We’re updating our offer for young leaders
An offer for young leaders, by young leaders
We've been working together with a fantastic group of 12 young leaders from across the country to create a new offer for young leaders.
We've created a welcome leaflet for young leaders and young external volunteers. These resources will help new young volunteers understand their role and all the amazing things you do in your units. They're available now to be shared with any new young volunteers joining your unit this term.
All of our ideas together make us a strong united team of young leaders who want to make a difference for future young leaders. - Tessa, part of the young leader working group
The welcome leaflets are just the starting point for our updated young leader development programme, launching in summer 2024. This will be a flexible offer where young leaders can choose to complete modules based on their interests, needs and time. There will be 12 modules to choose from, based around key areas of the young leader role, such as planning, delivery, teamwork, safety, and problem solving. For every 4 modules completed, young leaders will get a badge. We'll be sharing more information about the young leader development programme in the lead up to the launch.
Why are we changing the current young leader qualification?
Young and adult leaders have told us that the current young leader qualification does not meet their needs; currently only around 4% of young leaders hold a completed young leader qualification. In addition, after the changes made to the leadership journey for adults, the young leader qualification no longer links to the leader development programme. The new young leader development programme will better reflect the areas young leaders, and their leaders, have said they would like support with.
Will the young leader development programme link with the leader development programme for adults?
Yes, 5 of the modules in the young leader development programme will link directly with 4 of the becoming a leader courses. This is including the whole of the engaging guiding section. More information about this will be available when the young leader development programme launches next year.
What if I’m a young leader currently working on the young leader qualification?
That’s amazing, please keep going! Those who are currently working on the young leader qualification will have a year from the launch of the young leader development programme to finish. If you’re thinking about starting the young leader qualification: you can start it now or you can wait for the new young leader development programme to launch. You could also get involved in helping to test some of the modules for the new programme.
Who will support young leaders?
The main people supporting young volunteers will continue to be the unit leadership team. However, we are updating the young leader advisor role which exists in many areas with a new young leader coordinator role. This is a county level role, that will support young leaders. They will have access to the details of young leaders in their county on GO, and will be able sign off the badges in the young leader development programme once it launches. Multiple people can hold this role in a county. Take a look at the young leader coordinator role description for more information.
If you’re interested in doing this role contact your county commissioner. The new young leader coordinator role will be available on GO by late September.
