Peer Leadership Program
The challenges of the future are unquestionably great ones, bringing widespread recognition of the need for effective leaders in all sectors of society. Although all people have some leadership potential, the skills necessary to be leaders do not necessarily emerge in the natural course of one’s life. Institutions that provide services to youth have unique opportunities to foster leadership in young people by creating programs that provide opportunities for leadership development.
Peer leadership programs empower students to create positive change in their environments, are student-led, and thrive within communities that value and support the program in word and action. These programs provide potential student leaders with opportunities to refine and build upon their leadership skills, gain new knowledge, develop new attitudes, and gain experiential practice in their role as leaders.
In order to prepare students to be tomorrow’s leaders, peer leadership programs require a strong focus on the leadership development process – the recruitment, education and training, and skill development of student leaders – and a lesser focus on the results of their efforts . Although peer leaders are powerful catalysts for change in their schools and communities, leadership development has lasting societal benefits that extend far beyond the immediate projects peer leaders plan and implement (Boccia,1997).
Peer leadership programs empower students to create positive change in their environments, are student-led, and thrive within communities that value and support the program in word and action. These programs provide potential student leaders with opportunities to refine and build upon their leadership skills, gain new knowledge, develop new attitudes, and gain experiential practice in their role as leaders.
In order to prepare students to be tomorrow’s leaders, peer leadership programs require a strong focus on the leadership development process – the recruitment, education and training, and skill development of student leaders – and a lesser focus on the results of their efforts . Although peer leaders are powerful catalysts for change in their schools and communities, leadership development has lasting societal benefits that extend far beyond the immediate projects peer leaders plan and implement (Boccia,1997).