Be Empowered – Youth Action

One of the most important tools for change is being empowered. If you want to create change for physical activity or any other issue you need to cultivate opportunities that allow you to be a leader and an advocate.

My buddie Nicole (that also works at SK in motion) handed me a pamphlet the other day. Across the top it reads “…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth” it’s a cool resource.

The tips suggest ways people can help empower youth. If you want to take the next step toward empowering yourself you have to let the right people know. You need to show the people you want to learn from, that you are interested in gaining knowledge and skills.

So here are a few of my favorites on the list (remember it’s the young person asking for help to be empowered):

“Involve me in decisions that affect y life.” – Sounds fair to me. If you want to be involved you have to go to the meetings, contact the people in charge, be informed on the issue (for example: increasing physical activity levels in Saskatchewan is an important issue because, Only 15% of children and youth meet the national guidelines for physical activity), and make the decision makers aware that you want your thoughts to be known moving forward.

This leads to “Give me a voice and vote on your committee.” – Once you show your are invested and informed by showing up to meetings and getting involved, pursue the opportunity to be involved with the decision making processes more directly moving forward.

If you have a positive project idea set up and meeting, present your thoughts and suggest to the decisions makers “Invite me to design and carry out a community service project.” They will definitely appreciate your initiative.  

One thing you always have is your voice, and being vocal for what your passionate about is key when working for change. Decision makers and public figures are often very skilled public speakers. Learn from their skills and ask for help in improving your own. “Mentor me in public speaking.”

It doesn’t always have to be a public official or politician who helps you become more empowered. Write down your opinion about the issue you’re concerned about and submit it to be published. “Publish my opinion piece.”

One of the most important things I’ve done for myself, and I think you should do to be empowered is finding someone who supports you. They will remind you to be confident in yourself and your ability to  achieve. “Teach me to listen to my inner voice and trust my intuition.”

When it comes right down to being empowered you have to work for it and ask for it. Remember, “until you ask or try, the answer is always no and you always fail…so always ask and go for it. “ – Unknown

Thanks to Search Institute for their great piece that inspired this blog. Give Me a Guitar…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth.

What is the most empowering thing you’ve ever done? Or the most empowering advice you’ve ever gotten? Let us all know in the comments below, I bet you have some great advice to share.

Kenji

 Reprinted with permission from [Give Me a Guitar…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth] by [Kristine Mudd]. Copyright © 2008  Search Institute®, Minneapolis, MN; www.search-institute.org. All Rights Reserved.