on our level
Terenure College TY Student Mathew , chairperson of “ Leaders on our Level ”
probably include people like Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma because I think she really had no concern for herself about what would happen to her when she spoke out for what she believes in and she really did suffer through persecution for it . Despite that we also have people like Michelle Obama who go above and beyond the call of what ' s expected . As First Lady you don ' t have to do too much but you ' re under a lot of scrutiny so it ' s easier to stand back but she really took a leading role and really got involved anyway .
RS - Very true . So what do you think is the greatest challenge to young people in today ' s society and how might we resolve it ?
MP - I think the greatest challenge today is how the world perceives young people . I think we ' re seen as apathetic and lazy so I really think that how we ' re gonna overcome this challenge is to show them that we ' re more than what people think of us . I think conferences like this help give young people the confidence to go and do that .
RS - What in your opinion is the greatest thing you ' ve gotten from transition year so far ?
MP - So far transition year has given me chances to do things like this and go to career days and stuff like that to help me find what my passions are and how I want to pursue them . If you were to ask me at the end of third year what I ' d have wanted to be I ' d have no clue ! There ' s so many ideas I really can ' t pin it down to one so I really think transition year has helped me figure out where I want to be in a few years ’ time .
RS - What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses and how do you utilise these in leadership situations ?
MP - I think my main strength would probably be my commitment . I find when I ' m really involved in a project that I get very into it , do the work and I ' ll work as hard as I possibly can and do as good a job as I possibly can . Unfortunately I ' d say my weakness is that sometimes I have a tendency to micromanage teams which can really get in the way of progress on a project but I manage that
TY UPDATE MARCH 2017
weakness by trusting the people I have around me and if you put together a support network of people you really do trust and are good at what they do then you don ' t have to worry too much about telling them what they have to do and giving them directions .
RS - Is there anything you ' d like to say to students reading this ?
MP - Yeah I think conferences like this are a great idea to show people examples of leadership and how they can become leaders in society and should anybody else want to make a similar conference with a similar message I ’ d have great support for that .
RS - Thanks a million Matthew and we look forward to seeing what the future might bring for you and your classmates .
Reece Sheridan is TYI Ambassador for 2016 / 17 Find him on : @ Rhysher101 rhys . sheridan . 101 @ gmail . com www . tyireland . com FOR EVERYTHING TY