Big Leaf Foundation’s Young Leaders programme is a 10-week course for displaced young people to come together and learn about leadership, legal rights, how to create change and support others.
This programme supports young people to build confidence and knowledge in order to help them feel more empowered within themselves, their local community and within Big Leaf itself – helping to shape what we do and how we do it.
We've seen many young people we support exhibit natural leadership qualities over the past few years. We want to provide a chance for them to hone these skills, to recognise their own strengths and feel more empowered within their local communities and in the leadership of Big Leaf itself.
We're now in our third round of Young Leaders, and the past two iterations have been co-created with our graduate Young Leaders and in partnership with Surrey University School of Law, Jamie's Farm and The Hummingbird Project.
The programme begins with a 3-day residential at Jamie’s Farm, bringing the group together for the first time and exploring their sense of self while also team-building and creating a sense of trust with us and each other.
During phase two we work with 0ur brilliant team of partners to help young people develop practical skills and knowledge. We have sessions on leadership, public speaking, campaigning, legal rights and employment skills that young people can choose from and adapt depending on their individual interests and goals.
Phase three is all about taking action – drawing on their own individual strengths and using the skills learned, participants work together to plan and run an activity for their peers...
...and there's a graduation ceremony at the end, where we come together to celebrate everyone's achievements.
"Young Leaders has taught us how to love each other and help each other and lift each other up. It taught me it's important not to treat people differently; everyone should have an equal chance." M