Peel District School Board

Going above and beyond
Tips for becoming an effective youth leader

Today's youth represent a new generation of leaders. You will help shape the world you and your peers live in today and in the future.

Becoming a role model has never been easier! It all starts by thinking like a leader. Then, simply take on a small, but important activity in your school or community. Once you have some experience, you can begin to look for new and challenging activities to build your skills.

Why should you become a leader?

Great leaders, first and foremost, are great motivators. They use their vitality and enthusiasm to set goals worth achieving. When you take on more responsibility, you have the ability to make things happen. You will feel a great sense of accomplishment helping to achieve worthwhile goals. By developing your own leadership skills, you will unleash your potential. You will quickly begin to see the rewards of your efforts and discover ways to build on your success.

By going above and beyond the call of duty, you will:

• learn more about people, how to motivate them and gain confidence to deal with difficult situations
• develop communication skills to actively participate in meetings and discussions
• increase your social awareness as you learn more about school, community and global issues
• explore your own strengths
• develop skills to broaden your experiences

What does it take to be a good leader?

First, you need to have a strong desire to take action and try new things. To be successful, you must embrace lifelong learning and never believe you have all the answers. You will gain confidence, not by acting alone, but by involving more people to work toward a common goal. Only then can you build on the unique strengths of the team you have working with you.

Effective leaders:

• propose positive activities
• express themselves effectively
• think fast and retain composure under pressure
• demonstrate compassion and empathy at all times
• make personal contact at every opportunity
• use their imagination
• exercise good judgement
• listen to others
• set priorities - put first things first
• seek creative ways to meet people halfway

So, how can you get started?

You will get the most out of activities that appeal to your own interests. You're probably already involved in many extra curricular activities outside of school time. Set a leadership goal for yourself. You don't have to do everything at once. Start small - maybe you can only fit one or two projects into your schedule this year. Remember - the more experience you have, the easier it becomes to be an effective leader.

To help you get started, here are a few projects to consider:

• in your school, look for leadership opportunities beyond the student council -- join teams, clubs or associations
• if you're on a sports team, consider taking on a greater role or helping younger children get involved in the sport
• if you're a member of a faith community, there are usually roles for youth leaders
• pick an issue you're interested in -- the environment, homelessness, child labour -- then begin to learn all you can about it by reading the newspaper, going to the library and visiting web sites
• connect with an organization that supports an issue you're interested in
• organize special events to raise awareness of important issues or celebrations -- HIV/AIDS, Black History Month, United Nations Day
• find out how you can make a difference -- write letters to government officials, fundraise, share what you know with others
• learn about what other young people are doing to support the issue -- in your community, provincially, nationally or even internationally
• find out who is also supporting the issue -- a community leader, a person you admire, a celebrity, government officials
• join young Canadians and youth worldwide to celebrate Global Youth Service Day in April -- visit www.gysd.net for more information
• volunteer at a local community agency or food bank
• use your skills to help others -- design web sites, organize information displays, hold special events

Information is just a click away

Many web sites provide more information about youth leadership:

The Global Youth ACTION Network www.youthlink.org

This web site provides information, resources, links and solutions to promote greater youth interaction.

Leaders Today www.leaderstoday.com

Founded by Craig and Marc Kielburger, Leaders Today is an international organization dedicated to helping young people realize their potential through leadership, education and development. This web site provides information about the organization and links to resources and leadership seminars and opportunities in Canada and around the world.

Youth Action Network www.youthactionnetwork.org

A national non-profit youth organization based in Toronto, Youth Action Network (YAN) is dedicated to helping youth become more informed and actively involved citizens.

Student Leadership for Global Development www.peelschools.org/slgd

Visit the Student Leadership for Global Development section on the Peel board's website. This section will provide information for students on how to become world leaders and for teachers on how to create global classrooms.

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