Age
16
Country of Residence
Nigeria
Founding Story: What was the spark that led you to start your project? What was the "Aha!" moment that led you to get started and see the potential for this to succeed?
As a young person and influencer, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with many young people, and I’ve noticed a common problem. Many have great potential but lack access to the resources, opportunities, and guidance they need to grow. Some don’t even realise that they should start building themselves from a young age. This inspired me to create Things You Should Know, a ten-day personal development programme where I taught teenagers about character, friendships, mindset, and making the most of their teenage years. My aha moment came when I realised that, as a teenager myself, I could reach these young people in ways they could relate to. Sometimes, young people struggle to connect with advice from motivational speakers because they feel misunderstood. I believe I can communicate these lessons from a perspective they understand. I realised I couldn’t just identify this problem and wait for someone else to solve it. I could be part of the solution. This inspired me to build a mentorship community where young people receive intentional guidance, access opportunities, and develop their potential.
How do you encourage other people to join your project or learn about the problem you’re working on? If you have a new idea, tell us how you will do this in the future.
As an influencer, I already have some level of influence over people, and I intend to use that to spread awareness about my project. By actively sharing posts on my social media platforms, I’ll tell people about the problem I’m trying to solve, my vision, and the steps I’m taking to make it happen. I’ll share updates about the project, the lessons I’m learning, and the impact we’re working towards. I believe this will attract people who are passionate about helping young people grow and who would be willing to contribute to the solution. I’ll also use my platforms to reach more young people who need mentorship and guidance. As the project grows, I hope to build a community of people who believe in the vision and are willing to support it, so that together, we can reach more young people and create lasting change.
How many people are on your team?
3
Impact: How has your project created impact / made a difference so far? Or, if at an early stage, what will impact look like?
I’ve already taken my first step through Things You Should Know, a ten-day personal development programme I hosted for teenagers. The response was encouraging. People reached out to tell me how much they loved the programme, and some participants even sent me private messages to talk about challenges they were facing. I was able to listen to them and offer advice. We had ten participants, and although it might seem small, I believe impact starts with the people you can reach. For the mentorship initiative, I want to build on that foundation. In the first month, I want each mentee to have a clear direction for their personal growth. They will work towards opening a LinkedIn account or building a presence on a suitable platform, starting a small business, and discovering more about themselves and their interests. I believe starting a business at a young age can teach them responsibility, accountability, problem-solving, and how to think beyond themselves. Through weekly goals and regular check-ins, I’ll help them stay consistent and put what they learn into practice. I’m still at an early stage, but I don’t want to measure impact by numbers alone. I want to see real changes in how these young people think, the opportunities they pursue, and how they begin to influence the people around them. This is where I want the journey to begin.
Project Category
My project is a brand new / emerging idea
Project Stage
Pilot-Stage (We’ve tried an activity or two)
Project Summary: Describe your project in one sentence
The Intentional Growth Project is a youth mentorship initiative for young people aged 14–19. It focuses on helping young people discover their potential, develop valuable skills, build discipline, and access opportunities through intentional mentorship, weekly goals, and accountability. The long-term vision is to raise a generation of young leaders who will support others, solve community problems, and inspire positive change.
Project title
The Intentional Growth Project is a youth mentorship initiative for young people aged 14–19. It focuses on helping young people discover their potential, develop valuable skills, build discipline, and access opportunities through intentional mentorship, w
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve? Why does it matter to you and your community?
Oftentimes, we hear stories of people who came from nothing and eventually became successful, but we forget to look behind the scenes. Many had mentors, role models, or access to opportunities that helped them grow. Unfortunately, not every young person has these advantages. Some come from disadvantaged backgrounds, lack access to learning resources, or spend time online without knowing how to use it to their advantage. Many don’t realise that their teenage years are an important time to develop their minds, build useful skills, and create opportunities for themselves. This is a problem in our generation. Young people have potential, but without the right guidance and exposure, many may never discover what they can achieve. Through my mentorship initiative, I want to create a platform where young people can grow intentionally, access opportunities, and develop the skills they need to make a difference. I want them to take what they learn into their schools and communities, support others, and inspire positive change. This way, the impact continues beyond the people I mentor.
Website URL(s) or social media handles.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-adeyemi-432b3b3a4?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
What’s Next: What are the next steps you plan to take to grow or strengthen your project over the next year? If your project is still in the idea stage, describe the steps you will take over the next three months to launch or begin developing it.
Over the next year, my first step is to spend a month observing the members of my Things You Should Know group chat and identifying five young people who are genuinely interested in personal growth and willing to commit to the mentorship process. Once I select them, we will begin working towards their individual goals. I’ll help them create LinkedIn accounts, teach them how to build their presence and share their experiences online, and introduce them to opportunities that can help them grow. I’ll also connect them to useful learning materials, courses, and online classes. For example, I attended a class called Balanced Student, hosted by Japa Queen on LinkedIn, and an Ashoka Changemaker class hosted by Great Wisdom. I’ll share similar opportunities with my mentees so they can learn from people and platforms they might not have discovered on their own. Beyond this, I’ll give them weekly tasks, set goals with them, and hold regular online meetings to discuss their progress and challenges. I’ll encourage them to explore volunteering, attend events, develop useful skills, and discover their interests. I’ll also guide them as they explore entrepreneurship and learn to take responsibility for their ideas. As the project grows, I’ll assess their progress, learn from their challenges, and improve my approach.
Your Innovation: What is different about your project compared to other programs or solutions already out there? How is your project new or innovative?
What makes my project different is that I’m not just thinking about the young people I’m mentoring today. I’m also thinking about the next generation and the impact these young people will eventually have on them. My project goes beyond teaching young people what to do. It’s about intentionally guiding them, helping them develop their mindset, build useful skills, discover their potential, and gain access to opportunities. I want to be actively involved in their growth, setting goals with them, following up on their progress, and helping them turn what they learn into action. What makes this meaningful is that the impact doesn’t have to end with the people I mentor. As they grow, they can teach others, support their peers, and become positive influences in their schools and communities. Those people can then do the same for others. I’m building more than a mentorship community. I’m building a cycle of growth that can continue across generations. By investing in young people today, I hope to contribute to a generation that is more intentional, equipped, and ready to make a difference in the world around them.
Your Solution: How are you solving this problem? Share your specific solution.
My solution is to build a community where young people receive intentional mentorship and guidance. Many young people already know what they should be doing to improve their lives, but distractions, a lack of accountability, and limited access to opportunities often prevent them from taking action. Through this initiative, I want to work closely with young people aged 14–19, starting with a small group of five. Each mentee will have weekly goals and daily activities that encourage personal development, discipline, and consistency. We will have regular online check-ins to discuss their progress, challenges, and lessons learned. Beyond setting goals, I want to expose them to opportunities they might not otherwise discover. This includes connecting them to relevant courses, volunteering opportunities, events, public speaking platforms, and communities where they can learn, build relationships, and explore their potential. I also want to help them understand how to use digital platforms to learn, develop their skills, and create opportunities for themselves. My goal is not just to tell young people what they should do, but to walk alongside them as they take the necessary steps to become better versions of themselves. What makes this initiative meaningful is that the impact will not end with the people I mentor. I want to raise young people who will take what they learn into their schools, communities, and spheres of influence. They will be equipped to support others, share knowledge, create solutions, and inspire other young people to take action. Ultimately, I want to build an ecosystem of intentional, equipped, and impact-driven young people who will not only transform their own lives but also influence their generation positively.
Your team: What role(s) do your team members play? How do you share leadership with them?
During Things You Should Know, I had a manager who was responsible for contacting people to attend the sessions, keeping track of daily attendance, and helping with publicity. I also had a publicity manager who created banners and flyers using AI and other tools, engaged participants in the group, and helped promote the programme to reach more people.
