December 10th 2018
Which elements do I strengthen and have in mind so young people can feel empowered?
First of all, we have to be critical about the toxicity of external messages that we receive constantly. On that regard:
1) I give the tools to decipher and separate the messages that are constructive, that encourage us and empower us vs. the messages that are disruptive, and shake our personal power, and therefore, the confidence in ourselves.
2) I develop dynamics to make awareness that each of them is responsible for taking care of their own power and giving power to others.
Boosting people’s sense of personal responsibility is very important so they don’t succumb to victimhood (for example: “I think society makes me feel that about myself so I don’t believe in myself…”) and encourage empowerment.
What kind of impact do I have, can or want to have on these young people?
My role is to open the door so that empowerment can happen and walk with them during the process. One of my techniques is to see the teenagers through an empowered perspective, that is, looking at their power and strengths. If I look at them from this perspective, I encourage them to be aware of their own power. To be aware or not of their empowerment is entirely up to them; I’m only the person that “opens the door and walks with them”.