Four Ways to Develop Leadership as a Home-Schooler

Home schooling offers many exciting benefits: the opportunity to explore individualised materials within your realm of interest and to learn at your own pace. But it also comes with challenges, including the lack of immediate social interaction along with the chance to develop critical leadership skills. However, these things don't have to be missing from the home-school curriculum. Consider these four ways to grow as a leader:

1. Volunteer

There's no better way to engage in social activities, become involved in your local community, and understand the importance of leadership than through volunteering. While volunteering in itself is not an act of leadership, it does give a first-hand view of leadership at work and of its great potential to change the world.

Additionally, as you continue to volunteer your talents, your responsibilities may grow accordingly. A leadership role may soon be within your reach.

2. Join a club

While joining your local ham radio club may not lead to the immediate presidency, over time you can aspire to new levels of leadership responsibilities. Check in with your local library or community center to find out about activities for home-schoolers in your area.

You also aren't required to be the club president to demonstrate your leadership skills. Perhaps you like working with money or doing public relations. Heading up a finance or communications committee is a terrific way to show off a unique skill set while simultaneously assuming a critical leadership role.

3. Start a group

Do you love to write poetry or make model rockets? Are you interested in sustainability and the farm-to-table movement? If so, there are plenty of opportunities for you to start a group within your own community to advance these causes.

Put a sign up at the library and hold a meeting in one of the local rooms. You may be delighted by how many fellow writing enthusiasts or gardening gurus turn up!

4. Host an event

Do you support a local organisation or charity? If so, why not organise a fundraising event on its behalf? It can be as simple as setting up a car wash at a local car dealership or a walk to raise awareness. Whatever the size or scale, organising this event from conception to fruition can not only help you develop the leaderships skills colleges are looking for, but can also be immensely fulfilling to you personally.

Just because you're a home-schooler doesn't mean you have to miss out on valuable leadership opportunities. If you can't find the right club or group in your community, make your own opportunities by forming one.