Leadership Isn't Easy

When people talk about “youth leadership” their meaning isn’t always clear. For many adults, “youth leadership” involves giving teens the appearance of leadership without the substance. An example of that might be a school’s student council, where there are elections and debates but the students can ultimately make few if any decisions (and those decisions are, of course, subject to veto by the administration). No wonder many students look at student council as a joke, or at best good for a paragraph on a college application. Other examples are programs where leadership skills are taught through lecture and discussion – but no real opportunity to lead exists.
Even in BBYO, “youth leadership” is sometimes more catch-phrase than reality. Member’s decisions are, of course, limited by policy – but those policies are interpreted by staff. In cases where staff respects and defends (even demands) youth leadership, BBYO members can truly exercise real authority and carry real responsibility. But it’s not all that uncommon for staff to make decisions that are arguably more appropriate for the youth to make. And it’s not just staff – sometimes regional board will make decisions that should actually be made at the chapter level.
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