Topic outline

  • DISCOVER YOUR STRENGTH

    Discover your strength

    Introduction

    Strength and especially power are concepts, often used to inspire young people to “be empowered” or “stand in their power. It is often assumed that the more power or strength we have, the more successful we will be as a leader.

    The concept of power can lead to confusion at the point when adults take steps to share their power with students or give them authority. In supporting youth leadership, it is essential to create positive partnerships between students and adults to build leadership skills through mentoring and shared power, implicit equality of responsibility, accountability, and control.

    Gaining power occurs consciously, but more often unconsciously, on the basis of race, age, social class, gender, sexual orientation, and abilities. These factors influence which students are already successful within the system. It is these students who have traditionally been sought out as leaders, leaving the rest of the students with no or less easy access to leadership roles.Gekozen kan worden voor een periode tussen de 20 en 60 minuten, maar kan ook verlengd worden in overleg met de groep.

    Gedurende deze tijd besteden we aandacht aan de subtiele informatie die de natuur ons brengt en onze eigen innerlijke stem zodat we onszelf en de wereld om ons heen beter kunnen begrijpen.

    1. Make teams of three people and let them work together for 15 to 20 minutes, where 1 person tells and answers the questions, 1 person asks and answers and 1 person observes and mirrors

    2. The mirroring happens at the end of the story. While mirroring, you as a team member offer your perspective on what you noticed during the other person's story. While mirroring, focus on what you really saw or felt, do not fill in, do not guess any underlying feelings or thoughts. It is your gift to the storytelling team member so that they can learn how they perceive others, what they unconsciously or consciously radiate. In order to grow in self-awareness, this form of social feedback is indispensable. It is up to the storyteller whether he/she is able to do something with the insights of the mirror and whether he/she accepts or rejects them. Even the best mirror is just a signpost on our path, it doesn't walk the path for us, we have to follow the path ourselves.

    3. The interviewer asks the following questions and notes the answers:

             Choose a moment when you felt you were making a positive difference in a group to which you belonged. Any action, large or small, that had a positive effect on the group.

             Who was involved?

             What role did you play?

             What was the role of the others?

             Why was it important?

             How did the others react?

             How did you feel back then?

             How do you feel about it now?

    4. After the story, the mirror reflects what he experienced during the conversation.

    5. If there is still time, roles can be changed for the next interview.
    Students will discover their inner strength and strengths at times when they can make a difference by using their strengths and qualities.
    Students learn to apply the technique of “appreciative inquiry” regarding their inner strengths, strengths, abilities to create change and be a leader.
    None

    Ask the following questions:

    • Based on this activity, do you feel you have access to power/power?
    • Is power/power something you need others to give you? Why?
    • When are activities and situations safe to exercise our power/power? Why?
    • Who has the power?
    • What does this activity have to do with leadership?