CATALYST YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

NOT ANOTHER YOUTH TRAINING.

What happens when young people aren't simply taught leadership —

but are given the room to practise it?

20 young people. 10 weeks. One intensive facilitator-development journey.

From civic leadership and public speaking to dialogue, learning design, community mobilization, impact measurement and ethical leadership.

CAN LEADERSHIP BE PRACTISED?

54

Feedback & learning

submissions analysed

93%

Rated their learning

Excellent / Very Good

4.57 / 5

Average participant

engagement

93%

LinkedIn reflection

completion

But those aren't the numbers that matter most — the real question is: DID SOMETHING CHANGE? → PAGE 02

01 / 05

PAGE 02 — THE SHIFT

FROM "I THINK I CAN" TO "I KNOW HOW"

The strongest signal emerging from Catalyst isn't satisfaction — it's progression in participants' self-assessed capability, across comparable skills-based sessions.

3.45 / 5

BEFORE

→

4.41 / 5

AFTER

+0.96 POINTS

average self-rated session-specific competency

FACILITATING DISCUSSIONS

3.31 → 4.46

Session 02 — Facilitation Skills & Public Speaking

CIVIC DIALOGUE COMPETENCIES

3.53 → 4.38

Session 04 — Civic Dialogue & Democratic Participation

SESSION DESIGN COMPETENCIES

3.46 → 4.41

Session 05 — Session Design & Training Methodologies

4.75 / 5

confidence in developing as a civic facilitator — after Civic Leadership

4.60 / 5

confidence as a future facilitator — after Session Design

THAT'S NOT JUST CONFIDENCE. THAT'S SELF-AWARENESS.

Participants are naming what they still need to practise:

Active Listening · Public Speaking · Time Management · Audience Engagement · Impromptu Speaking · Questioning · Stakeholder Analysis

02 / 05

PAGE 03 — HOW THEY ARE LEARNING

MAYBE YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T NEED ANOTHER LECTURE.

THE ROOM IS BECOMING THE CURRICULUM.

WHAT CONTRIBUTED MOST TO THEIR LEARNING

FACILITATION LABS

STORY CIRCLES

COMMUNITY SIMULATIONS

ACTIVE LISTENING PRACTICE

DESIGN CHALLENGES

PROTOTYPE FACILITATION

GROUP REFLECTION

1

EXPERIENCE

2

QUESTION

3

PRACTISE

4

REFLECT

5

TRY AGAIN

YOU SAID

"More practical activities."

WE ADAPT

More simulations, challenges and facilitation labs.

YOU SAID

"More opportunities to speak and practise."

WE ADAPT

Micro-facilitation and peer practice.

YOU SAID

"More real-world situations."

WE ADAPT

Community scenarios, dilemmas and live problems.

FEEDBACK SHOULDN'T DISAPPEAR INTO A SPREADSHEET. IT SHOULD CHANGE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

03 / 05

PAGE 05 — NOW GIVE THEM THE ROOM.

THE CLASSROOM WAS NEVER THE DESTINATION.

01

FIND YOUR VOICE — Civic Leadership

02

HOLD THE ROOM — Facilitation & Public Speaking

03

LISTEN

04

DISAGREE BETTER — Civic Dialogue

05

DESIGN LEARNING — Training Methodologies

06

MOBILIZE PEOPLE — Community Organizing

07

PROVE THE IMPACT — Monitoring, Evaluation & Accountability

08

CHOOSE RESPONSIBLY — Ethical Leadership & AI

09

PRACTISE

10

FACILITATE FOR REAL

THEY HAVE BEGUN TO:

Find their voice · Hold a room · Listen across difference · Design learning · Mobilize people · Measure what matters.

NEXT COMES:

Ethical judgement · Practicum · Community action · Real facilitation.

10 sessions are an output. 20 participants are an output. Certificates are an output.

THE REAL TEST COMES NEXT.

Can they facilitate? Create participation? Mobilize others? Adapt? Act ethically? Demonstrate change?

Catalyst participants are beginning to develop:

Community Action Proposals · Professional Facilitator Profiles · Practicum Sessions · Evidence of Impact

WE DON'T WANT TO KNOW ONLY WHAT THEY LEARNED. WE WANT TO SEE WHAT THEY DO WITH IT.

NOW GIVE THEM THE ROOM. Lead. Facilitate. Mobilize. Transform. — CATALYST YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM · IYAP in collaboration with American Corner Batticaloa

PAGE 04 — WHAT LEADERSHIP IS BECOMING

FROM HAVING THE ANSWERS → TO CREATING THE SPACE.

“A good facilitator is not someone who talks all the time, but someone who encourages everyone to participate and share their ideas.”

“Creating a space where everyone feels heard and respected.”

“Effective leadership is not only about giving directions, but also about listening, empowering others, and encouraging participation.”

A FACILITATOR IS A GUIDE. NOT THE HERO OF THE ROOM.

BUT ALSO...

SPEAK

→

LISTEN

LEAD

→

MAKE SPACE

DESIGN

→

ADAPT

MOBILIZE

→

SERVE

MEASURE

→

QUESTION ASSUMPTIONS

10/12

intend to listen more actively

9/12

intend to encourage quieter voices

9 IN 10

will design more interactive, experiential sessions

WHO IS DOING MOST OF THE THINKING IN THE ROOM? If the answer is always the facilitator, we haven't facilitated enough.

04 / 05