Youth Leadership Academy: Unique Experience for Tomorrow’s Leaders

Makhzoumi Foundation was founded in Lebanon in 1997 out of a strong desire to help empower the community in Lebanon in order to achieve self-sufficient independence via improved prospects.

From this perspective, the Youth Leadership Academy is working to empower new leaders of today’s generations within the community. This program is meant to equip students with life skills; ranging from promoting a healthy lifestyle, as well as future career skills. On hold of these skills, students were challenged to become the best version of themselves, and to become the leaders of tomorrow.

The Youth Leadership Academy is a 6-weeks program, divided into 3 levels, where every level given is a 2-weeks intensive course. Starting with the Bronze Level, students acquired the fundamental principles when it comes to empowering and inspiring the community, learning from expert speakers with more than 20 years of experience in the job market.

During these 2 weeks, several topics were covered; an introduction of what is leadership and its different types, how to lead (whether individually or in a team), how one can implement leadership when it comes to health and the environment by the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon, how to inspire others by thinking outside the box and gaining the upmost confidence by the AUB drama club, leadership in the political and social realm by Amnesty International, and last but not least, leadership when it comes to technology by Microsoft.

As one can see, all the topics were covered include leadership, however, the YLA’s mission is to target as many fields as possible, in order for the student to master this skill in different areas.

At the end of each level, the Academy holds ceremonies, congratulating participants in paving their way to the top, and in trusting the YLA for illuminating their path and exposing them to real job market situations.