The Foundation Certificate in Youth Leadership and Community Action is a minimum one-year part-time course designed to enable young people (15 to 18 years) to develop vision, confidence, life skills and general capacity to be effective leaders. The course empowers young people to make a positive difference to their community through practical actions and projects. Throughout the course of the programme, young people learn the core concepts of leadership and gain skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, self-awareness etc. The course recognises the innate leadership capabilities and potential in young people and gives them an opportunity to develop their skills and attributes in a fun and encouraging environment.

This course has been developed as a lifelong learning initiative through a partnership between Foróige and the UNESCO Chair for Children, Youth and Civic Engagement at the Child and Family Research Centre, University of Galway.

Module 1: Youth Leadership (30 hours; 5 ECTS Credits)
The youth leadership module facilitates participants through group work to develop an awareness of their own leadership style, identify goals and vision for the future, develop their communication and life skills, enhance their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities and reflect on their learning.

Module 1 entails 15 hours taught & 15 hours independent study in the form of personal reflection, completion of presentation and workbook.

Module 2: Leadership and Community Action (30 hours; 5 ECTS Credits)
This module enables participants to critique different leadership styles, enhance their knowledge of community needs, develop their project planning, development and evaluation skills, collaborate within team projects, enhance their communication skills and explore global issues.

Module 2 entails 15 hours taught & 15 hours independent study in the form of a group project and personal reflection, completion of group project and workbook.

Module 3: Project Work (30 hours; 5 ECTS Credits)
This module enables participants to put into practice their learning from the previous modules by actively engaging in a community project of their choice and presenting a portfolio on completion.

Module 3 entails 20 hours independent community action project & 10 hours group and individual reflection, completion of portfolio.

Curriculum Information

The Foundation Certificate in Youth Leadership and Community Action offers a bridge between non-formal learning and formal university-level education. It has a blended learning structure that combines workshops with a practical 20-hour self-directed community action project, where participants apply their leadership skills to create a tangible benefit for community members.

The Foundation Certificate provides a University-level qualification that will set participants apart before they even enter the full-time workforce. It provides evidence of transferable competency and is particularly beneficial as a foundational step for those who wish to further their studies or start a career in this area.

Students will be examined by means of continuous assessment under the academic supervision of the course director, Nuala Mc Guinn, Director of the Centre for Adult Learning and Professional Development at University of Galway.

For more information on this course, please contact: leadership@foroige.ie

The course is all about the development of transferable leadership skills applicable to all areas of life. This includes skills such as teamwork, communication, conflict resolution, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, self-awareness, initiative and reflective practice.

The course is designed for young people aged 15-18 who have demonstrated good leadership abilities and aspire to being leaders in the future. Participants must have an active interest in youth and community affairs and must be aged 16 on completion of the certificate.

Application information is available from the Foróige website.