How we help young people build leadership skills for the future

Posted: 19th May 2026

Leadership doesn’t always mean standing at the front of a room. It can be as simple as having the confidence to speak up about an issue, supporting others, sharing ideas, taking responsibility or trying something new.

At SELFA, we understand that leadership skills help young people build confidence, communicate effectively, solve problems and believe in their own abilities. Research shows that leadership qualities help to build resilience and empathy – and help children become aware of their own values, strengths and emotions.

This is why we run groups like Community Champs – a community–focused programme offering primary-age children the opportunity to learn, give back and, most importantly, have fun.

Why are leadership skills important for children and young people?

“For me, leadership skills aren’t about being the loudest or being ‘in charge’, they’re the small, everyday things,” says SELFA chief officer Emma Pears.

“It’s learning how to speak up when something doesn’t feel right, listening to other people, working things out when things go wrong, and supporting others. It’s also about building the confidence to have a go, even when you’re not sure. At SELFA, this happens naturally through relationships with trusted adults and experience.”

Leadership skills are so important because they give young people control over their lives and choices. It gives them the confidence to express what they need and make decisions for themselves. This has a knock-on, positive impact on their mental health.

“When young people realise their voice matters, you can see a real difference in their confidence and wellbeing,” says Pears.

What is Community Champs?

SELFA’s Community Champs group encourages children (in years 2 and 3) to develop their own voice, leadership skills and a sense of belonging, and provides social and emotional learning experiences.

Michaela Jacques, a SELFA children and young people’s worker who runs Community Champs, says: “Community Champs helps children develop leadership by giving them real opportunities to make decisions, plan activities and take action on the issues they care about in their community. As their confidence grows, they begin to see that their ideas matter and that they can make a positive difference to the world around them.”

Through hands-on projects and activities, children develop leadership and teamwork skills, grow confidence in sharing their ideas and speaking up and take part in social action projects like litter picking.

The programme is child-led, with activities designed and shaped together – like making posters about kindness, or baking treats for local key workers. It’s a chance for children to build friendships, discover their voices and feel proud of the difference they can make to their community.

Community Champs isn’t our only group that focuses on developing leadership skills. We also have:

SELFA Youth Board

This group gives young people aged 12 to 18 (years 7 to 13) a real voice in decisions, helping shape what SELFA does and how we do it.

Young Evaluators

Young Evaluators are young people aged 14 to 25 who help assess what is working in SELFA’s services by collecting feedback and sharing their views, so the charity can improve and stay genuinely youth-led. They do this by visiting SELFA groups alongside SELFA Trustees, gathering feedback from other young people, monitoring sessions, and evaluating their experiences to help shape the future direction of SELFA’s groups.

Saturday Leaders

This group allows older children and young people with SEND to build confidence and independence in a way that works for them.

“What matters is that it’s not rushed or forced, it grows at their pace, in a space where they feel safe and understood,” says Pears. “A lot of young people we work with don’t see themselves as leaders at first, but they already have these skills, they just need the space to grow them.”

Check out the groups we offer here.