It can be hard for adults to take young people's efforts to be leaders seriously.Adults can help to empower young people by supporting and encouraging them if they want to be actively engaged with the world around them.Young people can become leaders, learn from their mistakes, and find and follow their passions with the help of empowerment.
Step 1: Tell them that their voice matters.
Kids are often eager to get involved and make a difference, but also feel like their voice is not valued.Don't fall into the "Kids should be seen and not heard" trap as an adult.Today's youth are world leaders, and should be encouraged to explore their passions and speak their minds.If a teen is too young to vote, they should still be involved in the election.Discuss the issues and candidates with them.Encourage them to support a candidate or cause.
Step 2: Help them understand their purpose.
Do not tell kids what is important to them; instead, ask them.Encourage them to become more knowledgeable on subjects that interest them.Their causes can be different from yours.It's best to allow them to explore rather than forbidding or mocking their passions, as embracing causes is part of finding oneself as a teen.
Step 3: Youth is not a problem that needs fixed.
Today's kids are lazy, selfish, disconnected from reality, and so on.Adults have been saying the same things for a long time.Today's youth should be encouraged to believe they can make the world a better place.Negative youth role models are portrayed in the media.Positive youth role models that you can share with the kids in your life are activists, philanthropists, and overall do-gooders.
Step 4: Reducing the "I know better" perspective is called adultism.
Adults believe that age brings wisdom and that they always know best.It is true that experience can increase wisdom, but don't fall into the trap of automatically devaluing a teen's view when it differs from yours.You can still learn new things if you accept that you can be wrong.If you have seen people try and fail for years to get an abandoned factory site turned into a park, your inclination is to tell your teen that it is not worth pursuing.Maybe a youthful perspective and some fresh ideas is what is needed.
Step 5: Let them come up with their own ideas.
Self-permission is allowing yourself to trust in your perspectives and follow your beliefs.Giving a child a cause to follow isn't enough to empower them.You can help them to learn about and engage with the world around them, and encourage their ideas about taking action.Help them find reliable materials on the subject of childhood poverty in the developing world, if they want to know more.Encourage them to pursue the idea if they come up with it.
Step 6: Don't judge the difficulty of what they're doing.
Teens can become successful entrepreneurs, leaders of charitable groups, or even globally-recognized activists.Your kid might want to set up a drink stand to raise money for the food bank.Show the same enthusiasm for their work.Some kids aren't ready or willing to change the world.By supporting them as they explore what they can do, you may help them to become more confident in their abilities to get involved.
Step 7: Allow them to struggle and fail.
Plans to raise $250,000 to save a local landmark, double the recycling rate, and carry a longshot political candidate to victory may not happen.Trying and coming up short is an important part of empowerment.As a supportive adult, help a child realize that there is never any shame in giving their best effort for a cause that matters.You should follow their leadership and try to help them succeed, but not step in and take charge in an effort to prevent failure.Allowing them to remain in control is what you can suggest.
Step 8: Accept that their focus and motivation will change.
Kids and teens are wired to change their minds frequently.This means that yesterday's cause might be replaced by a new one seemingly out of nowhere, or that their dedication to it might wax and wane day by day.Accept that this is part of their process of finding their own voice and sense of purpose and don't criticize them for being superficial or wishy-washy.The value of finishing what they have started and the importance of following through on their promises are both worth emphasizing.Make sure they understand their obligation to make sure the funds are used properly if they have begun taking donations for a particular cause.
Step 9: Seek active roles in youth empowerment organizations.
When a child or teen is excited about a cause, help them find relevant organizations to join.Look for groups that give younger people leadership and decision-making roles in order to emphasize youth empowerment.The guidance counselor at the child's school may be able to help you identify groups to join.Encourage the child to start their own group if they want to.Staff at the school might be able to help.
Step 10: Support partnerships with youth organizations.
If a child is part of a group tackling an issue like poverty or discrimination, encourage them to make connections with other youth-focused groups doing similar work.Developing partnerships can increase the impact of their work and let kids see that they are not alone in their dedication to getting involved.They may be able to coordinate events with other schools.A regional, national, or international organization dedicated to the same cause can be affiliated with their local group.
Step 11: Encourage them to go beyond their comfort zone.
There are similarities and differences among people and places.It could mean going on an international volunteer trip or becoming a foreign exchange student.Talk to the child about their interests and goals.Some people are not cut out for international travel.Smaller steps, like working alongside local teens in a nearby community with a different social, economic, ethnic, or religious makeup, can make a big impact.
Step 12: Instead of doing for them, work with them.
It can be tempting to put the adults in charge and have the kids watch and learn, but part of empowerment is giving kids actual power.Give younger people a chance to make actual leadership decisions and avoid the trap of adultism.To counsel them when they request it is your job.