Pat Armstrong

Jane Stewartwww.leadersforsustainability.com

1. Leaders are born not made.FalseFalseFalseFalse

2. Everyone can be a leader.TrueTrueTrueTrue

3. Models of adult leadership can be applied to young people.FalseFalseFalseFalse

4. Leadership training should start as early as possible.TrueTrueTrueTrue

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� How can you help young people to become leaders in sustainability?◦ The context◦ Background on student leadership◦ How the project came about◦ What TLfS is all about◦ TLfS Learning Networks◦ What we have learnt

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“A contemporary definition of ‘leadership’ is a process of influence that involves articulating a shared

vision of the future, aligning resources (e.g. people and projects) to this

vision, and motivating and inspiring others to achieve this vision for

mutual benefit.”(Taylor, 2010 referring to Kotter, 1998; Rost, 1993)

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� Recognised that schools with successful sustainability programs have strong leadership –Principals or APs, teachers, parents & … students

� Established Tomorrow’s Leaders for Sustainability to help provide a more formal course in youth leadership in the context of sustainability

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� Based on research and best practice in education for sustainability and leadership

� Has four unique features ◦ both upper primaryprimaryprimaryprimary and middle secondarysecondarysecondarysecondary years◦ a course that can be delivered by either a trained facilitatorfacilitatorfacilitatorfacilitatoror a trained classroom teacherteacherteacherteacher◦ range of resources & support resources & support resources & support resources & support servicesservicesservicesservices◦ strong vocationalvocationalvocationalvocational links through student projects to future careers.

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� TLfS complements AuSSI -Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative◦ Beginning schools - Get them started with education for sustainability and AuSSI

◦ Well advanced schools – re-energize a school, help the school to become a leading school

1. Awakening

2. Discovering

3. Transforming

4. Sustaining

5. Celebrating

6. Leading

The phases of a school’s journey to sustainability

(AuSSI) 7

Whole of SchoolPrograms

Student / teacherPrograms

Curriculum-basedPrograms

Leadership Programs e.g. TLfS

Student Leadership /

Student teams

Enhanced student

outcomes

Enhanced leadership in school

& community projects

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� Recent research* shows that formal youth leadership training is sadly lacking in our western society and that any leadership skills gained by adolescents is often by default through participation in youth organisations.

� This research concludes that all young people have the potential for leadership and that formal training is needed to successfully prepare young people for moving into the modern workingenvironment.

(*American Journal of Career and Technical Education)

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� Young people are more interested in developing leadership within their groups than in individual leadership

� For young people, leadership is about:◦ Responding to specific situations◦ Teamwork and commitment to relationships◦ Equality of chance and a willingness to pitch in◦ Respecting the different strengths and viewpoints of others ◦ Caring about others in the group◦ Changing and fluid nature of leadership ◦ Consultation and collaboration◦ Effective communication

(Roach et al 1999)

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� Teachers and educators can best help young people with leadership by “finding ways for young people to commit to work that will benefit others and be judged by tough criteria”.

� For school programs, this suggests that leadership can be developed through meaningful group projects.

Source: Roach et al (1999)

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� The top seven skills required by employers for new graduates relate to leadership and most of the top ten personal qualities required by employers also relate to leadership.

� Young people who have undergone formal leadership training perform better on the employability skills required by employers.

Source: Ricketts and Rudd 2002

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� communication� team work� problem-solving� initiative and enterprise� planning and organising� self-management� learning� technology

Employability Skills for the Future” (ACC, 2002)

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� The essential elements for the development of youth leadership include:◦ “Youth/adult partnerships

◦ Granting young people decision-making power and responsibility for consequences

◦ A broad context for learning and service

◦ Recognition of young people’s experience, knowledge and skills”

Source: DesMaria, Yang and Farzenhkia (2000)

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� The protective factors to promote healthy youth development include a strong sense of connectedness to◦ parents and family◦ other pro-social supportive adults◦ feeling connected to school◦ experiencing a sense of spirituality

Source: Resnick (2005)

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� Connectedness to schoolConnectedness to schoolConnectedness to schoolConnectedness to schoolis the single most important factor in predicting how successful a teenager will be as a young adult.

� Giving young people opportunities for leadership and school decision-making can help develop this connectedness.

Source: Milburn, C. (2009)

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� “… leadership can be taught and learnt …although some people have greater potential for leadership than others due to their innate personality traits.”

� “… anyone in a sustainability-focused organisation could potentially be a leader at some point in time if they are involved in a process of influence that involves encouraging sustainable practices.”

Andre Taylor, 2008

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� Formal school curriculum in leadership can complement the leadership development opportunities provided by extra school organisations.

� Everyone has the potential to be a leader, depending on the situation.

� Everyone can improve their skills to help them be a more effective leaders.

� Teachers and educators can best help young people develop leadership by helping them to commit to projects that will benefit others and are judged by tough standards.

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� Developed student and teacher materials ◦ primary and secondary◦ include the Ollie Saves the Planet and Ollie’s Island CD ROMS

� Conducted workshops for 104 teachers (from 60 schools and education officers

� Conducting program with clusters of schools in regions◦ Bayside / Kingston / Glen Eira◦ Port Phillip◦ Rural – Wimmera◦ Northern Victoria

� Developed Learning Network manual

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1. Educational Activities 2. Project Activities

3. LeadershipActivities

4. Forums and Conferences

TOMORROW’SLEADERS

FORSUSTAINABILITY

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Integrate sustainabilityprinciples

into their life and career

Greater understandingof the key principles

& issues of sustainability

Apply new skillsto sustainability

projects

A “space” to learn together & support

each other

Skills to think, communicate,

& help othersto act ethically

Interpersonaland leadership skills

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� Aimed at Years 7-11

� Over 40 activities◦ Rich, interactive learning◦ Varied

� Teachers select activities and sequence of activities

� Strong links to learning outcomes across many VELS Domains and Dimensions & in VCAL

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6. IncorporatingPrinciples

of SustainabilityInto Your Career

1. Leadership

2. Sustainability Issues

& Principles

3. ConductingYour

SustainabilityProject

5. Communicating About

Sustainability 4. Working WithOthers on

SustainabilityProjects

TOMORROW’SLEADERS

FORSUSTAINABILITY

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� An elective at Years 9 or 10� An after school leadership course for any level� As an alternative to work experience in Year 10� A special program for students in an Environment club

� A middle years unit over a 5-6 week period for Years 8-10

� Level forum � Incorporated into a year level program� Incorporated into AuSSI� Unit 1 - Personal Development VCAL

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� Selling environmental gift cards

� Building drought tolerant gardens

� Making and selling a range of retro clothes from recycled materials

� Building and selling bird nesting boxes

� Conducting school energy audit

� Making pillows made from recycled material and donating to kindergarten

� Revegetation projects in urban and rural areas

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Ripping up the paper to make the pulp

Our finished book marks

Turning the paper into pulp (mashed up paper)

Making the paper

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� Years 4-6

� Uses an enquiry learning approach

� Integrated unit

� The course is about -◦ Leadership

◦ Sustainability

◦ Improving student leadership skills – giving talks, working with others, communicating with others

◦ How to run a really interesting project that will help the environment

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- a group of people from schools, environment organisations, businesses and community groups who come together to achieve a shared purpose (or complete a shared project) through a facilitated process of learning together.

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One School

Cluster of Schools

Cluster of Schools Plus Several Partners

One School Plus Several Partners

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� Tailored to a region

� Aimed at community leaders

� 6 day course

� Participants work on a community project

� 12 modules e.g.◦ Leadership

◦ Teamwork

◦ Planning

◦ Communication

◦ Running Effective Meetings

◦ Conflict Resolution

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� Youth leadership is different to adult leadership

� Power of learning networks

� Youth and community people can improve their leadership skills and self-belief (evaluation supports this)

� Motivation to lead comes from doing something that aligns your skills and passion - “The Element*”

*Dr Ken Robinson39

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“.… people do their best when they do the thing they love, when they are in their element. … We have to recognize that most great learning happens in groups. The collaboration is the stuff of growth.”

Dr Ken Robinson – leading UK educationalist

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“… there is no more urgent task than to encourage and nurture the next generation of environmental leaders. The most important message we have to offer is that

environmental leadership consists largely oflearned skills and styles and that learning needs to

begin early and last a lifetime.”

(Taylor 2010 quoting Gordon and Berry, 2007)

Pat Armstrong - pat@leadersforsustainability.com

Jane Stewart - jane@leadersforsustainability.com

www.leadersforsustainability.com

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� Schools◦ Localised teacher and student workshops

◦ Resource materials

◦ Build TLfS learning networks

◦ Youth leadership forums

� Community◦ Community Leadership Program

� Consultancy◦ Tailor school or community program to local region

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� Student evaluation

� Workshop evaluation

� Action research

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Leadership 88%

Thinking 88%

Problem solving 89%

Decision making 88%

Negotiation 84%

Team work 84%

Presentation 91%

Communication 87%

Planning a project 83%

Planning an event 85%47

I am more confident in myself 85%

I am more optimistic that I can deal with problems of sustainability

92%

I have changed my behaviour towards living more sustainably

96%

I have influenced some other students to change their behaviour towards living more sustainably

95%

I have influenced my family to change their behaviour towards living more sustainably

90%

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