3 days ago
A Leaning Lab expands elite Harvard YLC program to Oman and Bahrain
Youth leadership initiative to benefit more high school students in GCC
High school students in Oman and Bahrain will have the opportunity to build their profile and develop critical skills as A Learning Lab expands the prestigious Harvard Youth Lead the Change (YLC) program into the territories. The elite leadership development conference that has transformed shy teenagers into confident trailblazers will be staged in the two countries for the first time this Summer.
Staged in Dubai, the GCC's first Harvard YLC conference was convened in 2022, and the event has taken place in July and December every year since its launch in the region. The highly selective youth development program has seen significant growth in numbers of both participants and events, with the most recent conference hosted in Riyadh in January welcoming over 100 students, most of whom were Saudi nationals.
Curated by the Leadership Institute at Harvard College, the YLC program offers young people from 13 to 18 years old a life-changing opportunity to receive mentoring from students from the Ivy League college. The conference enables aspiring leaders to recognize their own strengths, and to define goals that will help them identify the career, subjects, and universities that would suit them in the future.
The program of events sees students work in mentor-led groups to take part in a range of workshops, case-studies, and project-based activities to promote self-reflection, build confidence, and develop their problem-solving and presentation skills. With a mutual understanding of the nuances of growing up in the 21st century, the mentors guide the delegates with their invaluable skills and experience of life beyond high school. Participants collaborate within multicultural, interdisciplinary teams to develop social change projects that could address some of the most pressing youth-related issues.
Reflecting on her experience, 2024 participant, Jehan Ibrahim, from GEMS Our Own English High School, said, 'It was an honour to be part of the Harvard YLC, to make friends with like-minded individuals and to learn a lot in the process. Every single student was so talented in each field, which made it an amazing setting to learn and grow with others. Meeting with the Harvard mentors, learning about their life on campus and the college application process, alongside the leadership conference, was an amazing experience and I'm glad to have had this opportunity.'
Neha Kaul, mother of 2023 participant and The English College student, Samara Bhardwaj, said, 'The Harvard YLC was a tremendous experience for Samara. She enjoyed interacting with all the mentors and students and it's given her a lot more confidence. The concept of working on a social project was fantastic and it's made her think about things she'd never considered before.'
Founder of A Learning Lab, Varun Jain, said, 'The Harvard YLC is one of the most transformational programs that high school students can be part of in this region. After just a few days of learning from the Harvard mentors and collaborating with their peers, we see students emerge with more confidence, sharper skills and real experiences of taking a leading role in a social cause. The program is an invaluable opportunity to set students on the pathway to personal and professional success.'
Harvard YLC is open to applications for the forthcoming events taking place in Oman from 2nd-5th July and Bahrain from 8th-11th July.
