Developing Young Leaders: An exploration of the CEO Leadership Program at Muskoka Woods

Christopher J. TompkinsYouth Development Leadership

College of Health, Education, and Human Development, Clemson University

Literature Review Research QuestionsIntroductionDeveloping young leaders is an investment in our future. Youth leadership efforts give young people an opportunity to acquire valuable leadership skills. Introduced in 1997, the Muskoka Woods CEO Leadership Program was initiated to address an identified need for youth leadership development in the camp setting. The program was designed to build leadership capacity in 15-17 year old campers.

Problem • Young people who engage in leadership activities

consistently receive the support and opportunities necessary for healthy youth development (Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development, 2003; Roth & Brooks-Gunn, 2003).

• Despite the importance of developing young leaders, there is a scarcity of research on leadership development programming for youth (Murphy & Johnson, 2011).

• There are a variety of ways to define and approach youth leadership development. This makes it challenging to determine “best practices” for promoting youth leadership.

The CEO Program

Defining Leadership: Leadership is often understood as the knowledge, skills, and experience that makes successful leadership viable (Mumford, Zaccaro, Harding, Jacobs, and Fleishman, 2000). Other definitions focus on how a leader influences others (Burns, 1978).Youth Leadership is the involvement of youth in responsible action towards meeting a genuine need (Kress, 2006).Stages of Youth Leadership: All youth can learn and practice leadership by progressing through the awareness, interaction and mastery stages of leadership development (van Linden & Fertman, 1998). Youth Leadership Programs give youth an opportunity to develop relevant leadership skills, like brainstorming, problem solving, goal-setting, and teamwork (Boyd, 2001).Leadership at Summer Camp: Various studies have highlighted summer camp as a fertile ground for leadership development (ACA, 2005; Garton, Miltenberger, & Pruett, 2007; Hedrick, Homan, & Dick, 2009).

The following questions will give overall guidance to this research project:1. What are the observed areas of leadership

growth in competence, character and cadence?

2. What are the essential elements of the CEO program experience that facilitate effective leadership development?

The CEO program at Muskoka Woods is:• A residential leadership development program for

youth 15-17 years of age, within the camp setting of Muskoka Woods

• Two, four week sessions of 32 participants each summer

• Based on a Muskoka Woods model that focuses on the development of leadership competence, character and cadence (spiritual growth)

Program components include:• In-class instruction that focuses on leadership

knowledge and skills• Experiential leadership activities around the camp

property• Opportunities to lead - teaching activities and

running programs for other campers• A four-day, offsite canoe trip

Purpose The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences of participants in the CEO Leadership Program at Muskoka Wood. The intent is to discover how to effectively deliver a high qualityyouth leadership program. Program aspects that are deemed significant contributorsto the leadership developmentof the CEO’s will be as offered as considerations for current, or future,youth leadership development initiatives.

Case Study Design

Implications

Qualitative data for this case study will be collected through:• Personal interviews with CEO participants• Observations of interviews and program

involvement• Program documents

As backyard research, potential researcher biases and relationship dynamics may impact this project. Research validity and reliability will be enhanced by establishing:• Multiple data coders• Member checks• A peer debriefer

Results of this study will serve to:

1. Strengthen the CEO program at Muskoka Woods by uncovering program success and areas for improvement

2. Fill gaps in the research on youth leadership development

3. Provide a list of “best practices” for delivering an effective youth leadership program