Dr. Bolaji Olagunju’s Post

It's my honor to be the host of YIELD Hub Action Learning Corner!🌟 Imagine being a HOST to share A LOT of USEFUL Practical Guides and Resources around Youth Partnership in #SRHR in a very youth-friendly video format 😉 ! This special one is our second practical guide with the topic around FINDING, ENGAGING, AND SUSTAINING NEW GENERATIONS OF YOUTH LEADERS! Whether you are part of a grassroots movement, a philanthropic foundation, a nonprofit organisation, or a youth-led initiative, this guide is tailor-made for you.🌟 What can you find and expect from this document? 🔍 The 'Themes for Exploration' section will highlight challenges organisations encounter in engaging diverse youth, prioritising underserved populations, and creating sustainable support systems. 🌍 Check the 'Organisational Levels of Development' with our detailed checklist – Foundational, Proficient, Advanced. 🚀 'Recommendations & Sample Actions' section will provide actionable strategies for improvement. 🛠️ 'Next Steps' section will guide you in applying insights and maintaining momentum in your youth partnership journey.  🔥 Engaging and Sustaining Youth Leaders Quiz to find out your organisation's level and tailor your path to success! 1️⃣ Watch the full video of me explaining how to navigate this practical guide here 👉 https://lnkd.in/ezVWA4FZ 2️⃣ Download the practical guide here 👉 https://lnkd.in/em_Fyxv6 3️⃣ Take the Quiz here 👉 https://lnkd.in/eAma5sFD #PracticalGuide #YouthPartnership #EngagingYouthLeaders #YouthLeaders #YouthEngagement #Changemakers #PracticalGuide #Resource

🌍 World YMCA Accelerator Summit in Mombasa, Kenya 🌍 Five incredible, jam-packed days—learning, working, and connecting with Y colleagues and partners from all corners of the globe. Spending time with young leaders from around the world re-instated a powerful truth for me: even though we come from different places, we’re all impacted by the same challenges. The Cohort 5 Change Agents taught me so much in a short period of time, showing a shared, cross-border determination to tackle these challenges, intergenerationally. For authentic impact, it’s about creating alongside young people—not just for them. We need allies to amplify young voices, elevate their stories, and inspire other young people to believe in themselves—creating a ripple effect of change and ensuring young people are genuinely valued and heard. Empowering young people isn’t just a goal; it’s central to the Y’s collective vision of a better future. The Y is where young people find hope, belonging, and belief. One of our hosts of the summit put it perfectly: “The Y is like stars in the sky, and when your world feels dark, the Y star shines brighter.” That’s the work I want to build on—a future where no one is left behind, where our strength is collective, and where young voices shape the path forward. Here’s to continuing the incredible work of the Y across the world with more hope, belonging, and belief than ever before. ✨ #whereyoubelong #acceleratorsummit #amplifyyourvoice #globalimpact #youthleadership World YMCA The Y Australia The Y Whittlesea The Y WA YMCA Geelong Inc. The Y NSW YMCA South Australia Alexandra Ash GAICD Amelia Shaw Michele Rowse Gaurav Sareen Christopher Lewis Tom Stephenson Ru Thomas Sandra Marson Anjie Brook Allison Ross Frances Steen Elysse McCabe Hamani Tanginoa Alisha Nurnaitis Nicholas E. Carlos Madjri Sanvee

... "at the root of #Nigeria’s many challenges in the #publicsector, there's a dire need for men and women who can lead a reformed #publicservice space armed with the required skills to drive #development in Africa ~ if the public sector is able to have personnel with effective #leadershipskills and abilities, #Africa would be not only be able to take its rightful place in the committee of continents, but also move from its present state of #underdevelopment to join advanced nations." ~ Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede | #Vanguard Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation #CivilService #Reforms #Leadership #Skills #SustainableDevelopment https://lnkd.in/dDVgMkFf

When it comes to sharing knowledge, I'm never keeping it away from my LinkedIn community 😁 Youth mobilisation is a skill every leader needs to fuel their vision and goals. Remember the popular proverb that says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Nigeria Youth SDGs Network invited the amazing Adenike Bamigbade to teach us on "Youth Mobilisation" I will start with the last thing she shared with us "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others" ~ Gandhi Mahatma 📍Key Learnings The 'ABCD' of Youth Mobilisation ● A clear vision of a goal or agenda ● Bring people together ● Create collective actions that leverage everyone strengths ● Develop their capacity to engage and participate Two major questions in effectively mobilising youths: ○ What change do you want to see? ○ Is it a goal to improve a process or an agenda to introduce a new concept? 📍When there is clarity in these questions then you become one step closer in a successfully mobilising youths for your goal. Next Step is Understanding your audiences (youth) and leveraging in their strengths. ● Identify their strengths in achieving your goal, are they; ~ Influencers ~ Volunteers ~ Advisors ~ Activists ~ Funder ~ Critics ~ Allies After successfully knowing your clear goals, identifying youth to work with, and understood their strengths, you have to enable them and evaluate how you're achieving your goal or agenda. 📍Next Step is to Enable and Educate ○ As the mobiliser, you have to lead in front, beside and behind. ○ You have to ensure everyone clearly understands the mission and how to get there ○ You have to continuously encourage and inspire people not to give up You need to create collective action and develop capacity to engage by organising trainings and leadership development sessions in advocacy, community, public speaking and many more skills in achieving your goals. This was an amazing session and thank you for the opportunity to leverage a one on one session with you ma'am Adenike Bamigbade. Big thanks to Nigeria Youth SDGs Network for this opportunity.

Check out the newest #CSOPrep Weekly #Newsletter, just released! 🚀 Highlights: - Explore the Role of Social Media in NGO Development - Join the thriving CSOPrep community today Upcoming Webinars you don't want to miss: ➡ Shaping the Future of Your Nonprofit 💼 Effective Conflict Management 👥 Leadership Essentials for Nonprofit Organizations And much more! Read it here: https://lnkd.in/etanUd7e #NonprofitDevelopment #Leadership #ConflictManagement #SocialMedia #Webinars #NGO #Resources #Readnow

It’s incredible how time flies and how much we grow along the way. There was a time when I was just starting out in the journey of impact, filled with ideas but not much else. I knew the impact I wanted to create in business, technology and leadership for young Africans. I remember the late nights, countless hours of research, several meetings with the team prior to our first event at IWB Africa. I appreciate my co-visionary Akodi Peterson and the entire members of our team. Today, as a catalyst at IWB Africa, I look back and see not just the growth of the organization, but my own growth as a leader and visionary. We have grown to impact the lives of thousands of young Africans through trainings, opportunities and resources in business, leadership and technology. Standing as the non-profit partner to one of Africa’s foremost business schools, Tekedia Institute From wading through the turbulent waters of project funding, to building a team that shares in our passion, every step has been a lesson in resilience and adaptability. I’ve learned that growth is not just about scaling up but evolving in mindset, processes, and impact. It’s about embracing challenges and using them as stepping stones. The vision that drives me today is to create sustainable solutions that empower businesses across Africa to thrive, not just survive. Looking ahead, I’m excited about the future. I envision a network where African businesses are at the forefront of global innovation and influence, contributing significantly to the continent’s economic growth. This not just my story but a shared journey. Expect more innovation, more collaboration, and more impactful solutions from IWB Africa. What about you? How have you grown since your “before”? I’d love to hear your story in the comments. Let’s keep pushing boundaries and breaking barriers together. Here’s to more growth and success! Happy Friday! #GrowthJourney #VisionaryLeadership #AfricanBusiness #ThrowbackFriday

The Nature Recovery Leadership Programmes are for emerging leaders working in the world of nature recovery. They will run for the first time this year - there are two programmes one for the North of England, and one for Scotland.   The decline in biodiversity across the UK will not be solved by individuals and organisations acting alone. An unprecedented level of collaboration will be needed. The ambition is that these programmes will give the participants the cross-boundary leadership skills that over time will result in more, and more effective collaborative working to achieve nature recovery. They will give the participants the leadership skills, connections, and inspiration that will enable them to progress in their organisations, in their sector, and beyond. The programmes will bring together people from many different fields including landscape management, conservation, agriculture, energy, water, forestry, fisheries, local, and national government and many more. The aim is to gather a diverse, exciting, and dynamic mix of people from different disciplines, communities and backgrounds who share the ambition to restore and regenerate nature.   The deadline for applications is 7 April 2024. Applications are via the website which includes all the details.

'Where there is no hope in the future, there is no power in the present' - John C. Maxwell 📍On Wednesday and Thursday this week , I attended the National Conversation and National Prayer Breakfast respectively. 🕊️ The theme was ‘HOPE’. Hope in the face of challenges and adversity, hope when things are tough and there is every reason to give up. ❎ Hope, however, is not to be confused with blind faith, that things will get better by themselves. Indeed, it is an established fact that inner faith and outward works go hand in hand. 💭 The happenings at both events took me back to a debate we had in Susan Kiamba’s Corporate World Skills class last semester on whether Kenya is doomed. While the topic was randomly selected for the purpose of improving our debating and public speaking skills, we must accept the reality that Kenya is not where she should be and the game of pointing fingers will not get us far. 🔷 The keynote speaker at the Prayer Breakfast, Former Ethiopian Prime Minister Tamrat Layne, also quoted an Ethiopian proverb that when translated to English means, ‘Whenever you point your index finger at someone, three more fingers point back at you.’ ✍️ The message was resoundingly clear: 1. Wherever we are and in all we do, it is our duty, as patriots and reasonably futuristic individuals, to serve to the best of our ability. We all have a role to play in the grand scheme of things, from those building the nation through their work, to the elected leaders responsible for policy making that drives the nation 👫. We must give a good account of ourselves for the collective growth of our nation 🌱. 2. The youth of today must step up and actively engage in leadership at all levels for a sustainable future ♻️. Similarly, the generations that have gone before us ought to embrace mentorship 👣 to build a diverse set of leaders in all sectors who will shape the future of our beloved Kenya, Africa and the world 🇰🇪🌍. ⏳ For all these things, there is no better time than NOW! We must LEARN from our yesterday, LIVE for today and HOPE for tomorrow 𓆩♡𓆪. Africa Youth Leadership Forum Kenya #npb2024 #hope

Embracing Change for a Better Future in Africa As we continue to navigate the complexities of leadership and societal development in Africa, it’s important to recognize the deep-rooted cultural value placed on age and authority. Elders are often seen as the custodians of wisdom and tradition, and while this role is crucial for preserving our cultural heritage, it is also essential that we create spaces for younger generations to take on leadership roles. In my upcoming book Consumed with Power: Understanding the Influence of Age and Authority Among Africa’s Elders, I explore the dynamics of power and age in African societies, how this influences political, economic, and social structures, and why it’s crucial for us to balance respect for tradition with the opportunities for progress and innovation. This work aims to foster meaningful conversations about leadership transition, empowerment of youth, and the need for sustainable systems that honor both the wisdom of elders and the energy of the younger generation. Let’s continue to create a future where both experience and fresh ideas can thrive. Stay tuned for more insights, and feel free to share your thoughts on how we can bridge the generational gap in leadership. #AfricanLeadership #CulturalHeritage #YouthEmpowerment #LeadershipTransition #InnovationInAfrica #PowerAndAge

Over the past few months, we’ve been on an incredible journey, exploring potential new countries for Christel House’s expansion. Each experience has offered invaluable insights and inspiration. One country we’re particularly excited about is #Bangladesh— a nation brimming with potential, a vibrant nonprofit ecosystem, and a thriving grassroots movement for change. We’ve received overwhelming response from #Bangladesh, just as we have from other countries, and we are excited to begin reviewing these further. As we approach the final deadline for the Global Pathbuilders Fellowship, we’re calling on passionate and experienced leaders to join this transformative journey. We’re looking for individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset, a strong background in fundraising, and an unwavering commitment to improving lives. This #Fellowship provides comprehensive support, resources, and mentorship to help leaders create meaningful change. If you or someone you know has the drive to make a profound difference in children’s lives and communities while embarking on a personal journey of growth, this is the opportunity to step forward. Apply now or nominate someone today: https://lnkd.in/dWyx_5_M   Teach For All| Teach For Bangladesh| Teach For India| BRAC| Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC)| Mosaico Laboratorio Social| UNICEF Bangladesh|Global School Leaders |Global Schools Forum Raina Mansukhani| Paul Montgomery| Vignesh Krishnan| rabia gupta| David Harris| Caitlin Teague| Ana Paula B.| Morty Ballen| Revathi Ramanan| Kavita Rajagopalan| Ajay Pinjani| Rafi Himel| Hasibur Rahman Sohan| Munia Islam Mozumder| Afsana Sadiq Atuly #globalpathbuildersfellowship #educationforall #transform #transformation #transformingeducation #leadership #applynow #changemakers #globalimpact #futureleaders #futureisnow #opportunity #fromclassroomstolife