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About LSS

The Leadership Summer School (LSS) is a global, annual, intensive training event for inspirational youth leaders. During 10 days, the project fosters skills of motivated participants from all over Europe and beyond, engaged in international organisations, and supports them on their path of becoming future leaders and active citizens. The participants, aged from 18 to 35 years, are students and/or young professionals from different countries, fields of studies, and paths of lives. Many are members of student or youth associations, others are fresh graduates or young professionals.

The project is coordinated by Zero Generation partnering with several international youth organisations.

Aims of the project

The main purposes of the event are to:
1. Improve their leadership capabilities of prominent members of participating organisations;
2. Create and impart a framework and environment for each participant to implement in his/her organisation to network and uncover possible new or better ways of cooperation
3. Enrich the skills of the trainers, by designing and delivering materials together with trainers from different organisations and backgrounds.
4. Build a strong and global network of energetic leaders who strive to spark social change

Vision

Leadership Summer School is an inspirational, empowering learning experience for leaders and future leaders of international youth organisations and other corporations, resulting in positive societal impact through:
– sharing passion,
– exchanging knowledge and experience,
– creating meaningful movements,
– and building networks,
among dedicated participants, trainers and contributors.

Past Editions

  • Ankara, Turkey, in 2008,
  • Split, Croatia, in 2009,
  • Ljubljana, Slovenia, in 2010
  • Cluj-Napoca, Romania, in 2011
  • Budapest, Hungary, in 2012
  • Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2013
  • Istanbul, Turkey, in 2014
  • Maribor, Slovenia, in 2015
  • Pitesti, Roumania, in 2016
  • Budapest, Hungary, in 2017
  • Puvociai, Lithuania, in 2018

Learning Pillars

The vision is implemented by ensuring that the learning program make participants explore the following 4 learning pillars:
– Personal Development
– Leading people and organisations
– Boosting collaboration
– Creating positive social impact

Personal Development

This pillar is about setting an environment and providing inputs, inspiration, and feedback to the self-assessment and personal development of participants.

The activities touching this pillars engage participants in raising their awareness about the relevant skills, competences and attitudes effective and positive leaders should have. They can then set their own personal targets for ares which they want to improve and take responsibility for the accomplishments of their goals.

Leading People and Organisations

This pillar is about supporting NGOs’ work through investing in NGO leaders and enabling them to improve their management skills.

The participants understand and practice what a leader need to take care of in the area of human relationship to develop teamwork, trust and improve communication. Therefore they work on skills that will facilitate vision building, public speaking, goals setting, planning, decision making, and other relationship management related skills.

Boosting Collaboration

This pillar is about boosting collaboration among participants, trainers, and contributors both on individual and organisational level.

The related activities stimulate participants to develop a wider social network and a better understand of the different organisations involved. They are encouraged to move forward potential collaborative initiative they may have started before or during the event.

Creating Positive Social Impact

This pillar is about channelling energy, ideas, experience, and passion into meaningful movements.

The related activities raise participants awareness about diverse needs in the society and they are encouraged to be proactive in taking responsibility for creating positive social impact in their communities.

Content Design

According to participants needs analysis results, LSS Trainers create the final content of the event including activities that will be the most beneficial to participants. The video bellow illustrate the complete process.