Friday marked the end of a very busy second week of training with our Future Leaders identifying their strengths and talents and learning how to look for opportunities to develop these skills and enhance their innate strengths. 

This week the group will develop  their communication skills and learn to articulate their own views and opinions, with the opportunity to engage with political figures from NI and ROI.

The theme for the employability course last week was “Standing out from the Crowd” and the group were joined by Ossie Kilkenny, Entrepreneur and Chair of the Irish Film Board and Terence Brannigan, Entrepreneur and Chair of NI tourist Board. 

Both speakers spoke about their own journey as well as sharing their advice for the young leaders in terms of gaining employability skills and pursuing their career goals.

In particular, they spoke about making the most of every opportunity and not to be held back by fear or lack of confidence.   Ossie encouraged the young people to be brave – brave enough to try and not be afraid to fail.

Terence spoke of importance that you fulfil your own ambitions and not the ambitions of others.

Participants on our Leadership & Resilience Training course explored how you can become your own leader, with the theme “You Lead You”, identifying our own strengths as a leader and focusing on developing those skills in every aspect of our life, encouraging positive personal development.

Future Leaders –  take a leadership role in Climate Action Training Programme

Co-operation Ireland in partnership with the British Council launched the Active Citizens: Social action for climate change training programme last week with 19 young people from across the Island of Ireland joined the innovative and creative programme of activity and engagement, which is running in 22 countries (including Ireland and Northern Ireland). The programme supports environmental and climate change social action projects that focus on the COP26 priority areas:

• Adaptation and resilience. ‘Helping people, economies and the environment adapt and prepare for the impacts of climate change.’
• Nature. ‘Safeguarding ecosystems, protecting natural habitats and keeping carbon out of the atmosphere.’

This training is being delivered by three of our young leaders, who are part of the Future Leaders Design Group, who have participated in the Active Citizen Youth Leadership International Facilitators’ Development Event and are now supporting the delivery of the programme here.