"Y-It's All About You"
Mentoring
Y Leadership In the Media
Contact us

  "Y- It's All About You!"   is a unique
  leadership program for young people, primarily in Year
  10, who show potential as leaders. As part of this
  year-long program, YWCA NSW staff work with school
  executive personnel to identify young people with a
  potential to learn the skills of leadership. Y Leadership
  has a positive impact on schools because of the
  benefits reaped by having community minded leaders
  amongst their students.

Since inception in 2006, Y Leadership has worked with more than 240 students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Graduates have maintained active leadership roles in their community, by becoming Peer Support leaders, presenting at forums such as YWCA NSW Annual General Meeting, participating in School Representative Council, running Leos Club events, and by demonstrating leadership skills and values amongst their peers, families and wider community.

Skill Building : one day workshops
During workshops students are supported by with mentors who come from a range of career paths and experiences. Each of the four workshops has a different focus:

1. Leadership: Students consider what makes a good leader; leadership styles; how personal skills & values matter and also undertake goal setting activities.
2. Effective Communication: Strategies to enable them to communicate in various contexts and enhance their public speaking skills.
3. Students and their Community: Investigate opportunities to participate in their community, comprehend rights & responsibilities, and recognise their ability to influence change.
4. Career Opportunities: Examine a variety of careers opportunities and the strategies for seeking out and gaining employment.

Giving Back : the community project
Y Leadership workshops culminate in a community event organised and led by participants which puts into practice knowledge and skills gained during the course.

At a time when young people are experiencing significant changes and tend to focus much of their attention on themselves and their peers, this program provides them with a challenge to look beyond themselves. As part of this unique leadership program students are encouraged to develop community mindedness and to recognise their potential to cultivate change as an emerging leader in their community. By encouraging young people to contribute to their community we have observed genuine development in their sense of self and young people begin to value the importance of giving their time to help others.

Students develop research and project management skills by:

• Researching a community need & developing a project to address the need.
• Seeking permission for the project, contacting relevant people & obtaining resources.
• Developing a time line and coordinating critical tasks.
• Implementing and leading the event, and presenting any profits to the chosen charity.

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Mentoring

Mentors are integral to the program and provide students an opportunity to learn and be inspired by someone who can share their time, experience and what it means to be a leader. Mentors participate in workshops to motivate, guide and support students to believe in themselves, develop leadership skills, engage in future learning opportunities, and to discover their leadership potential.

There is great value in having mentors who engage with and assist young people to:

• Identify and enhance their leadership skills.
• Increase their confidence & capacity to make active decisions to improve their lives.
• Be inspired to think about their ability to change not only their own lives, but also their ability to change the lives of their families, schools and larger communities.
• Develop awareness of their ability and responsibility to contribute to society, and to recognise their leadership role in the wider community.
• Understand the diversity of occupations and career opportunities, and therefore value of school and learning, especially in light of the compulsory school leaving age being raised to 16 years of age.
• Network with adults from their community who are role models and mentors, providing personal support and building strong communities. 

This program is made possible with a generous grant from The Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation and the Lord Mayor's Charitable Fund.

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Y Leadership In the Media

Auburn Girls High School (19th September 2007)
Concord High School (28th August 2007)
Fairvale High School (December 2007)

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Contact us

If you would like more information please contact:

Rebecca Louie
YWCA NSW Youth Programs Manager
Phone: 02 9285 6246 
Email: leadership@ywcansw.com.au