Why is Youth Development and Leadership Important?

Research shows that youth development and leadership are important components of effective youth programming. This stands true in the workforce and other practices such as adult mentoring and activities related to leadership and leadership roles, decision-making, and community organization and service. 

Youth development is a process that prepares many young people to meet the challenges of adolescence and adulthood through a coordinated, progressive series of activities and experiences which help them to become socially, morally, emotionally, physically, and cognitively, and yes, financially competent.

Youth leadership can be defined as both an internal and external process leading to (1) “the ability to guide or direct others on a course of action, influence the opinion and behavior of other people, and show the way by going in advance”; and (2) "the ability to analyze one's own strengths and weaknesses”, set personal and vocational goals, and have the self-esteem to carry them out.

The founder and former Executive Director of The City Youth Foundation wrote “Our children suffer from a lack of responsibility and thus have a hard time adjusting to decision making, when it comes to being responsible for the outcome of the decision”. 

He went on to say, "More often, individuals that participate or have participated in youth development and organizational development programs that offer life skills, social skills and economic development skills are less prone to become involved in gang activity, drug use and other criminal activity.  This is not to say that they won’t succumb to peer pressure in certain areas of their teenage life, but to be a follower after learning how to be a leader is not a norm".