The DVULI Core Value of Empowerment

By Jordan Francis (Phoenix 2018)

Urban youth workers know what it’s like to have our own dream or vision, yet no leadership support or resources to accomplish it.

We know all too well the pain of feeling pushed down by our leaders or limited by our financial capacity.

But many of us also know the strength of having someone in our life who sees us and lets us know they believe in what we’re doing.

Empowerment should be our top priority because we know the pain of not having it and we see the transformation that happens when we do.

For some of you, DVULI may have been the first time you experienced empowerment.

True empowerment is to have a group of people see your work, invest in you, and help you improve in your work.

Effective leaders recognize the importance of bringing out the best in others.

So, how do you bring out the best in others?

Empower youth and other leaders by creating an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and risk-taking.

• CreativityIf you are trying to reach the young people or leaders in your community, who knows how to reach them better than someone from within the community? No one. Empowering others to be involved in the conversation can help them tap into creativity, fostering a sense of confidence and ownership.Give them the opportunity to create the environment they experience in your programs. When people get to speak into or help create something, there is a sense of ownership, which motivates them to try.
• CollaborationChances are other organizations around you do similar things or have similar programming. How much more effective would you both be if you did something together? When two people or two organizations bring their strengths to the table for the sake of the community, empowerment happens.People on those teams or inside those organizations get to focus on what they do best and the community benefits from a better program or experience.

  Collaboration can be scary because we aren’t sure if we will see any benefits. We must remind ourselves why we do what we do and trust the Lord to give us what we need.

• Risk-takingEmpowerment means that sometimes we take risks that are recommendations from others–not just the risks we feel comfortable with. I’ll never forget the time I sat in a staff meeting with my team discussing what we were going to talk about at high school campuses the following week. The team wanted to address an incredibly controversial topic, and I was afraid we would get in trouble. I trusted the team, and it turned out to be the best conversation we had with students all year.

Empowerment matters now more than ever.

The young people coming up in the world today live in an economy of creativity and entrepreneurship. From influencers to niche business owners to TikTok comedians, the sky is the limit.

Youth need leaders who can give them direction on how to live and achieve what it is they are passionate about within the framework of the Gospel.

Empowerment for them means being equipped with help and support from leadership to live out their dreams and visions with confidence.

We owe it to the young people coming up in our world today to empower them and equip them for success. We must show them that we believe in what they can become–and more importantly, what God wants to do with their lives.

Empowerment changed your life–it can change theirs.

Need an Empowerment refresher? CLICK HERE.