Why Listening, Imagination and Courage Matter More Than Ever
Recently, I had the privilege of sitting in conversation with Dr. Siobhán Keenan Fitzgerald - educator, author, and passionate advocate for young people finding and using their voices. Our discussion explored something deeply important for the world we are shaping together: when children and young people are encouraged to speak, to imagine, and to be heard, they don’t just grow in confidence, they grow into changemakers.
At the heart of Siobhán’s work is a simple yet powerful belief: every young person has something valuable to say, and when we truly listen, we help them discover who they are becoming.
The Power of Being Heard
Many young people move through life feeling that their ideas are too small, their thoughts not fully formed, or their voices not important enough. Yet the opposite is true. A young person’s voice carries creativity, honesty, curiosity, and possibility. It carries fresh perspectives that the world needs.
Through her LET’s Stand Public Speaking Programme for children and teenagers aged 5–18, Siobhán creates spaces where young people can discover their voice, develop confidence, and share their stories. Her vision is to empower students from all backgrounds to become changemakers and the best version of themselves.
When children learn to express themselves clearly and courageously, they do more than communicate. They begin to trust themselves. They learn that their thoughts matter. They develop agency - the belief that they can shape their own lives and contribute to the world around them.
Listening: The Foundation of Empathy and Compassion
Encouraging young people to speak is only one part of the equation. The other, equally essential part, is learning how to listen.
Listening is not passive. It is an active, relational skill that helps young people develop empathy, compassion, and emotional intelligence. When children experience being deeply heard, they begin to offer that same presence to others.
Listening practices that nurture empathy include:
Listening without interrupting or correcting
Reflecting back what is heard so young people feel understood
Asking open, curious questions that invite deeper sharing
Noticing emotions behind the words
Creating safe, judgment-free spaces for expression
When young people learn to listen well, they recognise that every story matters, not just their own. They develop perspective, understanding, and kindness in communication.
Storytelling and Imagination: Where Possibility Begins
Before anything is created in the world, it is imagined in the mind. Imagination is the birthplace of innovation, resilience, and growth.
Storytelling helps young people:
make sense of their experiences
express emotions safely
explore identity and belonging
envision new futures
strengthen creative problem-solving
develop empathy by seeing through another’s eyes
Imaginative exploration is not simply play, it is preparation for life. When children imagine freely, they practise courage, creativity, and adaptability.
Siobhán’s upcoming children’s book series, Adventures in Coill Calm, beautifully reflects this understanding. Through empowering woodland adventures and wellbeing-focused storytelling, young readers are invited into a world where imagination and emotional growth walk hand in hand.
The Creativity Decline: What Research Is Showing
In recent decades, researchers have observed a concerning decline in creativity among young people. Long-term analysis of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking - widely used to measure creative potential - indicates that creativity scores began declining around the 1990s, with sharper drops after 2000.
Across many technologically advanced societies, similar concerns are emerging.
While technology offers enormous advantages, research suggests it may also be reshaping how children think and create:
Unstructured play time has significantly decreased
Rapid digital stimulation can shorten attention spans
Highly structured digital environments reduce open-ended exploration
Ready-made visual content replaces internal image creation
Young people consume more content than they create
Imagination is like a muscle, it strengthens with use. When it is underused, our ability to visualise possibilities - first in the mind, then in life can weaken.
Creativity is not optional. It is essential for innovation, adaptability, emotional resilience, and problem-solving in an ever-changing world.
The Role of Educators — And Every Caring Adult
Siobhán believes we are all educators in some way. Parents, teachers, mentors, relatives, and community members all play a role in shaping a young person’s sense of self and possibility.
Research consistently shows that one supportive adult can profoundly influence a young person’s confidence, resilience, and life trajectory.
Sometimes what changes a life is not a grand intervention, but a simple moment of belief:
Someone who listens
Someone who notices
Someone who encourages
Someone who says, “Your voice matters”
When young people feel seen and supported, they develop the courage to share their stories with the world.
A Journey of Finding One’s Own Voice
What makes Siobhán’s work especially meaningful is that her passion is deeply personal. As a quiet and shy child who experienced the loss of her mother at a young age, she could scarcely have imagined the path her life would take.
Her mother instilled in her a sense of purpose - a belief that she had something meaningful to contribute to the world. Today, through her teaching, writing, and speaking, Siobhán lives that purpose every day.
Her journey reminds us that voices often emerge through lived experience. Sometimes we find our voice early. Sometimes later. But when we do, it carries depth, wisdom, and a desire to support others.
I relate deeply to this. Finding my own voice later in life revealed to me that sharing our stories can help others feel less alone, more seen, and more hopeful. Every child and young person has value in the world. Their unique voice adds colour and texture to life, and their dreams and ideas may shape a better future for us all.
Nurturing the Changemakers of Tomorrow
Encouraging young people to speak, listen, and imagine is not just about personal development - it is about the future of humanity.
When children learn to express themselves, listen with empathy, and dream creatively, they develop the inner tools needed to lead, innovate, and care for others.
And sometimes, all it takes is one adult who truly listens… and one safe space where a young voice is invited to be heard.
Because when young people find their voice, they don’t just change their own lives.
They help change the world.
🎧 Listen to Our Podcast Conversation
If this topic resonates with you, I warmly invite you to listen to my full podcast conversation with Dr. Siobhán Keenan Fitzgerald, where we explore the power of young voices, the importance of listening, and how each of us can support the next generation of changemakers.