Youth Empowerment

Drawing on several sources such as the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program, the work undertaken by Daniel Goleman on Emotional Intelligence, the work of Matthew D. Lieberman published in “Social” which argued that human beings are social by design (i.e. “hard-wired”) and need to connect with others, which eventually has led to the rise of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), and finally Carol Dweck’s work on a “Growth Mindset“, 21st Century Education has been working with Gente Joven Por un Cambio (Young People For a Change) in Los Cabos, Baja, Mexico. This is a non-profit organization that drew its inspiration from a movement in the United States called “Girls For a Change”, and works with students in grades 5-12 to give them a sense of purpose through service to their community and personal and societal social change for the betterment of society. Consultant Rob Siegel has been assisting in the development of materials to enhance the program and has conducted staff development sessions for their coaches. As further understanding and learning takes shape, we will be publishing a white paper and possible materials