Thriving in a Digital World – Essential Skills for Teenagers

In today’s digital age, skills are key! Mr. Olubodun Akinyele, Founder of AYITI, took the students present at S.M.I.L.E’s annual Educational Outreach for public secondary schools, through essential digital skills to learn and equip themselves with to help them thrive in the evolving digital world.

He emphasized how digital tools and skills are taking over jobs and how the students can maximize them and stay relevant.

Your Future, Your Choice – Career Pathways

Choosing the right career is crucial! Mrs. Chinyere Tony-Eke, Group Head, Digital Banking, Globus Bank Ltd, guided students on how to align their skills and passion with career choices for a successful future during her insightful session at S.M.I.L.E’s annual Educational Outreach for public secondary school students held on Wednesday March 12, 2025.

She shared strategies to building a successful career leveraging her career story.

It was an interesting session as the students paid keen attention.

Unleashing Hidden Talents

As a youth development organization, we believe in creating opportunities for young people to shine.

Many young people have incredible potential but lack the platform to showcase them. That’s why we stepped in—to give the stage to a few talented youths to showcase their skills during our annual Educational Outreach for public secondary school students held on Wednesday March 12, 2025 at the Power House Auditorium in Gbagada Lagos.

For majority of them it was the very first time performing publicly! And guess what? They did AMAZING!

Kudos to

– Miss Precious Christopher, a 2025 mentee on S.M.I.L.E’s Executive Mentoring Program for Youth who took the opening remarks confidently and also co-moderated the event excellently.

– Miss Abosede Akinyemi and Miss Mary Olanipekun, both 2025 Change Champion on S.M.I.L.E’s Young Leaders Mentoring Program, who beautifully rendered the National Anthem

– Miss Motunrayo Dossa, a 2025 Change Champion on S.M.I.L.E’s Young Leaders Mentoring Program, who captivated us with a soul-stirring song titled Education is My Legacy

– S.M.I.L.E Change Champions and Mentees from Lanre Awolokun High School and Gbagada Senior Grammar School for an educative drama on the Excellence Factor—showcasing the power of diligence and hard work!

This is just the beginning of something great, and we are honored to be part of their journey.

The journey of leadership is not just about learning—it’s about applying that knowledge to create real impact!

After 4 weeks of intensive training and 7 weeks of hands-on fieldwork and peer mentoring sessions, we are excited to assess the depth of understanding and practical application of the lessons learned by our Change Champions and their mentees.

On the 19th and 20th of March 2025, 40 Change Champions and their 156 mentees across 8 Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State took their end-of-training exams, covering all modules. This critical assessment allowed us to evaluate how well they have grasped key leadership principles and skills, preparing them to take bold steps as young transformational leaders who will drive positive change in their schools and communities.

We are thrilled to witness their growth and leadership journey!

With technology evolving rapidly, digital literacy has become more crucial than ever.

Unfortunately, the digital divide and the inability of the youth demographic we serve to afford essential tools and devices remains a major setback and cause for concern.

During Module 4 of the Young Leaders Mentoring Program (YLMP), the Change Champions took a deep dive into the world of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)under the expert guidance of Mr. Jesse Okpara, CEO Mobitranes Technologies.

Through this insightful session, they gained hands-on knowledge in:

General computer appreciation

Basic use of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Electronic mail (Email)

Navigating the internet and academic tools

Mr. Okpara emphasized the importance of becoming tech-savvy, warning that those who fail to adapt may risk being left behind. He encouraged the Change Champions to leverage digital tools for positive impact while avoiding misuse.

Additionally, he shed light on the benefits of acquiring basic, intermediate, and advanced computer skills and explored various career opportunities in the digital space.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Jesse Okpara for enlightening our young leaders about essential digital skills, bridging the digital divide, and paving the way for a more connected future!

S.M.I.L.E… Building a better world by raising a new generation of leaders

Social media is a powerful tool for connectivity, but it’s a double-edged sword. While it offers countless opportunities, it also comes with challenges—making digital literacy and responsible usage essential. This was the focus of our Social Media Management session.

A special appreciation to Miss Alimot Uthman, a Youth Mentor at S.M.I.L.E, who delivered an enlightening session on the positive use of social media. Her insightful presentation shed light on building an impactful online presence, engaging effectively, and leveraging quality content to grow a business or personal brand.

During the session, she guided the Change Champions through the practical steps of creating a professional social media presence. Those without email accounts even had the opportunity to set one up for the first time!

Using a PowerPoint presentation, she highlighted key attributes of a professional social media profile, including:

A professional headshot

Name and designation

Location and contact details

And more!

We sincerely appreciate Miss Alimot Uthman for her valuable insights and for empowering the next generation with the skills to navigate social media effectively!

S.M.I.L.E… Building a better world by raising a new generation of leaders

Personal branding goes beyond logos and titles—it’s about what you truly stand for and the impression you leave on others.

During the fourth module of the 2025 YLMP, we had the privilege of having Mr. Idorenyen Enang, CEO of Corporate Shepherds Limited and a trustee at S.M.I.L.E, a renowned marketing and branding expert. His engaging and insightful session inspired participants to discover their core values and craft their unique narratives. He emphasized that personal branding is a reflection of who you are, encouraging the Change Champions to develop a brand that leaves a lasting, positive impact.

*Key Takeaways from Mr. Enang’s Session:*

Stand out from the crowd – Become the first and preferred choice among your peers.

Be memorable – Differentiate yourself from competitors.

Create an emotional connection – Engage with customers, clients, and followers to build loyalty.

Build credibility and trust – Protect your name and align your actions with your brand to establish authenticity.

A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Enang for guiding our Change Champions on this transformative journey toward authentic self-expression and impactful personal branding.

S.M.I.L.E… Building a better world by raising a new generation of leaders

What is your ideal world?

Mrs. Ajibola Babalola, a Social Entrepreneur, S.M.I.L.E Youth Mentor, and Founder of Radiance Niche, began her session on “The World We Want” by asking the Change Champions to visualize the world they desire. Their responses reflected their true spirit as emerging change-makers.

During the discussion, Mrs. Babalola provided a brief history of the world after World War II (1939-1945), explaining how it led to the formation of the United Nations and the eventual creation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She defined the SDGs and grouped the 17 goals into the 5Ps for better understanding:

People

Prosperity

Planet

Peace

Partnership

She left the Change Champions with a powerful SDG dictum: “A world where no one is left behind,” inspiring them to actively contribute to achieving the global goals. She then led a practical session where the Change Champions shared specific areas they would focus on to support the achievement of the SDGs.

The final session of Module 3 delved into “Academic Excellence,” an engaging and insightful lesson facilitated by Mrs. Babalola who happens to be a first class graduate. Using a practical approach, she guided the Change Champions on strategies for academic success, emphasizing the importance of resilience in the face of setbacks.

She reminded them that academic excellence is intentional, not accidental, and shared a simple yet impactful formula:

A – Accept the uniqueness of your learning style.

B – Be passionate about academic excellence.

C – Courageously set and achieve your academic goals.

It was a truly enriching session! A heartfelt thank you to Mrs. Ajibola Babalola for her inspiring words and invaluable insights.

On February 1, 2025, our 40 Change Champions gathered for an impactful Module 3 session of the YLMP, guided by the President of S.M.I.L.E, Mrs. Bimpe Bamgbose-Martins(BBM). Her session focused on three key areas:

Mentoring: BBM emphasized the importance of mentoring as a developmental relationship between experienced and less experienced individuals. She highlighted that mentoring is not about cloning and stressed the need for the Change Champions to select mentors who possess the knowledge, skills, and values they aspire to develop.

She shared Isaac Newton’s quote, “I have seen farther than others, it is because I was standing on the shoulder of giants,” to illustrate the power of mentorship.

Public Speaking and Presentation Skills: BBM shared key tips for effective public speaking, including the “DOs and DON’Ts,” while emphasizing the importance of knowing your audience, material, and venue, as well as having a strong opening, clear message, and impactful closing.

Through engaging videos and a practical session where the Change Champions applied what they learned, she equipped them with various speaking techniques.

Handling Peer Pressure: BBM addressed the dangers of yielding to peer pressure and provided practical strategies for navigating it.

The session was impactful, leaving the Change Champions empowered with enhanced skills and greater confidence.

A huge thank you to Mrs. Bimpe Bamgbose-Martins for her invaluable contribution.