How to Develop Youth

Youth Development is not easy. Without a solid vision and a working strategy it’s easy for many to quit. Today I’d like to share some leadership principles for profitable interactions with youth. These are crucial keys that go a long way in enabling youth workers to empower their groups effectively. There are four key steps that leaders need in developing youth.    

1. Stimulate Development

Leaders are like gardeners. A gardener takes a seed, plants it in good soil, nurtures the young plant with water and/or fertilizer and takes care of it into its maturity. The first requirement in stimulating development in youth is being able to discern what their gifts and talents are. A person’s gifts and talents are the seed of his or her potential. 

2. Motivate Development

Good leaders find ways to motivate development in their followers. I have found that the easiest way to do this is by painting a picture of the future for youth. They want to be associated with success and when they see that they are headed towards maximizing their potential with you, they will jump aboard. Lasting motivation comes when your youth buy into your leadership. One thing that many leaders miss is that the youth must first buy into the leader before they can buy into the leader’s vision for them. Find what connects you and your youth and that will be the glue for your continued motivation of them.  

3. Encourage Development

When I was in college I read a quote that I have come to really love and appreciate a lot. I can’t remember who gave us the quote (…might have been Socrates or Plato … or one of those profoundly wise sages of the 16th Century). The quote was, “Encouragement is the oxygen of the heart”. In terms of youth development I’d say encouragement is the fuel of continued growth. Are you encouraging the youth in your life?

4. Celebrate Development

Enthusiasm is vital to continued practice of learnt behaviors. Practice makes permanent (not perfect). People need leaders that will celebrate good performance more often than they criticize or give feedback about shallow performance. Celebration means fun. When people are having fun, nothing hurts. Are you having fun with your youth?