Empowering Tomorrow: Unleashing the Leadership Potential of Young Women
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a catalyst for change across various sectors, and the field of disaster management is no exception. A recent study titled Empowered Stakeholders: Female University Students’ Leadership During the COVID-19-Triggered On-campus Evictions in Canada and the United States sheds light on an often-overlooked aspect of disaster response: the leadership roles undertaken by female university students during crises.
This research highlights the proactive leadership behaviors exhibited by female students during the three stages of the eviction process: pre-eviction, peri-eviction, and post-eviction. These young women not only prepared themselves emotionally and logistically but also supported their peers through the tumultuous process of eviction and beyond.
Pre-Eviction: Building a Foundation of Resilience
During the pre-eviction stage, female students demonstrated remarkable self-preparedness, which laid the emotional groundwork for supporting others. This phase was characterized by uncertainty and fear, as universities struggled to provide clear communication and support. Despite these challenges, female students utilized self-suggestion techniques and familial support to emotionally prime themselves for the impending crisis.
Peri-Eviction: Leading with Compassion and Action
As the eviction process unfolded, these young women stepped up to facilitate both their own and their peers' eviction processes. They provided emotional support, organized group interventions, and offered logistical assistance such as finding off-campus housing and coordinating transportation. Their leadership was instrumental in addressing the gaps left by university administrations, which often failed to provide adequate mental health services and logistical support during the crisis.
Post-Eviction: Sustaining Support and Raising Awareness
Even after the physical relocation, female students continued to lead by creating virtual communities to support their peers. They organized check-ins and virtual gatherings to maintain social connections and emotional well-being. Moreover, they took on the role of responsible citizens by raising awareness about the inequalities faced by vulnerable and marginalized populations during the pandemic.
Implications for Practitioners
For practitioners in the field of speech-language pathology and beyond, this study offers valuable insights into the potential of young women as leaders in disaster situations. It underscores the importance of recognizing and nurturing leadership qualities in female students, who have traditionally been viewed as passive victims rather than empowered stakeholders.
Practitioners can leverage these findings to advocate for more inclusive and supportive emergency response strategies that integrate both top-down and bottom-up approaches. By involving students in decision-making processes and providing them with the necessary resources and training, institutions can enhance their resilience and preparedness for future crises.
Furthermore, this study calls for further research into gender-specific leadership dynamics in disaster settings. Detailed stratification of gender and age dimensions could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the younger generation's leadership potential, ultimately contributing to more effective disaster management practices.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Empowered Stakeholders: Female University Students’ Leadership During the COVID-19-Triggered On-campus Evictions in Canada and the United States.
