Last fall I was introduced to a program called "KidLead", which is leadership training designed especially for 10-to-13-year-olds. Its founder is Alan Nelson, who has been a pastor and is now taking his experience working with adult leaders and his doctorate in leadership to direct the effort to raise up kid leaders through KidLead. Why focus on kids? Quite simply, because Nelson believes that this is the age they are most pliable and teachable. The added benefit, of course, is that young leaders grow up to be older leaders. So if kids can be reached while they are young, it can alter the course their leadership impact will have forever.
It's the same thinking behind why we do children's ministry - that if kids can be reached before their spiritual and moral compass are "set", we can determine the course of their whole lives. But this leadership training program has an importance difference - it asks kids who apply to complete what's called a Social Influence Survey, a tool for assessing leadership traits and potential. The program then works with kids who show leadership potential to develop 16 important leadership qualities.
The benefit is that kids' leadership skills can be developed for the benefit of kids around them now, and the benefit of those who will be led by them in the future. Keep in mind that those who are naturally inclined to lead others will have an influence one way or another. But not every strong leader uses their leadership potential for constructive purposes. Nor does every kid who exerts social influence naturally develop into a good leader. Sometimes raw leadership qualities can manifest themselves as bossiness or create feelings of intolerance or superiority in the one possessing them. KidLead, then, is an effort to take God-given abilities and channel them into positive purposes.
Still, leadership training takes commitment, which is why I'm interested in hearing from those of you who have socially influential kids or are at least intrigued enough to know more. So I'm asking you to do two things:
The first is to visit the KidLead website: http://www.kidlead.org/. Read there about the philosophy of the program, see the outline of the curriculum, and read what parents and kids have said in support of the program. Of special interest on the website is this page, which gives you a concrete suggestion on how you, as a parent, can "coach" your child through a leadership task:
Secondly, if you like what you've seen, let me know and I'll keep you posted on Alan Nelson's next visit to NCCC, when I'd like to bring a team of interested parents together to learn more, and to explore whether our ministry is a good home for a project like this.
You may be able to tell that I'm impressed by the program design, and its potential - I can think of a number of kids in our program who would benefit. What do you think?
