Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Children and Youth Leadership for Raising Awareness, Empowerment, Active Citizenship, and Wellbeing

Xhimi Hysa, Alberto Bilotta, Anastas Biqiku, Mario Calabrese

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v9-i11/6642

Open access

The purpose of this study is to explore children and youth leadership through the case study of World Vision Albania as an illustration or representative of different generations of non-governmental organizations in the matter. More specifically, it considers the contribution of creating a space and opportunity to youth leadership development by raising the leadership awareness within youth potential, the meaning and understanding that children/youth have in terms of leadership and how leadership in children/youth connects to empowerment, active citizenship and wellbeing. The study explores the impact of the variety and diversity of World Vision Albania as a non-governmental organization with regards to working with children and youth for nurturing their leadership potential with the purpose of transforming them into active citizens. Likewise, this research explores employees’ perceptions in terms of leadership style while working with children. Methodologically, the case study approach is used in combination with questionnaires and Key Informant Interviews. Thus, for investigating the research questions through a case study method, this paper uses a combination of quantitative structured interviews with qualitative in-depth interviews. Findings show that most of youth do not consider leadership simply as a goal per se, but also as a mean for being active citizens. They see their own empowerment relevant not only for personal wellbeing but also for the wellbeing of others.

Anghelache, C., Marinescu, A.-I., Samson, T. (2018). Theoretical Characteristics of the Purchasing Power Parity in the EU Context, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences 8 (2): 37-47.
Antonakis, J. (2012). Transformational and charismatic leadership. In D. V. Day & J. Antonakis (Eds.), The nature of leadership, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Avolio, B. J. (1999). Full leadership development: Building the vital forces in organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Barile, S., Saviano, M., & Simone, C. (2015). Service economy, knowledge, and the need for T-shaped innovators. World Wide Web, 18(4), 1177-1197.
Bass, B. M. (1990). Bass and Stogdill’s handbook of leadership: A survey of theory and research. New York: Free Press.
Bass, B. M. (1998). The ethics of transformational leadership. In J. Ciulla (Ed.), Ethics: The heart of leadership (pp. 169–192). Westport, CT: Praeger.
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational leadership (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Bass, B. M., & Steidlmeier, P. (1999). Ethics, character, and authentic transformational leadership. Leadership Quarterly, 10, 181–127.
Bennis, W. G., & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The strategies for taking charge. New York: Harper & Row.
Bronfenbrenner. (1977). Toward an experimental ecology of human development. American Psychologist, 32(7), 513-531.
Brooks, F. D., & Shaffer, L. F. (1937). Child psychology. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row.
Downton, J. V. (1973). Rebel leadership: Commitment and charisma in a revolutionary process. New York: Free Press.
Drucker, P. F. (2001). The Essential Drucker: The Best of Sixty Years of Peter Drucker's Essential Writings on Management. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Friedman, J. (1992). Empowerment: The Politics of Alternative Development. Wiley-Blackwell.
Graham, J. W. (1991). Servant leadership in organizations: Inspirational and moral. Leadership Quarterly, 2, 105–119.
Greenleaf, R. K. (1970). The servant as leader. Westfield, IN: The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.
Greenleaf, R. K. (1972). The institution as servant. Westfield, IN: The Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.
Greenleaf, R. K. (1977). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. New York: Paulist Press.
Hale, J. R., & Fields, D. L. (2007). Exploring servant leadership across cultures: A study of followers in Ghana and the USA. Leadership, 3, 397–417.
Hart, R. (1992). Children’s Participation from Tokenism to Citizenship. Innocenti Essays, Vol. 4. UNICEF.
Hart, R. A. (2013). Children’s participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens in community development and environmental care. Routledge.
Hesse, H. (1956). The journey to the East. London: P. Owen.
Hillman, S., & Smith, G. (1981). Development of leadership capacities in children. The Elementary School Journal, 82(1), 59-65.
House, R. J. (1976). A theory of charismatic leadership. In J. G. Hunt & L. L. Larson (Eds.), Leadership: The cutting edge (pp. 189–207). Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press.
Hysa, X., & Titka, M. (2017). Behavioral change training curriculum and manual for public servants. Tirana / Albania. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.35117.59366
Hysa, X., & Titka, M. (2017). ESERE Behavioral Change Model Changing Attitudes and Behaviors of Public Servants with Regards to Roma and Egyptians’ Access to Public Services. Tirana / Albania. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21695.82085
Jago, A. G. (1982). Leadership: Perspectives in theory and research. Management Science, 28(3), 315-336.
Jennings, L. B., Parra-Medina, D. M., Hilfinger-Messias, D. K., & McLoughlin, K. (2006). Toward a critical social theory of youth empowerment. Journal of Com

In-Text Citation: (Hysa, Bilotta, Biqiku, & Calabrese, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Hysa, X., Bilotta, A., Biqiku, A., & Calabrese, M. (2019). Children and youth leadership for raising awareness, empowerment, active citizenship, and wellbeing. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(11), 1128–1147.