Fostering Leadership Development Through Peer Facilitation
by Lorraine Connell founder of Peers not Fears, Teen Leadership Coach
How do teens become confident leaders? At The Founders Academy, a charter school in New Hampshire, we’ve taken students in grades 8–11 on a transformative journey, equipping them with essential leadership skills that empower them to inspire and guide others. Here’s how we’re doing it.
We started with a focus on team-building games and activities to introduce key leadership skills—a phase I call Level 1 Leadership. This phase builds a foundational understanding of teamwork and collaboration.
Now, we’ve progressed to Level 2 Leadership, where students take the reins and facilitate team-building activities for their peers. Watching them step into these roles has been incredibly rewarding, as they practice and refine their leadership skills in real-time.
The Train-the-Trainer Model
One of the reasons I love working with teens on leadership development is the empowerment this process offers. My approach follows a train-the-trainer model, where I initially guide students through leadership skills (Level 1), then step back as they lead one another (Level 2).
Eventually, the goal is for students to apply their skills by working with peers outside the program. This model demonstrates the capacity teens have for leadership, fosters confidence, and ensures sustainability within schools, as students become self-sufficient in training and supporting one another.
Observing Growth in the Level 2 Leadership Development Program
In Level 2, my role shifts from facilitator to coach. Instead of leading activities, I guide students as they reflect on their experiences and learn from one another. This transition is exhilarating to witness, as it highlights the students’ growing independence.
The core skills they’re developing are problem-solving and decision-making, but the learning goes far beyond that. Here are some of the unexpected skills they’re gaining:
Organizing peers: Students are learning how to manage group dynamics and coordinate effectively.
Adapting on the spot: They must think quickly and adjust plans when things don’t go as expected.
Evaluating abilities: Facilitators assess their own skills and those of their peers, building self-awareness.
Giving and receiving feedback: They learn how to offer constructive criticism and take feedback in a way that fosters growth.
Understanding perspectives: Students gain insight into how others experience activities and refine their communication to meet diverse needs.
It’s remarkable to see 13- and 14-year-olds practicing these advanced skills, and it often makes me wonder how much more capable I would have been as an adult if I had started this kind of training as a teenager.
Learning Through Experience
To illustrate this process, here are examples from our work in Level 2 Leadership. Two students facilitated a team-building activity for their peers. Afterward, we held a reflective discussion about the challenges they faced and what they might do differently:
Challenge: “It was hard to get everyone to follow my instructions.”Solution: “Next time, I’ll explain the goals of the activity before grouping participants.”
Challenge: “I didn’t understand the directions from the facilitator.”Solution: “I would demonstrate the activity next time to make it clearer.”
Challenge: “I didn’t give clear directions because I wasn’t sure how the game would look.”Solution: “Now that I’ve seen it play out, I’ll be better at describing the instructions next time.”
One of the most interesting reflections came when students discussed timing. Facilitators noted how time seemed to move more slowly for them compared to participants. This insight helped them understand different perspectives and prompted them to set clear time goals for activities in the future.
Navigating Challenges Together
These experiences also prompted brainstorming sessions on how to address common facilitation challenges, such as participants not following directions. Students explored reasons behind these behaviors—unclear instructions, lack of understanding, or hesitation to ask questions—and came up with strategies to address them:
Building in opportunities for clarification.
Redirecting participants without calling them out.
Simplifying activities to build understanding before adding complexity.
One student shared, “I think the directions were too difficult to understand. Next time, I’d try a simpler version of the activity first and then increase the challenge.”
The Power of Reflection
Reflection is a critical part of this phase, and watching students actively engage in it has been deeply rewarding. They’re not only learning to lead but also discovering how to learn from their mistakes and grow. This work is a clear example of how to build student empowerment programs within your school.
This process exemplifies the power of youth leadership training and development in teens. By giving them the space to practice, reflect, and refine, we’re not just building leaders for today—we’re preparing them for a lifetime of success.
When teens are given the opportunity to practice leadership in a supportive environment, their growth is remarkable. At every stage of this process, these students are not just learning to lead—they’re discovering who they are and the impact they can have.
Leadership Skills Will Serve Our Students in the Future
The leadership skills students develop during this program have far-reaching benefits that extend beyond The Founders Academy. Here are just a few ways these skills can positively impact their futures:
1. College Applications
Admissions officers are increasingly looking for students who stand out, not just academically but as leaders who contribute to their communities. Experiences like facilitating team-building exercises or mentoring peers provide compelling stories to share in essays and interviews. When students articulate how they organized a group, navigated challenges, or inspired collaboration, they demonstrate key traits that colleges value—like initiative, adaptability, and communication.
2. Career Readiness
The professional world demands many of the same skills students practice during this leadership development program: managing teams, effective communication, decision-making under pressure, and giving or receiving constructive feedback. By building these skills early, we are providing a significant advantage to these teens as they enter internships, part-time jobs, and eventually full-time careers.
Employers often prioritize candidates who can work collaboratively, adapt to new challenges, and take initiative. This program equips students with a toolkit of real-world skills that employers seek.
3. Community Involvement
Beyond academics and careers, these leadership development programs prepare students to make a meaningful impact in their communities. Whether they’re organizing a local event, leading a volunteer project, or advocating for a cause, the ability to engage and inspire others is invaluable. Leadership isn’t about holding a title; it’s about creating positive change—and these students are learning how to do just that.
4. Personal Growth
Finally, this leadership development program builds self-awareness and confidence. As students practice leading, they discover their strengths, learn to trust their instincts, and gain the courage to take on new challenges. These traits form the foundation for a lifetime of success, enabling students to navigate complex situations with confidence and poise.
In sum, the skills cultivated through student empowerment programs aren’t just about leading others—they’re about preparing students to thrive in every aspect of their futures, from higher education to careers and community involvement.
If you’re interested in bringing a leadership development program like this to your school, I’d love to help empower your students to reach their full potential.
Please note that the blogpost above does not represent the thoughts or opinions of Fresh Start Registry and solely represents the original author’s perspective.