Support, develop, empower: The co-development of a youth leadership framework. (June 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hornyak, Natalie; Patterson, Pandora; Orchard, Peter; Allison, Kimberley R.
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 137(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-06
• Subjects: Adolescent and young adult -- Cancer -- Consumer engagement -- Youth leadership -- Youth participation; AYA adolescent and young adult (12-25 years) -- AGM annual general meeting; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106477
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Highlights: Leadership offers youth impacted by cancer critical developmental opportunities. Youth leadership also improves relevance and appropriateness of youth services. Best practices for engaging and supporting young leaders remain unclear. A Youth Leadership Framework was co-designed in a youth cancer organisation. The development process and insights may be instructive for other youth services. Abstract: Engaging young people in organisational leadership offers opportunities for them to contribute and make a positive difference to their communities, benefitting both the young people and the organisations with which they are involved. However, best practices for engaging and supporting young leaders in cancer support organisations remain unclear. This article reports on the co-design and implementation of a Youth Leadership Framework within a national not-for-profit youth cancer organisation. Staff and young people worked together to develop a Framework which includes a model of youth leadership, defined roles and pathways, a resource toolkit and a suite of age-appropriate leadership development programs. This Framework better enables the organisation to fulfil its long-held goals of supporting, developing and empowering young leaders. This account of the Framework's development and the insights gained in the implementation process serves as an exemplar to other community organisations and health services seeking to engage and support young leaders, expanding the evidence base on best practices in youth leadership in the cancer context.