Description
ABSTRACT
DREAMS Intervention Program is a three-year curriculum program for schools and Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), aimed at developing psycho-social leadership skills through mentoring intervention. Its triangulated model connects “Schools (under-served students),” “Universities (youth mentors),” and “Community (senior leaders)” to transfer knowledge, experiences, and leadership skills as tools for social change. Outbound Leadership Training (OLT) is a key instrument in achieving DREAMS’ goals. DREAMS OLT is an experiential program to develop higher leadership skills and build effective teams by mentoring children and teens in various DREAMS chapters. Mentor training is ongoing, developing psycho-social competencies through project execution. DREAMS OLT refines these skills with structured, activity-based experiential learning. Integrating sustainability into education advances a holistic approach to developing professional skills and leadership among youth. Such skills help the youth to deal with complex worldly challenges. Initiatives such as DREAMS OLT enable the transformation of SDG frameworks into meaningful action by nurturing responsibility, innovation, collaboration and community engagement. Education and youth leadership are critical drivers of long-term social transformation. DREAMS OLT supports SDGs: 4 (Quality Education), 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), 17 (Partnership for the Goals), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). This paper explores how DREAMS OLT applies these SDGs through experiential, mentoring-based leadership development and psycho-social empowerment of youth.
Keywords: DREAMS Outbound Leadership Training (OLT), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Psycho-social Empowerment and Youth
