What does it take to create a program that matters to youth? We consider the issues from the theoretical to the practical through our work in Project Coach. PC is a Smith College program that teaches teenagers to be youth sport coaches. As a coach, our teenagers must inspire, communicate, problem solve, resolve conflict, plan strategically, and deploy a range of emotional intelligences.
PC uses sports as a means to engage, connect, and empower adolescents.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Imagine Leadership
We view coaching as a unique role that provides the youth in our program with the opportunity to lead. When our teen coaches step before the elementary school students that they coach-- they understand intellectually and viscerally that they must lead. The role of coach provides a completely authentic apprenticeship in leadership. Look at the picture on the left: 15 elementary school students have their eyes and attention locked on coach. She is a 15-year old sophomore and she must communicate, inspire, motivate, influence, and do so within an organized structure.
We think about leadership all the time in Project Coach. Harvard Business school recently launched a campaign: Imagine Leadership. They worked with a a design team to create a very compelling video that is worth watching and thinking about for anybody involved in the work of leadership development.
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