How do you solve a problem like 'Young Leader'

>>  Friday, June 03, 2011

Young Leaders are exactly that.  Girls aged 14-17 that start the transition from a member of a Guide or Senior Section unit to actually helping to run a unit.  Some girls seem to naturally make the move and become confident leaders quickly and some clearly want to become leaders, enjoy what they are doing, but aren't quite able to make the jump in attitude.

I've watched a young leader this week on the cusp.  She can engage the girls, the younger girls really like her and relate to her, she is great at songs and games and then sometimes she slips back into being a Guide and loses the plot.

I saw her throw an enormous tantrum over packing away her own tent.  Shouting at the Guider in charge, refusing to help and generally behaving like Kevin the teenager. 

I wonder how much of it is to do with the way the older Guiders speak to her, she was told in no uncertain terms to pack her tent away but on the other hand she should have been doing it anyway.

I tried to calmly and quietly ask her not to shout and cry in front of the Guides because of the example she was setting but to go for a walk to chill for a bit.  She simply shouted louder.

There were times when she led games and songs with great ease but other times where she went and sat in the tents and instead of leading, simply became 'another Guide'.

So how do you solve a problem like 'Young Leader'?  How do you help young adults to mentally mature?

On Monday I'm off to see a group of Young Leaders to try to enthuse them, motivate them and help them release their potential.  Sometimes I wonder if it is possible at all, and sometimes I see the fresh faced Adult Leaders of tomorrow with massive promise in their eyes.

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