Youth Leadership Pathways UK

Aim

Youth Leadership Pathways UK teaches leadership, teamwork and project skills to 13–18 year olds through practical learning and action.

Who we are

My name is Richard Graham, and I’m the founder of the Centre for Leadership Insight (CLI), an independent, non-profit leadership think tank based in Cumbria.

My background spans military and industry experience, leadership, project delivery, education and research over the last 25+ years. I lecture in leadership and project management, and I’m undertaking a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) focused on understanding the people we lead, including behaviour, values, emotional intelligence and context.

CLI exists because I became concerned by how often leadership fails people, impacting the public, and how rarely we invest early in teaching young people what leadership looks like in real life.

Where this idea came from

This programme is not finished yet. It is a concept that has grown out of real work and observation.

While reviewing youth skills and enrichment activities, one gap kept emerging. We teach young people what to know and what to do, but we often do not teach them how to lead themselves, how to behave in teams, how to handle pressure and failure, or how to complete something meaningful from start to finish.

In practice, many young people learn these lessons informally from digital platforms, social influencers and the behaviours they see in public life. Some of those influences can reinforce unhelpful values, unrealistic expectations and harmful behaviour, especially for young people who already feel excluded or under pressure.

That led to the idea for Youth Leadership Pathways UK. A practical framework to teach leadership behaviours and project skills through learning by doing, ending with a real final project that benefits the young people’s own communities.

The problem we’re trying to address

Many young people feel under pressure, disconnected, or unsure where they fit. They are navigating exams, social media, online influence and mixed messages about success and leadership.

Some young people thrive. Others feel overlooked, disengaged or uncertain. Many don’t have access to steady, positive role models or safe spaces where they can practise confidence, responsibility and teamwork.

This concept is aimed at the young people who are most likely to miss out.

What we want to build

Youth Leadership Pathways UK is a proposed pathway framework for 13–18 year olds that would combine:

• leadership education focused on behaviour, not status
• practical project skills, not just theory
• teamwork, communication, respect and accountability
• where appropriate, links to English and maths support through existing local provision
• learning by doing, with a final group project as proof of progress

The aim is to create something that CLI can design and support, and that schools, youth organisations and communities can deliver safely and consistently, with young people helping shape it.

Why we’re crowdfunding

We are raising funds to move this concept into a real, testable pilot.

Your support will help us fund the groundwork to:

• co-design the pathway with young people and trusted adults
• develop session materials and facilitator guidance
• put safeguarding and referral processes in place
• run a small pilot with a few groups of young people
• evaluate what works, what needs changing, and what should be improved before scale

This is the first step in turning an idea into something practical, evidence-led and scalable.

Our vision

The long-term vision is a credible youth leadership pathway that helps young people develop confidence, resilience and responsibility, and leaves behind a model that communities can continue to use.

Thank you for helping us take the first step.

This project closed unsuccessfully on 9th March 2026