Youth Leadership A Myth or Reality Dept. of Youth and Community Studies University of Malta

Paradigm Shift From: Young people as potential social problems To: Young people as a potential community asset (Little 2002) Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Today - Empowerment - Emancipation - Participation in decision making - Active Citizenship (Gore, 2007; Skott-Myre 2005; Haikella 2001) Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Youth Participation and Leadership Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly HOW?

Myth 1 Calling young people leaders makes them leaders Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Adults may have different motivations to create illusion that young people are involved. These range from: - legal obligations; - to obtain funds for their own projects; - to a personal need of power. Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Reality 1 Young people are leaders when they initiate, design and manage and involve adults in the decision making (Hart 1992) Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Myth 2 Leadership can’t be taught. The lucky ones are born with the ‘right stuff’. Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Reality 2 Young people can be taught the skills and behaviours needed to be effective leaders through learning by doing. Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Leadership is a collaborative, social and relational activity. It should be understood as a collective capacity rather than an individual trait. Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Leadership is an educational process. Effective youth leadership is a process that engenders trust and is the result of relationships that focus on the interactions of youth and adults Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

WHY? Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly WHY?

The rapid change leads us to be aware of only part of the young people’s reality Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Benefits for Young People - a contributor to academic success - improves mental health - higher self esteem - increase in self efficacy - improves social justice - strengthens the ability to contribute to society - ability to work with others and in diverse environments Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Benefits for adults - become more competent in the youth field - more able to adapt themselves for young people’s needs - more satisfaction from their work - more energy and enthusiasm Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

As a result REAL youth leadership contributes to co-learning and inter-generational learning. Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly

Reality 1 Young people are leaders when they initiate, design and manage and involve adults in the decision making And new learning communities are developed where learning takes place in a non-formal and informal way.

Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly Effectiveness is achieved through complex thinking, full commitment from all stakeholders and a mindset which sees differently and is ready to make a twist towards a true partnership between young people and adults

Myth 2 Leaders Watercolours by Patrick Hoesly Positive thoughts cannot exist in a vacuum. They must be shared with all to be effective just as leaders - young and old must share parts of themselves with others to be effective.

Y o u a r e i n v i t e d !