The election speeches are done. The votes are in and counted. Your school captains, house captains, and other leaders have been chosen. They’re excited. So are they’re parents.
They’re ready to be let loose on their fellow students.
Or are they?
As one smart principal said of his primary school student leadership team, “The trouble is, they don’t know what they don’t know.”
And that is a worry.
That’s why you MUST have an Induction Program for your student leadership team.
It’s no longer a nice-to-do. It’s a must have!
And not just any old Induction Program will do.
Your Induction Program needs to cover these essentials.
1. Presentation skills
Communication is a cornerstone skill that all student leaders should develop. Your Induction Program should include presentation skills as its core.
Best practice induction programs teach students a method that they can use in all their presentation activities throughout the year.
Young Leaders uses the Easy Talk Planner, a tried-and-true method that students can apply to any speaking situation.
2. Understanding their role.
Every student gets excited about being a leader but how many understand what they must do.
Your best practice student leadership induction program should help students know their role inside and out, which builds confidence and agency.
3. Forming a supportive team.
Your school leaders will work best if they feel part of a team.
Feeling part of a team relieves anxiety and acts as a pressure valve when expectations begin to build and they don’t feel they can cope. When they experience teamwork they are more able to promote it in their roles as leaders.
So, when planning your Induction Program makes sure you include team-building activities and games to help students forge strong bonds with fellow leaders.
4. Knowing their strengths and passions.
Your leadership team will be made up of many personalities. You’ll have quiet kids, calm kids, extroverted kids, and sporty kids.
So, one leadership size doesn’t fit all.
It helps if students have a good understanding of their strengths and values so they can bring these to the fore in their roles.
When planning your Induction Program include a self-knowledge activity to help students understand their strengths. The Young Leaders Program uses a Role Modelling exercise to build student self-awareness.
5. Considering their legacy.
Leaders leave a legacy for others to follow.
This is a concept that kids grasp, but many adult leaders forget.
Introduce the idea of leaving a legacy during the student leadership Induction Program as a reference point that you and they can refer to throughout the year.
6. Introducing Mentoring
Mentoring accelerates leadership learning. It’s such a powerful way of developing the skills and capabilities that kids need to lead. It’s also a great way to provide students with support over their leadership journey.
In your Induction Program introduce mentoring.
Start the process by asking students to find a mentor either within or outside school. Consider what a good mentor looks and sounds like and how students should feel when they are with their mentor.
At the conclusion of an Induction Program students should have identified their mentor and know how to approach them. Better still, they will have their mentor in place.
The Young Leaders Program’s innovative 4 part mentoring framework is a proven methodology that enhances leadership development and the wellbeing of students.
A final word…or two
Kick off the leadership year with a world class Induction Program. Keep your expectations high and your students will likely meet them.
Make sure you devote at least 5 hours at a minimum over at least two sessions to your Induction Program. Devote more time and sessions if you are able.
The energy and effort you devote to your Induction Program will pay handsome dividends in terms of the leadership output, agency, and culture established over the course of the school year.
Want a ready-made Induction and Mentoring Program you can use immediately?
The Young Leaders Induction and Mentoring Program is designed for Australian students, by Australian teachers and is used by schools in every Australian state. Want it? It’s ready for you now.
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