Five connected functions. One developmental approach.
YDLC's programme system is built around one core question: how can young people develop the capacity to understand, practise, participate, lead and reflect — and how can YDLC build the support, facilitation and partnerships required to do that responsibly?
Develop → Apply → Support → Multiply → Share
The Fellowship is the developmental core. The other four programmes extend, support, reproduce, and responsibly share the practice around it.
Develop · Flagship
Leadership & Community Practice Fellowship
Develops young people's capacity.
A structured developmental journey through Understand → Practice → Participate → Lead → Reflect. Participants learn through structured practice, engagement with real community contexts, responsible action, and reflection.
Methodology: Understand → Practice → Participate → Lead → Reflect
Apply
Community Practice & Action Labs
Creates structured opportunities to apply that capacity.
Participants investigate situations, listen to people affected, test approaches responsibly, and reflect on consequences. These are structured practice environments, not community-service placements.
Support
Mentoring & Learning Support
Provides developmental support around participation and progression.
Structured support connected to learning, reflection, decision-making, and progression through the YDLC pathway.
Multiply
Facilitator Development
Builds the people who deliver the methodology.
Facilitator Development is not a participant programme. It develops the people responsible for delivering YDLC programmes safely, consistently, and thoughtfully.
Share
Institutional & Partner Learning
Transfers tested learning to appropriate institutions.
Shares tested YDLC learning and practice with appropriate institutions and partners. The last layer of the system — active only once YDLC has accumulated genuine evidence from its own implementation.
Programme status — The YDLC programme architecture is finalized. Individual programmes are shown here according to their current development and readiness status. No programme is presented as operational until it has passed the required governance, safeguarding, readiness and approval process.
Understand → Practice → Participate → Lead → Reflect
This methodology begins with understanding rather than action. Participants develop through structured practice, responsible engagement with communities, leadership through real responsibility, and deliberate reflection.
- 01
Understand
Context, self, community, and the situation — before action.
- 02
Practice
Structured learning and rehearsal of skills and methods.
- 03
Participate
Engage with communities responsibly and listen first.
- 04
Lead
Take real responsibility for initiatives and contributions.
- 05
Reflect
Examine what was learned and what comes next.
The five cycles form the developmental foundation of the Fellowship. Other YDLC programmes connect to this methodology where relevant rather than mechanically reproducing every cycle.
Questions about a programme?
Contact YDLC to discuss programme collaboration, partnership, or contribution. Details for each programme will be published as it moves toward delivery.