The Millennials - Generation Me, Google Generation, Gen-Y, the Gap Year Generation (?)

We all know the Baby Boomers and Generation X, they have been around for a while and have been studied intensely.  Who are the new kids on the block?  They are the Millennials - born between 1977 and 1993(varies depending on your source), this is the generation that is making its way through high school, university and into the work force.

This new generation has been given a bad reputation already by those that preceded them.  They are perceived as self absorbed, entitled and unfocused (Espinoza et al., 2010).  These perceptions are made by people who, as a whole, have a different set of values than the Millennials.

As parents, educators and employers, we need to make ourselves aware of what the trends in values are in order to better support our youth.  Espinoza et al,  have identified 9 Intrinsic Values of the Millennial Generation but we will focus on 4 and how they relate to taking a gap year.

Work-Life Balance: More than previous generations, Millennials aren’t prepared to sacrifice their personal life for the sake of work.  They are prepared to be paid less in order to be able to do the things that they find most satisfying outside of the work place.  A gap year is an excellent way for youth to find the things that are most inspiring for them and expose them to a new set of activities that they can engage in to balance their work.

Attention:  Millennials can be seen as self-absorbed but it is actually the individual attention that they crave.  This generation was raised with a softer touch where most of their needs were preempted or quickly met by their parents and they have come to expect individualized attention.  This could be why the higher education system is not as appealing to many of this new generation - learning broad topics in large classrooms does not appeal to this value.  A gap year through mygapyear allows for individualized coaching and the creation of a plan that is specific to the goals of that individual.  This learning experience will appeal to the value of attention while encouraging learning and development.

Simplicity: Many of the Millennials have learned to be focused on the “small picture” and how they are personally affected.  This is a wonderful trait to have because Millennials are acutely aware of their personal state and how they manifest themselves.  Where a gap year could benefit this value is in teaching the Millennials how to see the “bigger picture” and help them relate their personal state or actions with the world around them.  Traveling can teach youth about stewardship, cooperation, diversity and how they fit into the global perspective.  Broadening their understanding of the world will help them integrate into the demanding world of globalization.

Meaning: In general, the Millennials need to feel that they have a purpose, that their contribution is valuable and going to be contributing to something great.  Taking a gap year exposes Millennials to a wide variety of experiences.  Youth my find new passions, be fulfilled by working towards an existing passion or discover ways of combining their passions with work.  There are so many jobs out there that we don’t know exist unless we actively search for them - we are not confined to being a teacher, firefighter or banker anymore (although these are equally valuable jobs!).

Reference:

Espinoza, C, Ukleja, M. & Rusch, C. (2010). Managing the Millennials: Discover the core competencies for managing today's youth. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Leadership: More than a Buzz Word

If you Google the word “Leadership” you come back with 439 million Hits.  WOW! 
We hear all about corporate leadership, youth leadership, personal leadership, leadership this, leadership that - What does leadership really mean?

That is a loaded question!  Leadership has come to take on so many different meanings over the past decade that its true meaning has been defined, redefined and maybe even diluted.  I have studied leadership, taught leadership and engaged in leadership but pinpointing a definition is still very difficult for me.  The definition that I have found that works best for me was referenced by Stephen R. Covey in “The Leader in Me: How Schools and Parents Around the World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time.”

“Leadership is communicating people’s worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves.” (Covey, 2008, p. 41)

Along with the above definition, my view of leadership is grounded in Inspiration, Empowerment, Awareness and Action.  Let me explain.

Inspiration:  How does a good leader/boss/teacher/parent/friend encourage someone to accomplish a task?  How does someone see how they can contribute to the greater good?  How does one feel connected with a task or project?  Great leaders are able to relate to people and knows how to tap into the passions of individuals to ignite a fire within each individual.  What motivates or inspires one does not motivate or inspire everyone, good leaders know how to illustrate meaning in multiple ways.

Empowerment: Leadership should not be something that can be held onto.  It should not be synonymous with power or titles.  True leadership is something that allows others the opportunity to grow, thrive and achieve with help and support from others.  A leader’s job is to give others the tools, skills and processes they need in order to be successful.

Awareness and Action:  A true leader is someone who sees an opportunity and steps up to meet a need.  Leaders are aware of their surroundings, the physical and the human, and are able to see potential.  Leaders will identify the possibility and take steps towards making it a reality by tapping into the talents and skills of those around them.

What does leadership look like to you?  What attributes to you value in a leader?  What are you doing that makes you a leader?  How will you lead yourself?

What’s holding you back?

Have you ever been held back by a limiting belief?  Have you ever acted in a way that was driven by an assumption and not a truth? Probably - I know I have. We all come to our daily lives with beliefs and assumptions that we have built up from the day we were born. It's a good idea to check in on those beliefs and assumptions from time to time to see if they are still serving us well. Perhaps a limiting belief or assumption might be something like “I’m too old to learn a new sport”, or “if I take a gap year I will be behind everyone else”.

Here’s  an exercise that might help you to move beyond those beliefs that are holding you back and create new ones to move you forward. So grab a pen and paper or your tablet/ notebook. Write down 5 limiting beliefs that you hold. Think about things you don't do, or people you don't talk to because you believe something about them or the situation. Be honest! Cross off each one and as you do this write a new belief that is empowering and true to your values and strengths. 

After you have crossed out all five old beliefs, re-read your new beliefs slowly, and imagine yourself living them. By doing this, these new beliefs have already begun to manifest in your life! Keep these new beliefs close to you! 
Is a belief or assumption holding you back from taking a gap year? What would it take for you to reexamine those beliefs and assumptions?

Remembering Life Lessons

Remember when you were little and you got in trouble for following along with your friends?  "But Mom, Jenny did it too!" We would protest.  Without missing a beat, Mom or Dad would always say "If Jenny jumped off a cliff, would you?"  The moral of the story is that you should not go along with something just because everyone else is doing it - think for yourself and act in your best interest.

 

Its a lesson we often learn very early in our lives but something happens to that lesson when we become older.  In many cases as parents, teachers, guidance councilors our message changes from "think for your self and act in your best interest" to "why aren't you doing what everyone else is doing?"  As a good parent/teacher/guidance councilor we would never say that, or would we? 

One great example is when high school graduation rolls around - thoughts automatically jump to college, university or the work place.  "What do you mean you want to take a year off? Why in the world would you want to do that? What a waste of time! No one does that!" Woah, there it is and it is not that far-fetched!  Just because "everyone" is seemingly going off to school or work does that devalue taking a gap year? Absolutely not! 

We need to remember the lessons that we learned so young and that we probably taught our own kids or students - do what is right for you not what is the status quo.

Think about this in your own lives, what expectations have you put on yourself, your family, your colleagues because it is the norm? 

How can we change our thinking and not follow or let our kids follow Jenny off that cliff?

Inspired by Chris Guillebeau's writing on the Art of Non-Conformity (http://chrisguillebeau.com/)

Where are Gappers going?

If you were taking a gap year and wanted to travel - where would you go?

For our Gappers, South America is a popular destination, as well as Spain and France. Other areas of interest are Costa Rica and India, Vietnam and Thailand. Favourite cool things to do are learn a language by living in the country with a homestay family or in your own apartment ( French or Spanish top the bill), volunteer teach, work in an orphanage, or save endangered animals like sea turtles.

At  a recent gathering of Gappers, some returning Gappers shared these travel tips:

Money :
• budget well, research costs of things ahead of time, then add extra for unexpected events
• don’t carry wads of money with you - just what you need for the day plus a bit extra - leave rest safe in your room
• contact your bank before you go to find out if you can use debit and/ or credit cards , and to let them know you are travelling ( so they don’t cancel the card thinking it might be stolen!)
• note down and take with you all your bank contact information - so you have it when needed

Safety:
• know your surroundings, know who you’re with
• safety in numbers, don’t let your guard down even when you have been in a place for a while
• trust your gut instincts, including being open to unexpected possibilities or adventures
Language barriers:
• you can get by with gestures and hand movements and a few words. 
• Once you are there for a while - you get better at the language, 
• try preparing cue cards with pictures and words of common things to show people what you need!
Other tips:
Have fun! Always expected the unexpected

So where did you go on your gap year? What did you do? Can you tell us about your experiences or share any words of wisdom?


Jules at mygapyear

So what's a gap year anyway?

Are you curious about a gap year?
Here's a definition:
A time away from a normal routine for youth to experience personal growth through volunteerism, travel and work.

Here's the advantage of working with mygapyear.
" We partner with youth to create a meaningful year. Through

• coaching, building emotional intelligence and leadership development
• a researched and personalized gap year plan
• ongoing support and encouragement through the gap year experience

our unique approach develops confident, empowered young adults ready for the challenges that lie ahead."

So if you could take the time, how would you spend it?

Visit www.mygapyear.ca now

Happy Canada Day to all Canadian oyster lovers!

After reviewing several youtube clips about Canada, I realized that the internet had a challenging time capturing the feeling that swells from deep within the heart when you see the Canadian flag waving.



It is sometimes easier to define Canadians as "not being Americans".  However,we are more than that, although, we would humbly keep that to ourselves. As I was surfing the net for visual inspiration, my daughter asked me to describe the taste of an oyster. I paused, looked at her blankly, stumbled for words to describe the experience. I connected the difficulty with describing the taste of an oyster with the difficulty of articulating the feeling of being Canadian. I googled and found:


The Oysters of Locmariaquer by Eleanor Clark:

“It is briny first of all, and not in the sense of brine in a barrel, for the preservation of something; there is a shock of refreshment to it.” … “You are eating the sea, that’s it, only the sensation of a gulp of sea water has been wafted out of it by some sorcery, and are on the verge of remembering you don’t know what, mermaids or the sudden smell of kelp on the ebb tide or a poem you read once, something connected with the flavor of life itself…”

For me, describing the taste of an oyster is as challenging as explaining how lucky we are to live in this great country. We are honoured to live in a country that is as connected with the flavor of life. Canada is inspiring, fresh, open like an oyster to the experience of being Canadian. We have freedom; we have peace; we have purity.

Being Canadian is a feeling and although this youtube link is from the Winter Olympics; it captures a vital preservation of something as to what it is to be Canadian-proud, connected, unified.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cowe84zw32c&feature=fvsr

So, like the taste of an oyster, describing Canada and what it is to be Canadian is somewhat indescribable. Being Canadian is an experience; it is a feeling that swells from deep within the heart.
Could someone out there in this great country help articulate the feeling?

Canadianly yours,
Tara