Why Coaching Young People Is More Important Than Ever

Written by Susie Boutal

Susie is a qualified ADHD coach and declutter expert, helping busy, neurodivergent women transform from procrastination to purpose to find their “Space to Live”, by decluttering their lives physically, mentally and emotionally. As a lifelong declutterer, she works with these courageous women so they can take control, find freedom and break away from clutter for good.

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Coaching seems to be the new buzzword of what everyone should do. Still, I fundamentally believe that if we can equip young people with the tools of coaching, then we can set them up for success in a world that is different from the past, where learning static skills and knowledge will never be enough.

Coaching is a skill that is often used with another person to help them see different perspectives, and ultimately, a way forward to help them achieve their goals. It is future-focused and different from other techniques as no advice or suggestion is given. The premise is that the person being coached is the expert on themselves and they have inside them all that they need to succeed - they just need a way to see that.

The techniques and questions used in coaching can, of course, be used solo. Self-coaching can be very powerful, aiding the thinking and perspective-shifting needed for transformational personal growth.

When you equip young people with powerful tools that not only allow them to see things differently, but also gives them the confidence and self-awareness to consider what they think, feel and do. These tools allow them to reflect on how their choices are leading them forward (or not), you are equipping them to succeed in an ever-changing world.

There aren’t many other skills that are so fundamentally and universally useful across time and culture. Receiving coaching and developing coaching skills is a gift we can give to young people that will help them personally, in both their educational lives and for their long-term professional development.

I have always wondered what it would be like if I could be a young person again but also have the tools of coaching - how things could have turned out differently or what I could have achieved. Knowing that the world is much bigger than your school, knowing that a life path doesn’t have to be linear. Even just knowing that other people are way more concerned with their own self-consciousness than with me and what I was doing would have been so freeing.

I thank Yes Futures for giving me the opportunity to go and work with young people on the cusp of adulthood to help develop their confidence, communication skills, resilience and self-awareness. It’s been such a privilege and something that I truly wish all young people could benefit from.

For more information on our programmes and to find out how we could support your students, please visit our Programmes page.