By Rebecca Meyer Greta Thunberg addresses climate strikers in Denver on Oct. 11, 2019. In recent weeks, we've seen youth around the world pushing for action on the climate crisis. One of the influencers mobilizing people to act is Greta Thunberg , a 16-year-old from Sweden. She is not the only young leader to tackle this monumental challenge. Young people started their own movements because they saw a need for action -- and a lack of it from adult leaders. Their global influence has me wondering how we can foster more change makers through our youth programs. What does it take for such transformative influence to emerge? Through the lens of the program innovation model , change-making starts with people who are willing to try innovative strategies. Support for change-making comes from family, friends and others. Two more factors help people to take an innovative leap: The first is engaging change-makers in teams that help them understand different world views, identify ...
Our youth development educators bridge research and practice. In this blog, they offer their views on what's happening in the field of youth development, with an eye to evidence-based research written by themselves and others in our field. We welcome your comments.