Personal Leadership Program

Youth Opportunities

The Personal Leadership Program uses positive psychology and cognitive therapy to help build emotional intelligence and resilience in young people.

Overview

Alignment with Be You Domains

Learning Resilience

Alignment with Australian Curriculum

English
Health and PE

Target audience

Secondary school

Target groups

Individual
Small group
Whole class

Aims

Personal Leadership Program aims to improve the wellbeing of secondary school students and reduce their risk of developing a mental health disorder. Typically, the program works with students at risk who may be experiencing disengagement or disadvantage, or obstacles associated with bullying, low self-esteem, anxiety, family dysfunction and poor school engagement. The program aims to reduce the risk factors associated with school engagement, wellbeing and mental health.

Program theory

The program is drawn from a range of psychological theory: social Learning theory, motivation and goal planning theory; positive psychology, including the PERMA wellbeing framework, and cognitive behaviour theory. Programs are maintained by monitoring the latest evidence base within a continuous quality improvement framework. This function is conducted by Marshman Foundation, the research, development and evaluation arm of Youth Opportunities.

Topics

The program covers a wide range of topics where complex constructs are made accessible through the use of symbolism and analogy that informs a simple toolkit. The program framework of define, discover and decide builds on the psychological underpinnings of neuroplasticity and locus of control. Topics are based on four decisions: happiness and a positive self-image, goal planning, communication skills and developing a growth mindset. Participants develop self-determination and consequential thinking to create long-term benefits in taking responsibility for their own outcomes, including how they respond to factors that are outside of their control.

Cost

There are two methods of delivery: face-to-face and blended online. A range of models are available to schools including: fully facilitated by trainers at $11,000; full licence (in-school facilitation) for the face-to-face program at $3,840; or the online program with educator support at $100 per student (minimum 20), plus educator training at $500 per educator. These prices represent the cost to schools per program. The full delivery cost of an intensive intervention, is substantially subsidised through our fundraising efforts. Schools that can demonstrate hardship may attract additional financial support on a case-by-case basis.

Program structure

Face-to-face program: One day per week for 9.5 weeks (4 sessions per day at approximately 1.5 hours per session). Blended online program: 36 modules, which can be completed flexibly, traditionally at one module per week during a double lesson, over a semester in school; can also be fully self-paced.

Instructor

External facilitator
Educator
Wellbeing leader

Instructor training

Prior to program implementation all delivery staff must complete accredited internal training by Youth Opportunities. Face-to-face program: 21 hours of training over 3 days. Blended online program: 8 hours of training, normally conducted over one day but can be delivered more flexibly across a short series of online sessions. Training covers topics such as program content, psychological framework, wellbeing and psychological distress measures, facilitation practice and one-to-one coaching methods.

Supporting resources or materials available with program

DVD
Manual
Online webinars

Ongoing support

Instructors, educators or trainers are further supported during pre-training sessions through interactive sessions and/or video instruction and pre-training notes. For the face-to-face program there is observation and feedback available, plus ongoing training via phone, webinar or online support. A Youth Opportunities-employed Child Safety Officer can be made available by phone for support in the face-to-face program.

Parent involvement

Not provided

Origin of program

Australia

Youth Opportunities

Program authors

Peter Marshman and the Marshman Foundation

: 35a Oaklands Rd,Somerton Park SA 5044 Australia

: +61 8 8240 3133

: larry.waller@youthopps.com.au

: Visit website

Ratings

3/4 Evidence

3/4 Implementation

Summary of evidence factors

This is a summary of the evaluation or research study characteristics that contribute to the program’s evidence rating.

Positive impact on at least one outcome for children and/or young people?	Yes
Link between program description and theory of change	Comprehensive
Study design	Quasi-experimental
Independence	Completely

Summary of implementation factors

This is a summary of the program’s characteristics that contribute to its implementation rating.

Feedback sought from participants	Yes
Feedback sought from instructors	No
Groups program is not suitable for	Not assessed
Training provided during study	Face to face, all instructors, in person
Ongoing instructor support provided during study	Yes

Context

This is a summary of the context in which the evidence for the program was established.

Study Participants	Secondary school
Country of Study/s	Australia
Location of Study/s in Australia	SA
Evaluation of program in culturally and linguistically diverse populations	Yes
Evaluation of program in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people	Yes
Evaluation of program in low socioeconomic groups	No
Developmental based adaptations to program design and delivery	No
Evaluation of program in children and young people with disability and/or learning difference	No

Last updated: 17 July 2023