Real-World Ready: Rethinking How Schools Develop Student Leadership with Inspire Citizens
- Adam Slaton
- 24 hours ago
- 3 min read
By Sophie Peccaud, Head of Partnerships at Inspire Citizens
A Next Step for AMISA Educators
Following the success of AMISA’s online series from 2025, Empowering Global Student Leaders, Inspire Citizens is proud to introduce its micro-credential program: a practical next step for schools seeking to nurture authentic student leadership while connecting global citizenship, service learning, and community impact.
Just as educators explored ways to help students identify talents, map community needs, and design purpose-driven projects in the AMISA workshops, micro-credentials now provide a framework for students to take ownership of their learning, earn recognition for their skills, and build confidence as global leaders.
Leveling Up Student Leadership: Micro-Credentials as “Power-Ups”
Imagine students earning leadership skills the way gamers collect power-ups, tackling challenges, testing strategies, and earning badges that reflect real growth.
The Inspire Citizens micro-credential program is built around 15 customizable badges, organized into three certificates, each reflecting a vital aspect of global citizenship and student agency. This structure balances flexibility and rigor, allowing students to choose skills most relevant to their leadership projects while progressing through scaffolded levels of mastery.
“Every school has student-led programs,” says co-founder Aaron Moniz, “but there is a critical need for programming that empowers student leaders to lead successfully.”
Three Pathways for School Engagement
The program adapts to diverse school contexts, evolving over time:
Self-Directed: Schools use digital resources independently to guide student learning.
Co-Facilitated: Inspire Citizens supports initial sessions while teachers lead ongoing work.
Coaching Model: Inspire Citizens coaches student leaders directly, personalizing support for each context.
“Flexibility is key,” says partnership specialist Sophie Peccaud. “In the first year, we facilitate; by year two, teachers lead; by year three, students are fully self-directed.”
From Concept to Classroom: Real-World Implementation
Schools across the globe are already piloting micro-credentials with remarkable results:
American International School of Riyadh: Grades 3–8 students are experimenting with leadership skills and reflecting on impact.
International School of Kuala Lumpur: Micro-credentials are embedded within the LMS, teacher-led.
Singapore American School: Piloting a coaching model for student leaders.
International School of Bangkok: Students fully run the program, training the next cohort of leaders.
Students engage in reflective practices, collaborative planning, and real-world testing of leadership strategies. Platforms like Padlet are used to document growth, showcase impact, and collect feedback.
“Finding Your Why is my favorite badge,” Sophie notes. “It links service to passion, helping students uncover the issues they want to address before jumping to solutions.”
Connecting to AMISA’s Educator Workshops
This micro-credential program builds directly on the principles explored in the AMISA series Empowering Global Student Leaders, which equipped educators with:
Tools to map student talents to local or global issues
Strategies to foster inclusive, student-centered leadership
Methods for designing sustainable, impact-driven projects aligned with SDGs
Educators, even if they did not join our previous workshops, can guide students through micro-credentials, supporting personalized growth, community engagement, and measurable leadership outcomes.
Why This Matters: Collective Empowerment
The ultimate goal is simple but profound: equip students to lead for impact.
“If we want a future that is equitable, just, sustainable, and joyful, we need leaders to help shape it,” explains Scott Jamieson, co-director of Inspire Citizens. “This is why micro-credentials matter.”
The program allows students who may not excel in traditional academics but who have the drive and heart to lead change to gain recognition, structure, and skills to make meaningful contributions in their communities.
Next Steps for Schools and Educators
Educators interested in integrating micro-credentials can explore the program at Inspire Citizens Micro-Credentials. Schools can choose the engagement pathway that fits their context and scale student leadership initiatives sustainably.
By continuing the journey started in AMISA’s workshops, schools can transform student agency into real-world impact, fostering global citizenship while providing students with the tools to lead with empathy, purpose, and confidence.
About the Author:
Sophie Peccaud is the Head of Partnerships at Inspire Citizens. This blog post was adapted from the original article written by Brian Lavender. You can reach out to Sophie at sophie@inspirecitizens.org.
