Activating Youth Leadership

The strength-based starting point to activating youth leadership by improving positive learning and life outcomes

Participants design their own success tools. They can borrow some of the tools that other participants have co-designed or create their own - they decide what is most relevant and helpful for their lives.

The below are some examples of participant co-designed tools.

Creating an inspiring vision

Pictability™ was co-designed as a unique and creative way for participants to set a vision for a positive and attainable future. It was informed by research from Positive Psychology, Family Centred Practice and Gamification principles.

Pictability visuals were co-designed with participants to build capacity and inspire wellbeing and flourishing (Adler & Seligman, 2016). Elements of the tool were informed by evidence about how participants achieve goals (Mahmic & Janson, 2018). The tool includes multiple cards and boards designed to support participants expanding on ideas to create deeper and more meaningful (i.e., developmental, social, learning) goals. Research has shown that high engagement of participants in creating goals form solid foundations for participants to achieve these goals. The tool uses visuals and has been very favourably rated by parents of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. In New Zealand, a pilot study co-designed with Maori participants and Allied Health deemed this vision tool culturally appropriate.

Why use ‘gamification’?

A Pictability session involves replacing a planning conversation, which participants often find challenging with a playful game structure to plan. Our research (see below) shows that this playful situation is highly rated by participants and professionals alike who report that the goals formulated during such session are more authentic and engaging than goals formulated during a planning conversation. This is because of the engaging nature of the visuals that allow participants to connect with aspirations even when these are not fully consciously formulated.

During these sessions, participants learn to:

· Create their positive vision

· Prioritise goals and start working on them

· Receive valuable take home resources, including their own personal Pictability™ kit

· Connect with other peers on a similar journey.

Pictability Youth include contents and visuals appropriate co-designed with youth. These participants responded to the robust citizenship framework, which is powerful because it extends the concept of Inclusion. We are all citizens - we have both rights and responsibilities.