Join Youth Airdrie for a fun and interactive leadership series! Register separately for each workshop, earn a badge every time you attend, and work toward your Leadership Certificate at your own pace—just complete six workshops and one volunteer activity at the library or in your community, school, team, or club. With hands-on activities, real-life skills, and tons of ways to get involved, this program helps you build confidence, make an impact, and become the kind of leader you want to be.

Ages 11-16. Registration required.

Mar 2 – Building Connections
This workshop explores how human connections help people feel safe, valued, and supported. Youth learn how listening, responding, and including others builds trust, strengthens friendships, and helps leaders create welcoming spaces for everyone.

Building Connections (Brain Story for Youth – Part I)
This workshop explores how human connections help our brains grow and feel safe. Youth learn how listening, responding, and including others builds trust, strengthens friendships, and helps leaders create spaces where everyone feels valued—no matter their background or experiences.

Brain Story Concepts (Behind the Scenes):
•    Serve & Return → making real human connections
•    ACEs → understanding that people come with different life experiences
•    Brain growth through relationships
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Mar 9 – Building Social Capacity
Youth will explore how social media shapes reputation and how online actions can have long-lasting impacts. Through hands-on activities, they’ll learn how to make smart choices online, protect their digital footprint, and build a positive reputation they can be proud of.
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Mar 16 – Seeing Differently
This workshop helps youth understand how different life experiences shape how people see the world. Youth will build empathy and leadership skills by learning how to challenge assumptions, appreciate different perspectives, and contribute to positive social change in their communities.
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Mar 23 – Tools for Resiliency
This session helps youth understand stress and how it affects emotions, focus, and decision-making. Youth will learn practical tools for calming their minds, handling challenges, and building support systems—because strong leaders know when to use tools and when to ask for help.

Tools for Resiliency (Brain Story for Youth – Part II)
This workshop helps youth understand stress and how it affects focus, emotions, and decision-making. Youth learn practical tools for calming their minds, managing challenges, and building support systems—because leaders know when to use tools and when to ask for help.
Brain Story Concepts (Behind the Scenes):
•    Toxic stress → stress is harder when we’re alone
•    Executive functioning → tools help us pause, plan, and choose wisely
•    Community as a protective factor
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Mar 30 – Digital Detoxing
Youth will explore how screens, gaming, sugar, and social media influence habits and attention. This workshop focuses on building healthier balance through awareness, routines, and calming practices like breathing, meditation, and simple yoga—without guilt or shame.
Digital Detoxing (Brain Story for Youth – Part III)
This workshop explores how screens, games, sugar, and social media affect the brain and habits. Youth learn how to build healthier balance through awareness, routines, and calming practices like breathing, meditation, and simple yoga—without guilt or shame.
Brain Story Concepts (Behind the Scenes):
•    Dopamine → why fast rewards are so tempting
•    Habit loops → how patterns form
•    Resilience → balance builds brain strength
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Apr 13 – Bullying Prevention
This workshop explores how communities can work together to prevent bullying and create safer, more respectful spaces. Youth will learn why recording and sharing bullying can cause harm, and how choosing to put phones away and walk away helps stop bullying instead of fueling it.
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Apr 20 – Healthy Debating
Youth will practice sharing opinions respectfully while listening to different viewpoints. This workshop emphasizes critical thinking, research skills, and learning to question information rather than accepting popular opinions or social media content at face value.
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Apr 27 – Health & Fitness
This workshop explores how movement, nutrition, and rest support both physical and mental well-being. Youth will learn simple, practical habits for staying energized and focused, with guidance from a guest expert in physical fitness or wellness.
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May 4 – Healthy Spending
Youth will learn how advertising, trends, and media influence spending habits and consumer debt. Through interactive activities, they’ll build awareness of marketing tactics and learn how to make thoughtful spending choices that align with their goals.
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May 11 – Leveraging Differences
This workshop helps youth see how differences in personality, skills, and experiences are strengths when working together. Through team-based activities, youth will learn how leaders value diverse contributions and challenge unfair biases so everyone feels included and valued.
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May 18 – NO PROGRAM
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May 25 – Public Speaking
Youth will build confidence speaking in front of others through fun, supportive activities like improv and peer teaching. This workshop helps youth practice clear expression, body language, and sharing ideas with confidence and impact.

Hosted by Youth Airdrie.