversion, and motivation (Gottfried et al., 2011; Guerin et al., 2011). The process and extent of leadership development in adolescents is associated with individual differences in temperament and subsequent personality traits. Furthermore, youth leaders tend to have a high academic intrinsic motivation (Gottfried et al., 2011) and practice collective action, modeling, and mentoring to make a positive change (Mortensen et al., 2014). Youth reported leadership within the context of “an inclusive opportunity available to anyone who is motivated to make change happen… working for the common good, putting others’ needs before one’s own” (Mortensen et al., 2014, pp.457-458).

Whilst the list of youth leadership models is not limited to the aforementioned, these represent the breadth, diversity, and complexity of youth leadership development. Described theoretical propositions center primarily on youth sociocultural qualities and personality, and, depending on the research context, components of youth leadership vary. As a result, youth leadership remains a complex and ambiguous construct, and leadership definitions continue to be inconsistent. Therefore, there is a need for a more integrative approach to “develop a distinct youth-driven framework of leadership” (Mortensen et al., 2014, p.459). A comprehensive understanding of leadership reflective of youth’s personality and its developmental needs can unify educational efforts to grow ethical, motivated, responsible, community-oriented and successful leaders now and in the future.

Overview of Literature on Personality Development Theories and Ethics

Development of youth and their leadership is a complex and dynamic process. Facilitation of this process requires recognition of developmental characteristics authentic to youth (Owen, 2012). Acknowledgement of youth developmental differences and attributes helps educators decide “what to include or exclude from leadership development, communicate values and beliefs about the nature and purpose of leadership, and articulate and assess the efficacy of a leadership program’s design and delivery” (Owen, 2012, p.17).

Age differences associated with the period of adolescence are particularly important in leadership development because they inform the ways youth accumulate and further their knowledge; accrue, refine and apply their skills in daily learning and socialization; and experience new educational and social situations and relationships. The process of development requires youth to adapt, design, complexify, and diversify their ways of learning and interacting with the world (Crandell, Crandell, & Vander Zanden, 2012). This complex process involves continuous change in cognitive, motivational, affective, behavioral, and ethical structures and is an essential part of youth growth as self-motivated, intelligent, self-aware, responsible, and adaptive individuals. The following personality categories were used to guide a comprehensive analysis of the main personality development concepts: perceptions and knowledge (Best, 1995; Crain, 1980; Crandell, Crandell, & Vander Zanden, 2012; Evans, Lepore, Shejwal, & Palsane, 1998; Steinberg, 2008), needs and motives (Flavell, 1985), emotions and attitudes (Bussey & Bandura, 1999; Cloninger, 1996; Frijda, 1986; Larson & Pleck, 1999), behaviors and actions (Bandura, 1999; Bussey & Bandura, 1999; Chickering, 1969; Crain, 1980), and ethics (Boyd, 1988; Day, Fleenor, Atwater, Sturm, & McKee, 2014; Freud, 1962; Kohlberg, 1973, 1975; Kohlberg & DeVries, 1980; Kohlberg & Hersh, 1977; Skinner, 1938). These categories were grouped into themes, such as cognitive, motivational, affective, behavioral, and ethical. Table 1 below provides a summary of theories used to inform adolescent development occurring in cognitive, motivational, affective, behavioral, and ethical personality structures.

Theories of Personality Development

Cognitive development . Youth personality and its structures evolve gradually. Cognitive development is a constant interaction with the environment to comprehend and create new thinking structures to expand one’s perception. These structures allow one to better understand the environment by applying and testing newly developed cognitive mechanisms.

Specifically, adolescents comparing to younger children begin to think about far-reaching problems related to equity, education, social justice, and leadership. They are capable of relating such issues to their own knowledge and foresee outcomes of their actions initiated to resolve those issues. They easily grasp abstract principles and construct their own meaning relevant to their environment and previous experiences. Through active learning and purposeful engagement in learning activities, adolescents are able to better process, assimilate, and organize information simultaneously through application to specific learning activities. Youth, thus, are able to build new understanding independently from external assistance, although learning is nourished, stimulated, and challenged by the learning environment (Crandell, Crandell, & Vander Zanden, 2012).

The changing learning environment inevitably creates situations of internal conflict. The nature of the internal conflict is described by limitations in existing cognitive processes on one hand, and the necessity of development of new ways of knowledge acquisition on the other (Steinberg, 2008). Due to lack of more sophisticated cognitive structures, new knowledge and experiences may confuse adolescents and at the same time motivate their cognition to acquire new patterns of information assimilation and retention (Evans, Lepore, Shejwal, & Palsane, 1998). As a result, under the influence on the internal conflict, cognitive processes constantly increasingly change, adapt, and become more complex and diverse (Owen, 2012).

In addition to new understanding of the environment, youth continuously broaden their perception of the world around and relationships within it. As a result of this personalized, analyzed, and organized information (Best, 1995), perception is presented in the forms of beliefs and judgments. Enriched by and interpreted through the lenses of personal experiences, one’s perception is a position that continuously evolves and develops in accordance to available developmental resources, practices, and ideas of other people. Respectively, it allows for recognizing knowledge in social and educational environments and discovering the relationships between the knowledge and experiences, and its applicability to and usefulness in various learning and social situations.

Motivational Development . Flavell (1985) suggests that human learning and development is driven by extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli. He suggests that learning that is based on personal interest and curiosity is more effective and impactful. The cognition, activated by unexpected, unfamiliar, or intriguing stimuli, centers on learning about the world rather than receiving recognition, appraisal, or some sort of external reinforcement. Intrinsic motivation “activates or intensifies human cognitive processing” (Flavell, 1985, pp.15-16) and, thus, is important for overall adolescent development. Specifically, the desire and willingness “to master problematic situations, to be effective with respect to one’s environment, to be competent” (p. 19) assure continuous exploration and determine the extent of behavioral change. Intrinsic motivational factors greatly contribute to the expansion of adolescent skill mastery, their competence and effectiveness in a specific activity or discipline.

The concept of intrinsic motivation includes adolescent interest, internal rewarding, and cognitive and emotional fulfillment (Flavell, 1985). It is also viewed as adolescent engagement in consciously selected cognitive and social activities for the purposes of emotional and intellectual satisfaction. Motivated intrinsically, youth can intentionally select and explore complex issues expanding their knowledge and experiences without external instruction (Crandell, Crandell, & Vander Zanden, 2012).

Affective Development . In addition to youth intrinsic motivation to explore the world, their ability to be leaders now and in the future is greatly influenced by their emotions. Emotions “operate as interacting determinants” and, as a result, influence one’s development bi-directionally (Bussey & Bandura, 1999). They stimulate the development of identity-linked concepts, behavioral and judgmental standards, and self-regulatory influences (Bussey & Bandura, 1999). Adolescents learn to recognize, appropriately express, and manage their emotions. The difference between positive and negative emotions becomes more evident and apparent, thus, enabling youth to acknowledge the impact of emotions on personal and other people’s wellbeing.

Specifically, emotions can be described as biological and social reactions to events, people, other people’s actions, and situations (Cloninger, 1996). Frijda (1986) defines emotions as “noninstrumental behaviors and noninstrumental features of behavior, psychological changes, and evaluative, subject-related experiences, as evoked by external or mental events, and primarily by the significance of such events” (p.4). Furthermore, they drive adolescent attention and action, help set priorities, provide personally valued goals, and excite youth interest toward self-development (Larson & Pleck, 1999). On the other hand, when emotions are shaped by social and cultural rules, meaning how emotions should be defined and expressed by one within specific social and cultural circumstances, they can be reflective of one’s values and societal norms as much as signifying of the order of community observed in one’s beliefs, emotional reactions, and emotional relationships with others (Larson & Pleck, 1999).

Behavioral Development . Adolescent ability to be active learners and members of the society is observed through their actions and behaviors. Actions and behaviors are the sum of developmental outcomes of educational activities, social interactions, learning, and personal change. They help youth translate values, principles, and knowledge learned through social interactions and self-reflection into unique experiences. Integrated with realization of interconnectedness with others, actions transform personal and social responsibilities into more complex commitments and purposes (Chickering, 1969).

Adolescent behaviors and actions evolve and become more complex and intentional under external social and educational forces (Bandura, 1999). Diversity and complexity of social situations positively correlate with the speed and quality of learning. This occurs because youth, as active social agents, continuously encounter, observe, imitate, and refine outcomes of social actions of their own and their family and community members (Crain, 1980). Those actions are embedded in youth social networks, which if encountered on a daily basis, stimulate youth active involvement with their family and community. Mostly through those networks youth learn socially important values, principles, and accepted norms of behavior that will be exercised in different learning environments in the future.

When exposed to various social and educational situations, youth have to decide how to construct their behavior. On one hand, constructing a new line of action helps evoke and revisit previous experiences, knowledge, and skills. On the other hand, the choice of what actions to take requires interplay of youth’s cognition, motives and needs, emotions, and ethical values. It ‘forces’ adolescents to recognize the gaps in their previous knowledge and experiences, empowers them to take risks, and evaluate the consequences of their potential actions. This process is often intentional and promotes youth self-development and self-realization by triggering the needs in learning, change, and improvement (Bussey & Bandura, 1999).

Ethical Development . Transformation of adolescent understanding, motivation, emotions, and behaviors is accompanied by the development of ethical reasoning, character, and values (Aristotle, 1985/2003; Ciulla, 2003; Klau, 2006; Kohlberg & Hersh, 1977; Piaget, 1948). Ethical reasoning, or judgment, refers to individual’s knowledge of ethics and motivation. It is primarily affected by the ability to empathize and the capacity for guilt (Kohlberg & Hersh, 1977). Whether an individual experiences empathy or guilt, in an ethically challenging situation they make a choice of actions. Ethical judgment also indicates a) what individual considers as morally valuable in making a morally difficult choice and b) why they find it valuable to justify his/her choice of morally appropriate behavioral scenarios.

Character or personality is inseparable from (1) virtues that “allow [individuals] to exert rational control over their desires” and (2) values (Ciulla, 2003, p.55). Character virtues are defined as feelings and actions (Aristotle, 1985/2003; Buddha, 1967/2003; Plato, 1955) as well as positive traits (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999; Carr & Steutel, 1999; Johnson, 2009; Resick et al., 2011; Rhode, 2006). Ethical values, on the contrary, are the center of moral reasoning and crucial in ethical decision-making (Rhode, 2006). They resonate to individual emotional and rational structures helping “protect one from acting badly at moments when one’s sympathies happen to be in abeyance” (Bennett, 1974/2003).

Greatly impacted by Dewey’s ideas on cognitive development (Dewey, 1964), current ethical development theory implies that every child is gifted with the psychological and socio-emotional capacity to progress to higher levels of moral reasoning and ethical development. During adolescence, youth learn to define ethical values and principles, apply them to life situations, and conceptualize such values, principles, and learned life examples as abstract and universal (Crain, 1980). During this process, social environment, including peers, constantly challenges youth’s ethical assumptions. Critical lenses of the adolescent social community on ethical values, principles and norms of behavior stimulate youth ethical development externally and internally. On one hand, the environment creates social and educational situations that challenge youth ethical principles and values. External social forces reflected in social and educational situations present various opportunities for adolescents to learn and absorb socially acceptable rules, principles, values, and norms. Various social systems including but not limited to family, community, peer groups, school, etc. shape youth perception on their role and place in the community they reside in, broaden their understanding of implicit connections between youth actions and other people’s welfare, teach legal consequences of socially destructive behavior, provide satisfaction from conducting ethical actions, and, as a result, increase their ethical conscience (Kohlberg, 1966). On the other hand, adolescents themselves consciously question, reason, and evaluate their own ethical values and behavior.

Modeling Youth Leadership

The extent to which youth can integrate their leadership with other abilities and skills helps explain how thoroughly youth develop their leadership (Owen, 2012). Based on the literature review described in previous sections, a working model of youth leadership has been developed (Figure 1). The model synthesizes earlier-described main concepts of personality development and youth leadership. The model reflects main components of youth personality and components authentic to adolescent leadership. The model expands upon the five primary domains: cognitive, motivational, affective, behavioral, and ethical, which interconnects the prior four. Youth leadership is viewed as a complex and dynamic system that integrates leadership knowledge, motivation, attitudes toward leadership development and practice, and ethical leadership actions. Specifically, youth leadership includes (a) internalized information on leadership and ethical leadership, (b) youth’s positive predispositions towards leadership, its development, and positive community change; (c) willingness and readiness to further leadership potential to serve others; and (d) purposeful, mindful, responsible, and committed engagement in ethical leadership practice and decision-making.

Figure 1. Modeling Youth Leadership

Cognitive domain (youth knowledge and perception of leadership). Youth leaders have an abundant and diverse knowledge of leadership; they perceive themselves and others as (potential) leaders and are able to explicitly articulate and exemplify major characteristics of youth leadership (Ricketts & Rudd, 2002; Van Linden & Fertman, 1998). Youth knowledge of leadership also includes understanding of connections between leadership and personality, learning, community service, and leadership role in personal development and self-actualization. Youth can define leadership in various ways and outline numerous leadership characteristics and functions. They are knowledgeable of leadership impact on personal, professional and community development. Their awareness of leadership also includes thorough understanding of ethical foundations of leadership, specifically leadership values, ethical decision-making, the role of responsibility in individual and group activities and projects, respect for choices of other people, importance of determination in learning, dedication to personal and group social values, etc.

Youth beliefs on the nature of leadership are summarized in youth perception of leadership (Best, 1995). Enriched by and interpreted through the lenses of personal experiences, youth perception of leadership continuously evolves and develops in accordance to available youth leadership development resources, practices, and ideas of other people. Diversity of youth knowledge of and experiences in leadership results in a wide range of existing youth insights on leadership as a construct. Through active exploration of available information and reflection on leadership, youth are able to recognize leadership in various social and educational settings, as well as differentiate its impact on the behavior of others, its role in personal and social development, and its usefulness for making a positive change at home, school, and community.

Motivational domain (youth motivation in leadership development and practice). Leaders strive for personal growth and change (Gardner, 1990). As youth continue to further their leadership potential and meet their needs in leadership development, they begin to define their short- and long-term goals that can be accomplished only through their own efforts (Gardner, 1990). Motivation to be a leader is, therefore, crucial for youth identity and their leadership as it allows for satisfaction of needs in growing as individuals and leaders, as well as active engagement in the goal realization process.

Recall, the term ‘motivation’ attributes to “the energy or drive that impels a person to make choices” and “seek satisfaction of unmet needs” (Cloninger, 1996, pp.230-231). Owens (2004) argues motivation is internal “ongoing human proclivity to continue growing, developing and maturing, and being enriched by new experiences” (p.369). As a result of leadership development, adolescents become motivate to realize their capacity to fulfill leadership potential and develop their leader identity. Fostered in group settings, youth are continuously empowered to broaden their understanding of leadership, their identity as leaders, and leadership of others. They also develop appreciation of leadership development and practice, as they can see the positive impact of leadership on their group morale and relationships with group members.

Motivation also guides youth readiness to fulfill their self-actualization needs and take specific actions (Crandell, Crandell, & Vander Zanden, 2012). There are several factors that drive the motivation of being a leader: (a) internalized and personally meaningful knowledge of youth leadership; (b) positive experiences in youth leadership development and practice; and (c) positive emotions such as satisfaction, joy, and inspiration stemming from previous leadership experiences (Chan & Drasgow, 2001; Zachratos, Barling, & Kelloway, 2002). When intrinsically motivated through positive experiences and inspirations, youth leaders become more aware of personal and group vision and goals, as well as the expectations of achievement from personal and group perspectives. Inspired and motivated youth can become actively involved in leadership practice and exhibit characteristics of creative thinking, self-control, and self-direction (Hammond-Diedrich & Walsh, 2006). Intrinsically interested in leadership development, youth are enabled to continuously devote their time to leadership inquiry, purposefully select leadership activities, and learn how to prioritize.

Affective domain (youth emotions and attitudes toward leadership). Actions of youth leaders are often determined by emotions and attitudes toward leadership and its practice (Cloninger, 1996; Ricketts & Rudd, 2002; Van Linden & Fertman, 1998). Emotions and attitudes are the core of leader personality; they direct leader behavior and serve as an expression of positive and negative leadership experiences (Mascolo & Fischer, 2010). They also reflect youth dispositions “toward identifying themselves as leaders” (Van Linden & Fertman, 1998, p.41). They originate in self-assessment and self-reflection, when youth have to determine the role attitudes and emotions play in the effectiveness of themselves as leaders, overall learning and community service. By reflecting on how youth felt when practicing leadership, they can make a judgment whether leadership experiences are positive or negative, whether they affect their personality or lives of other people, or whether they should continue on a leadership track or dedicate themselves to other learning activities.

One of the factors influencing youth’s leadership emotions and attitudes is interactions with other people occurring as a result of youth involvement in leadership activities. Meeting new people and fostering previously established relationships allows youth to learn about the value of leadership for others, gradually expand the understanding of themselves as leaders and increase competence in leadership practice. Furthermore, relationships with peers and adults that emerged as a result of leadership bolster youth enthusiasm toward leadership development in various social and educational settings now and in the future.

Behavioral domain (leadership actions). Youth leaders are highly participatory in school, family and community events. They recognize the importance of ethical leadership behavior and demonstrate their commitment to community and personal values through their actions (Whitehead, 2009). Leadership actions, contrary to other domains of youth leadership, are external to youth personality and are both indicators and a source of influence generated through leader’s behavior (Chambers & Phelps, 1993). Specifically, as indicators, leadership actions demonstrate youth knowledge and perception of leadership, youth motivation in leadership development and practice along with their emotions and attitudes towards leadership. Youth actions indicate the extent of leadership development, as well as the breadth and depth of interconnections between youth cognitive, motivational, and affective leadership constructs.

As a source of influence, leadership actions continuously contribute to the development of youth awareness and perception of leadership, fulfill youth needs in leadership practice, and further youth’s commitment and dedication to leadership, personal and community values through using their decision-making, choice and freedom for something larger than themselves. Engaged in activities that benefit others and bring joy and a positive change to other people’s lives, behavior of youth leaders is, thus, positively reinforced and encouraged. When youth practice leadership to meet the needs of others, they can experience a deep satisfaction shaping their current and future leadership behavior.

Ethics. Why is ethics important in youth leadership and what implications does it have for leadership practice? As noted by Ciulla (2003) and Klau (2006), leaders “often have more and greater obligations and responsibilities” (Ciulla, 2003, p.1), however, without ethical virtues, values, decision making, and ethical behavior, leadership can be destroying to oneself and people around (Ludwig & Longenecker, 1993/2003).

Leader’s character or virtues play a crucial role in leadership (Johnson, 2009) and greatly correspond to the inner world of a leader. For instance, Aristotle (1985/2003) wrote that “we are by nature acquire [virtues], and reach out complete perfection through habit” (p.56). Only through continuous and mindful self-refinement and self-reflection an individual can acquire ethical leadership virtues such as bravery, generosity, honor, honesty, and friendliness. Based on Aristotle’s propositions, Carr and Steutel (1999) also include kindness, patience, endurance, courage, and thoughtfulness. Integrity, humility, reverence, optimism, compassion, and justice foster leader’s character as well (Johnson, 2009). A recent cross-cultural study on the meaning of ethical leadership (Resick et al., 2011) supports and broadens the list of leader’s virtues to trustworthiness, sincerity, self-discipline, authenticity, and ethical awareness.

Leader’s values are also central to ethical leadership. Among these values scholars identify creativity, enthusiasm, love for people, connectedness, and life purpose (Shah Iqbal, 2009). The leadership values also include reciprocity, trust, acceptance to create an organization and the world around with a heart and soul, and welfare of others (Caldwell & Dixon, 2010); collaboration and mutual responsibility (Msila, 2012) along with accountability, dignity, respect, effective communication, empathy, and tolerance (Resick et al., 2011).

As stated earlier in this paper, ethical behavior of a youth leader is informed by their leadership values, character, and social, cultural, and economic circumstances (Knights & O’Leary, 2006). According to Resick and his team (2011), acting as an ethical leader involves complying with laws, regulations, and professional [educational/learning] guidelines, taking personal responsibility, demonstrating understanding and being helpful, making fair and just decisions, putting interests of others ahead of personal, and fostering sustainability of trusty relationships and positive impact on community.

The importance of youth leadership and the value associated with its development are well explored from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Generally, leadership models have presumed a position of power and authority to accompany leadership traits; however, the context of adult-based leadership research is not applicable to youth leadership (Owen, 2012; Stein et al., 2005). Previous scholarship has proposed various elements of youth leadership development and practice (Chan, 2000; Whitehead, 2009); nevertheless, the existing models lacked age-appropriate, changing pro-social, ethical nature to adequately meet adolescent needs in personal and leadership growth (Owen, 2012; Whitehead, 2009).

The purpose of this article was to develop a working, theoretically grounded conceptual model of youth leadership. The proposed model synthesized and integrated the previously researched characteristics of youth leadership and main personality development theories. The model resulted in identification of five major youth leadership domains: cognitive, motivational, affective, behavioral, and ethical. The conceptual model grounded in ethics and specific characteristics of youth personality development offers important benefits to adolescent leadership, personal development, and leadership education as it represents an action toward self-realization, self-improvement, and community change.

The potential to influence youth leadership presented in the working model may hold a promise for dramatic improvement in youth leadership education. When organizing youth leadership education, this model can be used to personalize leadership development and other cognitive learning activities, inform community and service learning, and empower youth to become better leaders, community change agents, and responsible decision makers. The working model of youth leadership proposed in this article can help educators and leadership practitioners encourage the learning and practice of ethical leadership and values, such as responsibility, commitment, and personal integrity.

Further, when designing youth leadership development activities, educators should consider adolescent cognitive readiness for learning leadership as a construct. Youth at any level of cognitive development should be offered personalized feedback and activities encouraging their interest in learning and practicing leadership simultaneously (Day, Fleenor, Atwater, Sturm, & McKee, 2009; Owen, 2012). In addition, purposeful and meaningful organization of youth engagement in community and service learning can enrich their knowledge of leadership and broaden their perception of leadership through numerous leadership examples existing in the community. Collaboration with school faculty and educators can also encourage youth understanding of the importance of being a leader and the role leadership can play in learning and personal development. School administration and staff can become leadership role models for youth and exemplify leadership through their own actions.

Since adolescents learn greatly in diverse environments, to foster youth positive attitudes towards leadership and its development, leadership educators can imbue the theory of leadership with practical situations. Such situations can be created during service learning, in the classroom, and at any extracurricular event. Although created situations can help integrate youth leadership knowledge, skills, and behaviors, educators should pay a careful attention to youth’s individual differences. It is crucial to engage youth in encouraging and inspirational activities. Collaboration with youth on community- and service-oriented projects, use of video materials that portray a positive personal and/or social change as a result of leader’s actions, and purposeful design of school activities capable of generating positive leadership experiences and inspiring adolescents to be the better self, citizens, and leaders are some of the practices that can be offered to youth to foster their leadership development.

To encourage the practice of ethical behavior of youth leaders, leadership education can and should be centered on activities that contribute to the development of youth virtues and ethical values. For instance, service learning and continuous self-reflection shift youth attitudes from self-centered to more community-oriented. Additionally, ethics-based leadership can empower adolescents to be more engaged and committed to community service, as well as foster adolescent personal development and decision-making (Terry, 2003; Webster & Worrell, 2008). Supervised and purposefully-organized service learning instruction can nurture youth responsibility for consequences of their actions, for broadening their experiences, knowledge, and skills, and for creating opportunities for community contribution (Kielsmeier, Scales, Roehlkepartain, & Neal, 2004). Youth leadership educators should consider youth developing moral reasoning while teaching ethics of leadership. It is imperative for instructors to humanize and personalize ethical values and principles, as well as develop integrity and congruence between adolescent personal actions and articulated values (Burns, 1978).

Additionally, to bring into practice real leadership experience and acknowledge the needs of youth learners, a recommended next step would be to focus on examination and operationalization of various levels of youth leadership development based on the proposed leadership domains. The levels should be researched in accordance to individual levels of personal and ethical development of youth and incorporate the ideas of knowledge and skill acquisition in adolescence. The model should further be aligned with valid assessment instruments to establish the baseline for the assessment of leadership potential.

Future research-based models of youth leadership linked to specific educational and social contexts are also suggested. Additional research may reveal supplemental characteristics of youth leadership and generate models that are more context sensitive and responsive to various learning environments and youth populations. Leadership education should be contextually appropriate; diverse and extensive youth leadership models should inform educational decisions and efforts when fostering youth drive toward better leadership, personal and collective accomplishment, improved quality of life, and social progress.

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The essentials for leadership; a message for future youth leaders

The youth are essential assets for building our future societies, and thus must be encouraged to harness and develop their inherent potentials towards this challenge. In periods where there are no leaders, society stands still and could collapse. Conversely, progress, peace and development may occur when courageous, skillful and selfless people are in the right places at the right time. Society must recognize the inherent talent and capabilities of its young people. Young people themselves must sharpen their tools of character, attitudes and mindsets in preparedness for responsible and self-less leadership. To lead is to learn to understand, appreciate and involve other people. Leadership without followership is a mere illusory feeling. So be enlightened spiritual leaders, not heroes of enslavement and vindictiveness, for you become practically nothing without the people you lead.

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A conference paper being the text of an address given by the author at the Youth Meeting in Rome, held at the European University of Rome, via degli Aldobrandeschi, 190, Rome on 28-30 November 2008, and co-sponsored by the Foundation “Family, Hope for Tomorrow”, the Foundation “Swiat na Tak”, the European University of Rome, the Athenaeum Pontificium Regina Apostolorum, and the Center for Thought of John Paul II.

Muttaqha R Darma

Kara Knight

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Artur Victoria

The choice of style of leadership must attention about what the leader thinks about his power and authority on human nature. The leader assumes that people can basically self-address, where appropriate together to produce motivation. Leadership is a question of how to be... . We spent a good part of our lives learning how to do things, but in the end is the individual quality and character that define the great leaders. As for leaders, thrive through the efforts of people who lead. The basic task of a leader is to train a workforce highly productive and motivated. The leader has to overcome challenges to achieve a cohesive community that is well structured within and outside your organization which would invest in relationships and convey a vision to establish a communication between the workforce and an assorted market. The leader is one who worries about what is around you, near or far, inside or outside the organization, and that the true leader understands that the worker and not compromise the performance of the organization. The leader has to be circular in relations in the organization, as people want to join the cause because of the effects brought by its attitudes. The leader should propose a common framework of exit and enter a higher sphere where people realize they are being observed and valued by their ideas. Leadership is an interpersonal influence exercised in a situation and directed through the process of communication for the achievement of specific objectives.

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Editorial Introduction to the Special Issue: Queer and Trans* Futurities in Educational Research, Theory, and Practice
Towards a New Critical Methodology: Freedom-Dreaming as an Exploration of Nonbinary Student Utopia in Education
Decoloniality & Trans* of Color Educational Criticism
An Ode to Knowledge That Lives Outside Text
An Autoethnography of a South Asian (Muslim) Queer Scholar of Color in American Higher Education
Embracing Queer, Fem(me)inine & Crip Failure: Arriving at Dream-Mapping as a Speculative Tool for Queer & Trans Educational Research
(Re)Imagining Parallels Between Journalistic Instruction and Queerness: A Proposal to Connect Journalism and Queerness at the College Level
Queering The System: Lessons for Schools from Youths’ Queer Aesthetics in Role-playing Games
Toward Our Black Queer Joy[ous] Futures: To Achieve[1] Our Freedom in the Academy
“Isn’t It Cute?”: An Intimate Conversation on Black Trans and Queer Futurities
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Introduction to Youth Leader Essays

[easyrotator]erc_79_1432146553[/easyrotator] This section features six essays written by New York City high school students, who served as Youth Leaders at their schools during the 2013-2014 school year providing college planning support to other students at their schools. The following is background information about the Youth Leadership for College Access program that organized these Youth Leaders to take on the inequities of college counseling in urban schools.

College Access: Research & Action (CARA) , an organization established to create post-secondary pathways for high school students, was co-founded by Janice Bloom and Lori Chajet, both alumni of the CUNY Graduate Center’s Urban Education doctoral program (2007). Its programs confront the gap in post-secondary guidance counseling faced by first-generation to college students by transforming the cultures of educational institutions. CARA trains a wide range of people within communities to support all students to go to and through college. It provides curricula to help young people build knowledge about college, strengthen navigational skills, and develop multi-cultural college-going identities.

CARA has developed a model of Youth Leadership for College Access and Success and has several different programs using peer-to-peer or near-to-peer approaches that train high school and college students to work within their communities to support their peers to and through college. Operating on the evidence-based belief that high school and college students should be seen as valuable resources to fill the “guidance gap” that exists for first-generation college students within both secondary and post-secondary institutions, CARA finds that young people have the power to reach their peers in ways that adults often cannot.

CARA’s Youth Leadership for College Access program (to be renamed Right to College ) grew out of an organizing effort in 2005, spearheaded by the Urban Youth Collaborative, to provide students in New York City public schools with the supports they needed to define and realize their college aspirations. The first two sites were launched on the Bushwick and Franklin K. Lane campuses in 2007 with 8 Youth Leaders, working with Make the Road NY and Cypress Hills LDC, respectively. The movement has since grown to 20 schools and 7 community-based organizations, with over 70 Youth Leaders. It has also served as a catalyst for CARA’s College Bridge and Strive for Success programs, which train college students to support their peers through college access, matriculation, and persistence.

The Youth Leaders you’ll hear from in this issue of TRAUE are juniors and seniors in high school who are positioned to engage with and support their peers through the post-secondary planning process. They do this by: facilitating workshops, organizing college planning events, supporting students one-on-one through their college search, application, and financial aid process, and promoting a strong college-going culture in their institutions. Through comprehensive training and support, Youth Leaders develop a range of skills and content knowledge to make college access possible for a wider circle of students. Youth Leaders also simultaneously improve their own educational and social outcomes.

The essays in this issue were written by the following CARA Youth Leaders:

Angela Omongos is currently a senior at Flushing High School. She will a will attend the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education next year.

Michel Gomes is currently a senior at Flushing International High School. She will attend York College next year.

Keith Robertson graduated from Academy of Innovative Technology in the Franklin K. Lane Campus. He is currently a first-year college student attending SUNY Canton

Alexus Bright graduated from Central Park East High School. She is currently attending the City College of New York.

Maria Santana is a graduate of the High School for Fashion Industries. She is currently attending the City College of New York.

Kristina Erskine is a graduate of Academy for Environmental Leadership on the Bushwick Campus. She is currently attending Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn.

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Africa youth leadership: Building local leaders to solve global challenges

Subscribe to africa in focus, landry signé landry signé senior fellow - global economy and development , africa growth initiative @landrysigne.

March 27, 2019

This blog post builds on the Brookings report entitled “ Accountable Leadership: The Key to Africa’s Successful Transformation .”

Accountable leadership remains one of the biggest challenges to development in Africa. Leaders in Africa have not always responded effectively to the needs of the continent, but there is hope in the rising generation of youth who could play a critical role in building accountability for successful economic transformation, representation, and public service. The urgency of these efforts is not lost on the youth, as they have the most to lose if solutions are not enacted.

By 2030, 375 million young people in Africa will reach working age—a population equivalent to the combined populations of Canada and the United States. Just two years ago, the International Labor Organization reported that 160.8 million youth in emerging and developing countries were living in poverty, i.e., on less than $3.10 a day, with young women and minorities disproportionately affected. Youth unemployment , which improved from 11.6 to 11.2 percent in sub-Saharan Africa from 2008 to 2018, still needs much work to decrease significantly more. Part of the solution will be to strengthen democracy and governance systems throughout the continent.

Many of the countries that were swept up in the global wave of democratization and liberalization in the 1990s are now facing weak institutions and failing to fulfill citizens’ basic needs. Despite notable progress , too many citizens still face insufficient security, poor healthcare and education, unemployment, illegitimate elections, inadequate judiciary systems, and challenges to free expression and participation in civil society. But, young people across the continent are important to creating structural change.

Youth in power: A seat at the table is not enough

By current numbers, 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under the age of 30 , representing about 743 million of the 1.061 billion people in this region . This demographic bulge has significant implications for economic activity, public service provision, and state stability. By 2050 , one out of three young people in the world will be living in sub-Saharan Africa. Given the actual high unemployment and vulnerable employment rates for youth, the group with the most at stake, young African leaders deserve to be part of the policy discussions that seek to find solutions to the challenge of employment.

Most African leaders are 55 years old or older , with some as old as 75. This represents a significant gap between those deciding policy and those who have to weather its effects. At the parliamentary level, only 14 percent of members are under 40 years old. African parliamentary compositions reflect the global trend , wherein only 14.2 percent of the world’s members of parliament are under 40 years old. With African countries on track to account for half of the world’s population growth and an exponential increase in the number of young people, the number of young parliamentarians should be higher.

Further, the youth need to take more places in presidencies, councils of ministers, parliaments, national committees, corporate boardrooms, and civil society organizational teams.

Several programs exist already for youth inclusion in decisionmaking bodies , including the United Nations Population Fund Global Youth Advisory Panel and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. But beyond symbolic memberships and flagship roles, youth should be fully vested with effective and executive responsibilities.

On the continent, some young people were appointed ministers by the age of 35 such as in Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, or Botswana. However, these outliers do not constitute the critical mass necessary for change.

Young leaders must have the courage to apply for official positions, and current officials should be willing to cede important tasks to young people’s innovative ideas and influence. The number of young leaders must be higher considering the demographics of the continent.

When young leaders reach positions of influence, they should focus on building strong institutions for accountability and educate people about the importance of broad accountability for a successful continent. Countries with higher levels of accountability collectively outperform those with lower levels. Youth leaders can advance civil society growth, poverty reduction, economic expansion, and innovation throughout the continent by strengthening the participation of women and youth, promoting human rights, facilitating access to justice, and ensuring inclusion of all communities.

The future of Africa and the world

Young leaders are poised to take hold of powerful organizations, institutions, and groups because they have already led change at the social level. According to the African Leadership Institute report, “An Abundance of Young African Leaders but No Seat at the Table ,” approximately 700,000 young Africans have already been exposed to some form of selective leadership initiative, so the challenge now is to tap into these pools of young leaders.

Youth-led movements like Y’en a marre in Senegal and Balai Citoyen in Burkina Faso are testaments to young Africans’ capacity to reinforce constitutional accountability at the presidential level. Through self-organization and the integration of technology, youth have improved the implementation of programs and policy. Young people in Kenya , for example, used technology to track violence throughout their country in 2010 and increased political participation in their broader communities in the reporting process.

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But to fully grasp the impact of youth on the economy and governance in Africa, more formal mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation should be devised to track and enhance youth engagement at all societal levels. Implementing reliable systems of assessment will also lead to more effective youth participation, representation, and policy influence if decisionmakers adopt corrective policies such as capacity building, quotas for elected positions, cabinet ministries, and boards of state-owned enterprises, among others. This assessment process should simultaneously identify opportunities to improve policymaking structures to respond to the time-sensitive needs of all African people. Effective and accountable leadership at all levels of society is the key to unlocking the potential of African youth to create economic, political, and social policies for their bright futures.

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader, introduction.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers.

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

You can use Jenni.ai to quickly compose an essay on leadership, or any other topic, of your choosing. It's a fantastic choice that promises convenience and relief. Create an essay on any topic in a matter of minutes with the help of our AI-powered program. Membership is immediately available upon your free registration here.

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Although talking about youth as the future sounds novel, the reality is that this has been the case all along. One generation takes over from its predecessor. The only difference is demographic: In the current time, youth are more visible, qualitatively and quantitatively. They are also better prepared to assume more effective roles in their societies, thanks to their advanced education, as well as their exposure to modern communication facilities and scientific progressive surge.

And yet and apart from the familiar overused clichés, such as “the youth are the leaders of tomorrow”, “the youth are the future”, “the youth will change the world” and similar platitudes, which may, indeed, be true, our young people, who constitute 1.8 billion of our world’s population, deserve deeper acknowledgment and scrutiny than being reduced to a series of clichés. We live in a very different and fast-changing world today.

Social media has forever changed the way we communicate and made the world a much smaller place, as we are all increasingly interconnected, yet despite this increased interconnectivity, we also live in a world faced with enormous social challenges. A total of 1.8 billion of the world’s population are youth, aged between 10 and 24, the most interconnected generation of all times. We also live in volatile times, rife with instability and conflict.

Many argue that social media and interconnectivity have created a generation of followers, not leaders and a generation engaged and interested only in trivial pursuits. Today’s youth is often accused of being too engrossed in following social media and in self-absorption to be leaders. But social media has been used by young people all over the world to lead, to make change and to hold their seniors to account. In Myanmar, for example, social media has been used to fill the void of their government in fighting hate speech. In the Middle East, the Arab Spring began on social media and helped youth organise an unprecedented revolution that started in Tunisia and spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain and other Middle Eastern countries. Young activists, fighting for a variety of causes ranging from human rights to climate change, rely on social media to get their message across. What remains constant amidst all the clichés is the age old question: Who is going to lead the movement for positive change in our world?

In my opinion, the answer is very clear. Throughout history, the most successful movements were organised by the youth, including the civil rights movement and many historical protests against unjust policies, wars and politics were conducted by the youth. Youth movements have always played a major and inevitable role in history all around the world. The reason for this is because young leaders are inspired by ideals rather than trends and they stay true to their ideals, regardless of the cost, never giving up despite the many challenges and obstacles placed in their paths. The same idealistic attitude that often earns them a bad reputation is precisely what makes them good leaders. Whilst it is not uncommon for veteran leaders to lose motivation and simply go through the motions of leadership half-heartedly, having lost faith; young leaders are inspired and push themselves through their uncompromised ideals and motivation to make a positive change for their future. Through these ideals, young leaders are able to exercise authority over themselves and their peers to lead civic engagement and reform. Much falls on the shoulders of youth leaders because it is they who will lead change and pave the way for the future. This can be seen in youth movements all over the world today.

In Jordan, for example, youth leadership is emerging as a significant movement. This is inevitable in a country where the majority of residents are aged between 15 and 35. The future of an overwhelmingly youthful population can only be led by its own youth. This could not be more evident than when Jordan’s 23-year-old Crown Prince Hussein gave a resounding global speech at the UN General Assembly, taking it upon himself to address world leaders to remind them of their duties and responsibilities, addressing his peers and calling on his fellow youth to take ownership of the future into their own hands. Crown Prince Hussein introduced himself as an advocate of the “largest generation of young people in the world.” He is an example of someone for whom youth empowerment is very important, because without it his country cannot thrive. In today’s world, the tables have turned. Patriarchal societies can no longer thrive. It is a new world led by the youth and whose future depends on young leaders because they have the motivation, idealism, skills and the power to do so.

The global youth movement is yet again gaining momentum all around the world. Marches and youth-led revolutions all over the world are becoming the norm. In India and Bangladesh, young girls have led their own movement, defying their parents by demanding their rights and freedom against the practice of child marriage, demanding their right to attend school in safety and not to be forced into underage marriage. In India, young people have been fighting against child labour through youth-led movements. Similar stories can be found all around the world as the youth movement gains force. In the Middle East, the powerful force of the Arab Spring and its association with social media has had a dramatic impact on our region. Young people challenging their governments in a part of the world where freedom of speech is not the norm. Young people, through social media, caused a full-blown revolution in the Arab world that is still ongoing today.

In the US, it is the youth that is leading the movement against gun violence because it is they who are most affected by this violence. After the Parkland School massacre on February 14, a group of students, amongst them survivors and some as young as 11 years old, united by the tragedy of the massacre, took complete charge in organising the “March for our Lives”, an anti-gun violence event in Washington, DC, which was emulated in hundreds of towns and cities across the globe. To push forward their movement entitled “Never Again”, they began contacting politicians to advocate legislative change. They are challenging and holding their government responsible for the safety of children’s lives. These kids are holding their politicians accountable and taking power over who they vote for in order to safeguard their lives and their future. According to these young students, their politicians have failed to control gun violence, failed to protect them and failed to safeguard their generation, so it is up to them to take matters into their own hands and ensure it never happens again. Similar stories can be heard all over the world; young people mobilising, taking matters into their own hands to make positive changes for a better future and a better world.

Far from being apathetic, young people are challenging their governments, holding them accountable and demanding change. Gerontocracy is definitely a thing of the past. However, the two can be reconciled; it is not a case of young people being set against the older generation, it is about mutual needs, benefits and understanding between the two demographics. It is about major changes that need young leaders for them to materialise and it is about shaping the future, which cannot be done without the young generation.

So beneath the familiar clichés, there are very valid reasons as to why they ring true. It is the idealism, the motivation and the ability to not give up and to challenge the status quo that makes young leaders the effective leaders they are.

To put it simply, young people have the power to change the world and they will. They can be the driving force behind the development and peaceful existence of any nation or region.

Apr 21, 2024

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6 young leaders who are improving the state of the world

On International Youth Day, we celebrate six young people shaping the future of education and technology.

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Across the world, young people are shaping the future in healthcare, education, technology, food security and more. Their ideas are transforming communities and society.

To celebrate International Youth Day, here’s a look at the achievements of six inspirational young leaders who are improving the state of the world as part of our Global Shapers Community .

Basima Abdulrahman

Basima is an Iraqi structural engineer who is passionate about the environment. She founded Kesk , one of Iraq’s first sustainable architecture consultancies, to build greener buildings in her homeland.

Her consultancy helps other businesses to make their buildings more sustainable through retrofitting. No easy task in a country where security and the economy are top priorities and there is a lack of awareness of sustainable design and architecture.

But this hasn’t deterred Basima, who has big ambitions for the future: she wants to build her first green building within a couple of years and an entire green city in the northern region of Erbil in the next decade.

Kwiri is the founder and CEO of LifeGyde . The online platform is a space for young people to seek advice, guidance and support. She has an impressive track record of supporting not only individuals, but also small- and medium-sized businesses.

Her first venture helped immigrant owners of small businesses in California and she went on to found four more companies that helped local communities. When she developed anxiety and depression Kwiri realized how many people, like her, were struggling with their mental health – and LifeGyde was born.

As well as fighting stigma around mental health, LifeGyde also provides access to preventative information and advice.

Kwiri Yang, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Socha Connect, USA speaks during the Bridges vs Borders: The Migration Dilemma Session at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 26, 2018. Copyright by World Economic Forum / Valeriano Di Domenico

Abi Ramanan

Abi is the co-founder and CEO of ImpactVision , a software platform that uses machine learning to reduce food waste. She is also a co-chair at the World Economic Forum’s upcoming Annual Meeting of the New Champions .

ImpactVision’s technology uses hyperspectral imaging – a combination of digital imaging and spectroscopy – to take a picture of food and analyze its nutritional value and freshness.

The non-invasive system aims to reduce waste while also improving food safety and consistency. As technology advances, the sensors it uses are reducing in size and price, and could soon be integrated into everyday devices. A hyperspectral camera – and a better understanding of the food you’re eating – could be coming to a smartphone near you.

Doreen Kessy

Doreen is COO of Ubongo , a multi-media educational platform in Africa. Using the power of entertainment and mass media, the company provides educational material at low cost and high volume and scale.

Some 6.4 million households in 31 countries currently watch, listen and learn from Ubongo’s cartoons each week, with improved outcomes in maths and school readiness . In addition, the cartoons have also been shown to have a positive impact on the behaviour of caregivers.

In Akili and Me, children aged three to six join Akili in Lala Land, where they learn English, drawing, numbers and letters.

Doreen Kessy, Chief Operations Officer, Ubongo, Tanzania at the World Economic Forum on Africa 2017 in Durban, South Africa. Copyright by World Economic Forum / Jakob Polacsek

Nafez Dakkak

Nafez is CEO of the London office of the Queen Rania Foundation . Started in 2013 by Queen Rania of Jordan, the foundation aims to be the leading educational resource in Jordan and the rest of the Arab world, and to facilitate the development of new ideas and initiatives.

In his previous job, Nafez was the CEO of Edraak.org , which was the first non-profit Arabic massive open online course (MOOC).

The platform reaches more than 1.5 million Arabic-speakers, including disadvantaged youth across the Middle East. It offers original Arabic courses and access to Arabic language versions of courses taught by online educational platforms such as HarvardX and MITX.

Oana, a former state secretary in Romania’s Ministry of Labour, applies her passion for social innovation to search for solutions to some of the world’s big problems.

She’s the founder and general manager of Social Innovation Solutions, which offers training and consultancy in social innovation and entrepreneurship.

Before that, she led the team that set up Mesteshukar BuitQ , a social enterprise focused on traditional Roma crafts and skills. The organization promotes not only cultural heritage and ancient knowledge of Roma people, but also aims to tackle prejudice and discrimination.

She’s also on the Board of Directors of The Entrepreneurship Academy , where students work in teams, learning about business by running real businesses under the guidance of a “team coach”.

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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In each contest, African citizens between the age of 18 and 25 are asked to write about their perspectives on leadership as it relates to a theme tied to the ALF.

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Since 2013, seven competitions have been organised. Thematic areas covered include: Meeting the challenges of Africa’s transformation (2014); Moving towards an integrated Africa: What needs to be done? (2015); Enabling African business to transform the continent (2016); Peace and security for an integrated, united, and sustainable Africa (2017); Financing Africa’s transformation for sustainable development (2018); Promoting good natural resource management for socio-economic transformation in Africa (2019); and Promoting intra-Africa trade to unlock agricultural potential in Africa (2023).

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Youth Leadership 3 Pages 754 Words

Today's youth still face many attitudinal challenges to self-empowerment. Both the problem and the solution begin at home with their parents. Leadership training must start from an early childhood, as these young adults learn to take gradual responsibility for their own decisions. Only through self-determination, can these youth eventually achieve leadership in their respective communities. In addition to parental guidance, society has responsibility to create opportunities for these young adults to exercise good leadership. We must focus on the practice of leadership rather than the theory. Young adults should be given the opportunity to practice what they learn, such as being responsible for designing, organizing, and implementing their own conferences. Yet for many youth leadership implies a broader involvement. We need to encourage youth to pursue their own interests, and help them integrate into their local communities. Ultimately, the establishment of leaders in all aspects of society will eventually improve the lives of all youth and people. As great leaders it is time for young adults to carry on the torch. Are the youth of America ready to assume the responsibilities? Have they been properly prepared to become the new leaders of tomorrow? As a leader, I have met face-to-face with the best talent that our country has to offer, I have as a leader had the privilege of demonstrating exactly what leadership is. There is no doubt in my mind that they as youth posses the potential to be great leaders. Just look at many personal accomplishments of some youth, and it is clear that we have far exceeded the prior generation. However, my pride and optimism are tempered by the inconsistency in leadership development among youth. The development of leadership potential is a slow and gradual process that must begin from early childhood. Our own perception of self-worth is heavily influenced by the expectations of o...

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