251. Positive Youth Development with Maggie Middleton of Amachi Lexington

In this episode, Zachary Garza sits down with Maggie Middleton, a passionate advocate for youth mentoring, to explore the life-changing power of guiding the next generation. Together, they dive into Maggie's personal journey in mentoring and discuss the transformative concept of Positive Youth Development (PYD), which focuses on building strengths rather than highlighting challenges.

Maggie shares her belief that every young person is a "child of promise" and that mentors have the unique ability to see and nurture that potential. With a deep connection to faith and the inherent worth of every individual, Maggie and Zachary explore how mentoring can shape young lives, creating pathways for growth, resilience, and success.

They also unpack key concepts that can empower mentors to make a lasting impact, including the Big Three in youth development, the Five C's of positive growth, and the 40 developmental assets that contribute to a young person's thriving future.

If you're a mentor, educator, or someone passionate about empowering youth, this conversation will remind you of the importance of focusing on the positive, fostering meaningful relationships, and encouraging young people to dream big. Join us for a conversation about grace, strength, and the extraordinary potential of our youth.

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Maggie Middleton has worked for Amachi Lexington (an initiative of the Lexington Leadership Foundation), a one-on-one community-based mentoring program serving youth impacted by parental incarceration since 2010, where she is currently the program director. She also serves as a regional coach for the Leadership Foundations youth mentoring network, where she gets to encourage and serve several mentoring programs nationwide. She loves to advocate for the power of youth mentoring in communities and is passionate about connecting positive adults with the incredible young people in her program. In addition to directing Amachi, she has served as an Amachi mentor for several young women. Maggie has an M.A. In Christian Ministries from Asbury Theological Seminary and is working on her M.S. in Youth Development Leadership from Clemson University. In her tiny bit of spare time, she loves to travel, read, kayak, and participate in 5k's.

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00:00: Introduction to Mentoring and Maggie's Journey

09:12: Understanding Positive Youth Development (PYD)

14:49: Empowering Young People Through Mentoring

24:21: The Connection Between PYD and Faith
28:06: The Power of Grace in Mentoring

30:24: Conversations Shape Growth

32:17: The Importance of Positive Messaging

34:27: The Big Three in Youth Development

42:18: Understanding the Five C's

48:11: Exploring the 40 Assets for Youth