Developing Kind Leaders

We are excited to announce a new partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas and The Kindness Campaign®, specifically within TKC’s Kind Leadership program. High school mentees are invited to attend an upcoming information session on August 31 at the BBBS Mentoring Center, 4800 Manor Road from 11 am to noon to learn about this special program.

BBBS provides one-to-one mentors for children in our community. Mentors in turn provide guidance and support to help children reach their potential. We are always looking for additional resources and tools for families, Bigs, and students, and that’s where Kind Leadership comes in. Kind Leadership is a four-year, self-paced program for high school students designed to develop strong leadership skills while promoting kindness and empathy.

“The goal of Kind Leadership is that students leave the program having life skills, having leadership skills that they can take with them, whether they are going into the workforce or going into college,” said Andra Liemandt, CEO of The Kindness Campaign®. “These skills are tied into the four pillars of our program – self-image, emotional awareness, empathy, and community.”

The program consists of three main components: completing 6 volunteer hours per Kind Leadership year, creating a Kind Leadership Passion Project that contributes positively to the community, and working on skill-building resources within the Kind Leadership program. Students receive personalized mentorship and guidance throughout the year.

“The program began when a young person reached out to The Kindness Campaign® for help pursuing a passion in her own life,” said Andra. “When we began unpacking what she wanted to pursue, it led to the creation of the program. It revealed a need to help other youth pursue their passion projects, or in some cases, to help them determine what their passion is.”

The organization holds monthly meetings featuring a wide variety of speakers who talk to the students about different topics – from starting your own business, to nonprofits, to building an audience, to what it means to be a leader in the community. “We provide students an opportunity to ask questions and to be connected with individuals who can help them pursue their personal passion,” said Andra.

One student launched a Slime Company as her passion project. Kind Leadership helped her find multiple opportunities to engage with the community by hosting slime workshops and even setting up a slime station at The Kindness Campaign®’s annual Community Day which had over 600 attendees. “It was a gooey mess,” laughed Delanie Hamilton, Director of Marketing for The Kindness Campaign®. “But the kids loved it, and it was a big hit. The student talks about stress management – how to reduce stress, how to increase productivity and improve happiness. Her company is called Happy Time Slime.”

It is just one example of how the program is setting students up for success. “As students find their passion, we give them opportunities to go deeper into those pursuits,” said Andra. “And then we help them learn to pitch it. Because how are you going to be able to pursue your project, how can people support it, if no one knows about it? So, we give them opportunities to learn how to speak about their project. They learn to give a mini Ted Talk and get in front of people who can champion their project.”

“The biggest thing that makes me happy about this project is that we are building a community for these young people so they know they are not alone,” said Andra. “We are giving them hope that they can have a future and they can have a community of adults who care about them. That’s what the program is about. It’s about supporting them, championing them, letting them know we will be right there building alongside them.”

“When you believe in a child and they see you believing in them, no matter their circumstances, they will believe in themselves,” said Andra. “They will then keep going and growing.”

Andra has seen this happen again and again in the short time the program has been in existence. The growth, the amazing creations and passions of these students after they receive feedback and advice from program leaders, build their resumes, and cultivate a network that extends beyond school walls.

Parents are enthusiastic about the program as well. Andra has had many parents reach out to her to get their students signed up. “I have two daughters and they are pursuing passion projects of their own,” said Andra. “As a parent, this sets up a different dialogue at home. It’s a really neat way to connect when you know your child’s passion. You can start being a part of their journey in a really beautiful way. I think parents have been really excited about that – getting behind the students, rooting for them, letting them know they care.”

“And high school is the time to explore your passions and to do those things that you love,” said Andra. “And do it with people who love you and care about you.”

BBBS continues to seek out new ways and new tools to empower and promote youth development within our community. This new collaboration with The Kindness Campaign®’s Kind Leadership program supports both organizations’ goals of helping youth realize their potential in special and effective ways.

Find out more about Kind Leadership at The Kindness Campaign® website or watch their informational video on the Kind Leadership webpage HERE .