Nature Beats Sonic Signatures: Increasing Young People's Leadership

The youth mentor training programme is based on the 8-shields 'Acorn Leadership' principles, that is based on 'A Global Movement in Rebuilding Nature-Connected Intergenerational Mentoring Communities'. This school of learning is advocated by Jon Young and adopted by the 'Art of Mentoring' community in the UK. The 8 Shields adopts a finely tuned, tried and tested, true mentoring model that has proven to create healthy and vibrant natural leaders, and nature-based intergenerational mentoring communities around the world.

26 Youth Mentors have successfully mentored two new-cohorts over the year and new young people have joined the second round of mentor training. Participants have self-assessed their leadership skills and there has been an overall increase of 30%.

Confidence and Leadership go in hand in hand and the youth mentors self-assessed that their confidence increased by 20% in the first quarter and 18% in the second quarter. As advanced training poses new challenges, the trend is reflected in - teamwork skills increased by 21% in the first instance and lowered to 16% in the second, as the youth mentors settle into a new delivery team and work out their roles and responsibilities with the staff.

"Having been on Nature Beats a few years ago, I knew it was something I wanted to be involved with, not only for fun and to learn more about nature, but also as a way to become better at socialising in a setting suited to me interests and comforts. It has allowed me to better review my own traits that I considered more undesirable; I started out quite unsure of myself and overcompensated for my lack of confidence. Happily I have become better at introspection rather than selfreview for its own sake. Becoming more sure of myself has allowed me more confidence in helping and listening to others, which in my opinion has naturally pushes me to develop as a leader. At first I came back as a mentor to refresh my experience. Then I started to help others, listen and support them. My time as a youth mentor has been rewarding and fulfilling, which has made me think that I am fit for this role. I actually want to help people because to see them comforted, and more importantly, to grow, brings me great pleasure and meaning to my role." - Oden

28 young people registered and started their youth mentor training. 3 participants have now got jobs.