What is Youth Leadership?
The youth of today have a lot to juggle. That being said, being a young person has never been easy! You’re having muscle mass and bone density skyrocket, your cognitive development is undergoing enormous changes, you’re likely having huge amounts of academic/career pressure put on you, you’re juggling multiple responsibilities, maybe you’re having to navigate complex friendship dynamics more than you used to as well. Nobody has ever claimed that being a young person was a walk in the park. But in today’s day and age, the mud has only gotten thicker. Mental health is a far more prominent topic in society than it used to be. Political and social unrest is even more intensified. The job market is like walking into a wolf’s den armed with a twig. Exposure to violence, especially on social media, is scrambling peoples brains as humans are not made to be witnessing war, bloodshed, and political division on such a constant basis. Climate anxiety is growing, and everyday we are having to navigate a complex political situation. If you feel overwhelmed, or like you are balancing too much on your plate to even think about youth leadership at the moment, you are empathised with.
But it is because of these things that youth leadership is needed now more than ever. Young people are brimming with energy, innovation, fresh perspective, and adaptability. It has become very clear that age-old systems and institutions are no longer serving the purpose that they were built for, so it is young people that must put their heads together and strive for a world that is future oriented. It is easy to feel like the world is against you, and we all have moments of anxiety and overwhelm, where we may want to stick our heads in the sand. But arming yourself with the skills and qualities of youth leadership will enhance your life and empower you to forge a path ahead. So, what is youth leadership?
1. Expertise: Don’t worry, nobody expects this to come instantly to a Young Leader. Expertise is more what a young leader is striving for. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in – science, art, literature, politics, film, law, sport. Expertise comes from knowledge – which means to be a Young Leader you have to dedicate yourself to having a deep knowledge base that you can apply to your field of interest. Having a specific, detailed interest and a breadth of knowledge doesn’t come easily – it takes a lot of hard work, persistence, and motivation. Many people believe it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become a master at something. Yep, a daunting thought. But it is achievable. Expertise also comes from experience. It doesn’t matter how long you spend in university lectures or in your local library, experience is one of the most valuable instruments of learning. Being a young leader doesn’t mean you have to wake up and be a master at everything you do, but it means you aim to have expertise.
2. Adaptability. The journey of being a Young Leader is not a straightforward one. There will likely be many obstacles in your path. Changes of environment, new people, new technology, resurfacing problems. A Young Leader needs to have a solution-oriented mindset, and not be put off in the face of adversity. A problem presents a new opportunity for growth and development – that is the perspective a Young Leader must have. Young Leaders don’t exist in a comfort zone, instead they think outside the box and embrace a struggle as it will inevitably open more doors for them. Negative thought patterns happen to everyone – nobody can be expected to be positive and upbeat all the time. But Young Leaders employ cognitive restructuring by having strategies that enable them to face challenges head on – such as breaking down a problem into bite size chunks that are more manageable. If you want to be a Young Leader, a good word to add to your vocabulary is neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganise itself and form more neural connections, which usually happens when somebody takes a proactive approach to an issue. A Young Leader will also usually engage feedback loops – which means learning from mistakes, refining approaches, adapting their behaviour, and moving forward productively
3.Team-oriented: Nobody is a master at everything. Leadership is not defined by solitary achievements. Being a Young Leader means working in a team-oriented fashion. If your friend is really good at design and aesthetic, and you’re really good at research – then why don’t you work on a project together, and split up the tasks accordingly? You’ll have high quality design, and high quality content – this is called skill diversity. Being team-oriented doesn’t negate the fact you should be embracing learning a new skill, but it does mean that you should recognise other people’s skills, talents, and strengths – and work together to achieve incredible things! Working in a team will also boost your oxytocin, aka the “bonding hormone”. Being able to build strong professional relationships will increase your trust, emotional intelligence, and ability to work dynamically in a team. It will also diversify your cognitive function as you’ll be exposed to new mindsets, perspectives, and ways of thinking. A cool fact about teamwork is that studies have shown that when individuals collaborate on a project they are subject to brain synchronisation – meaning your decision making skills and cognitive functions will sync up! It’s important to remember when you’re working in a team that you should have really strong communication, a shared goal, conflict resolution, and a shame-free environment where you aren’t afraid to admit your mistakes.
4. Passion: It goes without saying that if you want to be a Young Leader, you should have at least one topic you are passionate about. Maybe it’s climate justice, or AI, or book restoration. It doesn’t matter what field you want to enter into – Youth Leadership is for everyone. But you must be passionate. It is passion that will act as your motivation and drive when the going gets tough and you’re faced with obstacles. Passion will push you into that “flow state” when working, so you’ll be able to enthusiastically immerse yourself in the work you’re doing. Passion means that your work in itself will be rewarding, and you won’t have to rely on external benefits to inspire you. When you’re pursuing something you’re passionate about, the limbic system is activated, and you’ll have a ton of endorphins and adrenaline released into your body. Passion is intrinsic to being a Young Leader
5. Thirst for learning: The “learning” stage of being a Young Leader never ends. It is a lifelong commitment. It doesn’t matter when you finish your studies, or your internship. All throughout your career and life experiences in general, as a Young Leader you should be hungry to learn more. Imagine yourself as a sponge, absorbing all the opportunities, lessons, and information that life hands you. Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky came up with the theory of Constructivism – the idea that learning is not passive, but instead an active process. This means you will be constantly taking in all new experiences, and integrating previous lessons into new situations. Metacognitive skills like reflection, feedback, and self-regulation allows a Young Leader to constantly learn from their mistakes or old experiences, and apply it to their current life.
The world is not doomed, Young Leaders such as yourself have a bright and powerful future ahead of you. Youth Leadership is about employing a mindset, lifestyle, and a toolbox of skills to ensure you reach your highest potential. Life might get daunting at times, and there is no shame in feeling overwhelmed at a workload or just life in general. But remember that the life of a Young Leader is empowering and fulfilling. No dream is too big, and you can change the world!
Xantippe Steel
June 29 2024