Top Canadian youth find
their rhythm in custom
leadership program

By Shari Bishop Bowes

Youth leader David Wen says a drumming session during a custom leadership session at The Banff Centre in August provided him with a key insight into taking the right approach in business.

“If you want to stand out, it’s actually about fitting into what the rhythm is already,” he said. “If you apply it to entrepreneurship and business, the market is what it is, and if you want to cut in, that market is the existing beat, and your new product is your creative insight -- you see what the market might want, what the market might need, and you cut in.”

Wen was one of 53 delegates at The Banff Centre between the ages of 10 and 22, who are all current and previous winners and finalists in Youth in Motion’s Top 20 Under 20 program. Youth in Motion is a national Canadian organization dedicated to helping youth "live their best life" through investing in their education and career development.

Three hands-on, experiential sessions took participants from outdoors for an on-the-ground teamwork challenge, into a sound studio for a drumming session designed to spark creative potential and the passion for teamwork, and onto the stage for improvisational activities that built upon creative team leadership and adaptation to change.

The Youth in Motion activities are just one example of experiential and thoughtfully designed customized programs available at The Banff Centre to individuals, groups and organizations.

Akela Peoples, the co-founder, president and CEO of Youth in Motion, said the custom program for her group was a worthwhile investment.

“I have been participating in and designing leadership development content for youth and business professionals for more than 20 years,” she said.  “The centre and its staff are among the best that I have ever worked with. I highly recommend their engaging, insightful and character based programming to anyone interested in developing themselves or their team as well-rounded, principled, centered leaders."

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