When I first heard about Enabling Leadership, I was unsure of how teaching children music (EL Create), football (EL Play) and how to build LEGO models (EL Build) constituted transferable skills. I thought of them as extracurricular activities which, yes, helped people learn about strategy and problem-solving, but how could this extend outside its context and be applied to the real world? How could an activity as simple as building models, which many children do, have a significant impact on their development?
I believe developing leadership skills is important because they extend to all aspects of a person’s life—school, work, home, and beyond. Creating your own values, learning to work with others, leveraging everyone’s strengths, and having the confidence to forge your own path are key to living well and meaningfully. One aspect I admire about Enabling Leadership’s approach to developing these skills is that children acquire them organically over the years. The inclusion of reflective sessions in their curriculum further solidifies the skills and lessons they learn. This method is far more effective than teaching children about leadership through lectures.
I noticed that the sessions were a safe space for children, which is conducive to learning and growth. In classrooms, they were encouraged to work with their teams and guided through reflections and brainstorming sessions. Conflicts, if any, were overcome in a way that emphasised kindness and understanding. This fusion of teaching technical and leadership skills in an environment that emphasises growth and the psychological safety of children is remarkable.
The models at the ELevate 2025 Build Prelims were stunning, intricate, realistic and even functional. They were particularly impressive because they were built by children who were around thirteen years old, and yet they managed to think so far ahead. One of my favorite models was a train station. It was incredibly detailed—right down to the speedometer on the trains. A member from this team told me how he wanted to become an engineer, thanks to EL Build. As he explained how the team had to modify the model to give the train a better “grip” on the tracks (yes, the train could actually move!) and how they had to think about controlling the model’s weight distribution to make it more stable, it was clear that he was very passionate about his dream. For this student, the EL BUILD sessions served as a space that mimicked real-life engineering challenges.
During my internship, I learned that consistently showing up for children is what truly makes a difference in their lives. Enabling Leadership’s model for developing leadership skills aims to include every child and inspire them to develop a sense of individuality and the confidence to pursue what they want from life. What I admire most is its emphasis on experiential learning—it shapes children and helps them grow in an environment where they naturally pick up skills and lessons. This empowers them to become independent individuals and leaders, not just for others, but for themselves as well.
Ira Gupta
Intern, Enabling Leadership,
Bengaluru
