Based
on the prevailing conflicts among undergraduates and number of youth related
research findings, the Institute of Growth Concepts (IGC) decided to develop an
innovative training package called Future Leaders targeting the
University undergraduates in Sri Lanka. A team of training and development experts worked
enthusiastically together to study the youth behaviours, analyse results and to
design Future Leaders training solution. This training package can be
implemented in any faculty or department of Sri Lankan Universities with the
support of academic staff utilising the training facilities within the
university. IGC has conducted “Future Leaders” mostly for the undergraduates in
Art studies as they normally get exposed to fewer opportunities in management
based trainings. Objectives of the training were:
1. To
strengthen youth by setting future goals, changing attitudes and enhancing
personal productivity through skills such as, leadership, communication, time
management, team building, conflict transformation and entrepreneurship.
2. To
encourage young graduates to become competent for private sector jobs and
entrepreneurial opportunities.
3. To
enhance personal productivity in academic and personal lives.
4. To
empower youth by enhancing conflict sensitivity and emotional intelligence.
Future
Leaders is a not an academic exercise but
a short term life skills development
initiative (training series), that guides and motivate undergraduates to
reap optimum results as a cohesive and proactive individual during the academic
period as well as to become talented job hunter after University. The scope of
the programme is to enhance positive attitudes, self-confidence, creativity and
certain skill areas such as leadership; teambuilding; presentation/communication
and entrepreneurship. The training series consist of five sessions including
one outward training event. It on the other hand uses interactive training
methodology rather than teaching approach. It is a high-bread training
methodology that combines classroom based training sessions as well as out-door
action learning sessions. First four sessions are focused on attitude change
and skill areas mentioned above. The purpose of fifth session is to give
opportunity for the trainees to present what they have learned and to take the
leadership.
