A coach specialises in supporting young people as they develop vital life skills and grow both personally and academically. At Yes Futures, we use youth coaching to help young people build confidence, improve communication skills, enhance self-awareness, and foster resilience—ultimately helping them prevent the onset of mental health challenges.

Focusing on Strengths

One of the key roles of a coach is to help young people see themselves through a lens of strength. Rather than focusing on what they haven’t achieved yet, coaching encourages them to recognize their existing successes, skills, and potential. This positive framework becomes the foundation for further growth, empowering young people to build on what they already do well.

Coaching tools like active listening, open-ended questioning, and reflective feedback help young people gain clarity and confidence about their strengths. Over time, they develop a deeper self-awareness and a more positive outlook on their own capabilities.

Overcoming the Fear of Speaking Up

Many young people struggle to express themselves, often out of fear of rejection or failure. As a result, they may hold back their thoughts and ideas. Coaching helps them break through these barriers by showing the benefits of open communication. When young people start to see that their opinions matter, they begin to find their voice.

As one teacher at John F. Kennedy Catholic College put it:
"Some students have really developed in terms of public speaking and engaging in extracurricular activities. Others have been able to share their opinions and become more involved in class."

Developing Independent Thinking and Self-Awareness

Youth coaching also fosters independent thinking, helping young people better understand what success means to them and what factors contribute to their achievements. By reflecting on past successes—whether big or small—young people learn to identify the strategies and mindsets that made those successes possible.

This process boosts confidence and helps them apply their strengths in new situations. Ultimately, coaching helps young people become more resilient, better able to handle challenges and setbacks, and more equipped to thrive in various areas of their lives.

The Power of Success

Success, both big and small, has a profound impact on young people. It builds confidence, clarifies their values, and provides motivation to keep moving toward their goals. Coaches work with young people to set meaningful goals and create actionable plans that align with their values and aspirations. Through this process, they not only achieve their goals but also discover inner resources and strategies that they can continue to rely on.

There are two ways to look at success:

1. Objective success—tangible achievements that can be measured, like passing an exam or earning a grade.

2. Subjective success—personal achievements that reflect growth, such as trying something new (like baking a cake) and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, even if the outcome isn’t perfect.

Coaching helps young people develop a deeper understanding of subjective success. By focusing on the growth and learning that comes from challenges, rather than just the final result, young people learn to celebrate their progress in meaningful ways.

The Value of Self-Coaching

At the end of our coaching programmes, we offer a self-coaching workshop to help students continue working towards their goals. These workshops empower young people to solve problems on their own, shift their mindsets, and thrive with greater autonomy. Best of all, it’s a tool they can use at no cost to continue their development long after the programme ends.

Through self-coaching, students become quicker at finding solutions, are more positive in their approach to challenges, and gain confidence in their ability to take control of their future.

Empowering Young People for Success

At Yes Futures, we are committed to empowering young people to make ambitious choices and realise their potential. By helping them develop skills like confidence, resilience, self-awareness, and communication, we prepare them for success in the classroom and beyond.

We are dedicated to making youth coaching available to a wider community. Partnering with Smart School Councils provides a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase their growth and reach their full potential. To support this, we're excited to offer a 10% discount to Smart School Council members who are new to our programmes and enrol in one of our programmes by April 2025.

We also have a free Teacher Guide to Coaching in Schools which you can download here.