Youth Leadership
Youth Leadership Programs – Who Will Lead Us Tomorrow?
Instilling a sense of leadership in young people is one of the most important facets of raising a child. There is much that can be learned in school and through interaction with their peers, but one of the most important things that we have to do as adults is learn to instill the values of true leadership in the youth of today.
Youth leadership programs that use equine assisted learning as a part of their program have been found to be the most beneficial for the individual and their future. Learning by working with horses, children and young people can be given the skills to take on whatever comes their way. In the Equine Connection youth development program we provide the following to our participants:
- Learn to develop a personal sense of responsibility through the care and attention that a horse requires. Responsibility is one of the key attributes of leadership and having to care for a horse and be immersed in its continuing care has proven to be a powerful tool that is used to teach responsibility.
- Learn to communicate effectively. Working with horses in an equine assisted program gives young people the chance to learn how to become effective communicators and listeners. This is an important part of developing leadership skills in children of all ages. Being able to listen to what your horse is telling you without resorting to frustration is a vital skill. Horses communicate on a highly empathic level and they will immediately communicate their needs to their handler. Teaching young people how be assertive and develop leadership qualities is the only way that they will be able to truly get a response from a horse.
- Learn how to work as a team. The biggest part of teaching leadership skills to young people is to instill a sense of teamwork. One cannot lead from a distance and being able to work with a team of your peers while inspiring them and yourself on to greater heights is the mark of a true leader.
Using horses and the structured environment of an equine assisted program is a truly remarkable opportunity for young people to develop into the leaders that will be needed from the next generation. Working with horses has been hailed as a form of therapy as well as a way of learning more about ourselves while we learn how to manage our environment.
Equine assisted learning is not about going horseback riding, and you do not need to be able to ride to partake of the youth leadership programs through equine assisted learning. Our methodologies use as much time on the ground as on the horse. Horses require a great deal of what we call "ground work" prior to ever setting foot on a horse, and this ground work instill leadership skills. Call us today to learn how we can help your child become a better leader through our youth leadership programs
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