Why are sparks champions important for youth to thrive?
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EmailSpark champions are adults who are present in a youth’s life and help create a thriving atmosphere for that youth.
Being a spark champion for youth is an impactful way to make a difference in the lives of young people. Spark champions are important and needed to help young people thrive and succeed. A quote from E. E. Cummings confirms the idea of spark champions is not new, “We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit.”
Parents should be the first spark champion a youth has. Parents are there to see what inspires their child and what really brings them joy. As a parent, you do not need to be an expert in your child’s spark. What is important is the way you advocate, encourage, support and celebrate your child’s spark. This has a great impact on your child, even if you do not understand their spark. According to Peter Benson, teenagers want their parents to be their spark champions. They want you to understand what is important to them and this helps increase communication between parents and children.
While parents are important champions, youth need a team of spark champions to ensure they are thriving. This is where many of us come in: any adult can be a spark champion. Helping youth build a team of spark champions is important in making their spark journey a success. The message youth receive from spark champions is that there is something within them that makes them useful to the world.
There is not a magic number of sparks champions for each youth to have. The general idea is the more, the better. Research tells us that sparks shine much brighter when multiple spark champions are supporting a youth. Youth will also flourish in a greater capacity when they have the opportunity to find the spark champions in multiple places. For example, spark champions may be found at home, in school, in other youth organizations such as 4-H, or even within their neighborhood.
It is also important to remember that sparks can change over time. However, a youth wanting to quit a spark could also be an indication of that youth having challenges, especially if they are dropping out of multiple things. Champions can notice those challenges and rather than just letting youth quit, ask “What instead?” Don’t just let them stop, help them find what’s next for them. Don’t forget to help them build that champion team for their next spark, as well. If a youth is experiencing challenges, be persistent, be a positive force and help them work through that challenge.
Spark champions have the chance to really make a difference in the lives of young people. Not only are they inspiring and empowering these young people, but they are promoting positive change in the community and providing role models and mentorship for them. Champions can be important in advocating for youth voice, which will help build important life skills for youth. Michigan State University Extension encourages you to consider where can you become a spark champion to make a difference in the lives of young people?
Learn more about the 4-H Thriving Model at https://helping-youth-thrive.extension.org/. For more information about joining 4-H, visit the MSU Extension 4-H website.
