Empowering Youth Through Effective Leadership

Matt Bardsley grew up in Montana, and after a mission to New Jersey moved to Utah to go to school and has been there ever since. He has a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in Sociology and a master’s degree from Utah State University in Education. He has been a seminary teacher for 19 years, 12 of those serving as a local faculty principal where he gets to train teachers. He is a former Young Men president, elders quorum president, ward mission leader, bishopric member, high councilor, and stake Young Men president, and currently serves as first counselor in his stake Young Men presidency.Kim Perkins is a coach with Accepted, passionate about guiding individuals on their journey to healing and fostering deep connections, and empowering them to unlock their true potential and lead fulfilling lives. Kim enjoys the great outdoors, hiking, volleyball, and embarking on exciting travel adventures with her husband and four children. She currently serves in her stake Young Women presidency. LinksAcceptedShare your thoughts in the Leading Saints communityTranscript coming soon Get 14-day access to the Core Leader LibraryTraining Materials3 Targets - Activity Planning PDF3-Month Planning Meetings PDFConnect it to Christ PDFCounseling Together PDFDelegation PDFMaking Announcements - Hype Squad PDFPair and Share PDFPresidency Meetings - Teeter Totter PDFSandbox PDFHighlightsThis dynamic discussion with Kim and Matt centers around the importance of mentorship and effective training for youth leaders. They share their experiences and insights on how to transform traditional youth leadership approaches into more impactful mentorship roles, and emphasize the significance of understanding one's purpose, identifying youth life goals, and fostering transformational relationships rather than merely filling time during weekly activities.Kim and Matt explain their approach to training, which includes quarterly sessions for all youth leaders and more targeted workshops for specific wards. They focus on practical skills such as effective communication, delegation, and connecting youth activities to the teachings of Jesus Christ. By observing and providing feedback in real time, they help leaders recognize their strengths and areas for improvement.05:31 - Kim's Experience in Youth Leadership06:26 - Matt's Background in Teaching Youth07:37 - Observations on Youth Programs08:35 - The Importance of Training in Leadership09:56 - Origin of Formal Training Approaches11:04 - Developing Effective Training Skills12:09 - Interactive and Experiential Training Methods13:48 - Training Audience and Frequency15:03 - Observing and Supporting Ward Leaders16:04 - Building Relationships with Leaders17:05 - Feedback and Reflection After Observations20:07 - Common Issues in Youth Leadership22:53 - The Importance of Delegation Skills24:55 - Coaching Others in Leadership Skills27:27 - Connecting Activities to the Savior29:25 - Practicing Skills in Training Sessions32:02 - Engaging Youth in Leadership Training35:10 - Summary of Effective Training PracticesThe award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org.Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins, J. Devn Cornish, Bonnie Oscarson, Dennis B. Neuenschwander, Kirby Heyborne, Taysom Hill Anthony Sweat, John Hilton III, Barbara Morgan Gardner, Blair Hodges, Whitney Johnson, Ryan Gottfredson, Greg McKeown, Ganel-Lyn Condie, Michael Goodman, Wendy Ulrich, Richard Ostler, and many more in over 800 episodes.Discover podcasts, articles,