Back on Track Teens

confidence, low self esteem, and being painfully shy I would have loved to have had this too! Young People around the world are facing the biggest crisis ever in confidence and self worth - more so than any other generation. We live in a world where the number of single parent families continues to rise, marriages fall apart and partners move on to new relationships, parents working harder and longer and the family home is a place to sleep rather than spend time together. We are third generation of losing parenting skills. We have parents who want to be friends with their children instead of parents because they are afraid that if they discipline them they will not be loved. It's actually the other way around! Discipline means I love you enough to say no, set boundaries. The pressure on our young people to be perfect, beautiful, intelligent, sporty, all rounders, academic, fit in is more than ever before with the pace at which information goes viral across the internet puts pressure on our young people. Teens pregnancies continue in their thousands, eating disorders are the 3rd most common chronic illness in teen girls, more children than ever being statemented, diagnosed with all sorts of labels and medicated and yet they are still unhappy, turning to alcohol abuse, drug abuse, self harm, gangs for solace and a cry for help. Young people who are being taught in a way that they do not learn in, falling through the cracks of our education systems, or getting through the education system to the tough reality of employment, or lack of it, and the numerous issues of employability knocking what?s left of their confidence and self worth

Need I go on? These young people are not only our future leaders, they are our future parents and role models. The pain and impact of low confidence and self esteem has to stop. We need to empower young people to discover who they are and what they are here for, truly and I feel that I have to be a part of making that happen. If you feel like a square peg in a round hole sometimes, trying to fit in over there and not feeling as if you really fit it - you're probably right! That's not where you fit in. You fit in over here. When you get to discover who you are and where you fit in, then you can stay in flow. When you are in flow, doing what you love and loving what you do that?s where you add most value and therefore will feel valued. That's not only where you fit in......its where you will stand out. That's what will build your confidence and boost your self esteem and self worth. THAT'S what Ignition! is all about! and you might notice I'm a bit passionate about it! It begins with a profile that takes about 10-15 mins to complete on line, this is then followed by a conversation with the young person to really explore what the profile means. It tells them what they are naturally going to be good at and which things might challenge them, what the best learning and leadership styles for them will be, what roles they will shine in and what to avoid, how they will best work individually or in a team. What they will value most in others, what their top needs are likely to be and what questions will serve them or frustrate them. It's a fabulous tool and what a great way to show young people that it's ok to be who you are and appreciate who others are.