A Co-founder of Nyansapo Concepts, Margareth Duroseau, has called for a radical shift in youth development strategies, emphasising the need for practical skills and social preparedness alongside academic excellence.
She has also advocated that a stronger focus on soft skills, as many young people are academically qualified but lack soft skills like communication, adaptability and emotional intelligence.
At a youth mentorship session, Ms Duroseau said her outfit was committed to helping in that regard by training young people with the social and professional maturity required in today’s dynamic workplace.
“Our goal is to fill that gap through mentorship and experiential learning,” she said.
Event
The mentorship session, organised by the St. Gregory the Great Catholic Chaplaincy Univeristy of Professional Studies, Accra in collaboration with the Nyansapo Concepts – Think Out of the Box , was on the theme: “Societal Trainings, Workplace Integration, and Intercultural Dialogue.
Participants at the event
It brought together 100 young Catholic intellectuals at the University of Professional Studies for an in-depth exploration of the invisible forces shaping values, behaviour, and leadership in society.
The interactive sessions aimed to move beyond traditional lectures, using real-life scenarios and immersive interactions to provoke self-reflection and growth.
The workshop provided a rare opportunity for Catholic intellectuals to reflect critically on how culture, media and education influence expectations in academic, workplace and intercultural settings.
Exposure
Ms Duroseau advocated broader exposure programmes, saying, “Education happens not just in classrooms, but in relationships, diversity and real-life contexts”.
She underscored the importance of reshaping training approaches to match the realities of the 21st-century job market.
“Customer service, leadership, time management—these are not just corporate buzzwords. They are life skills that must be taught, experienced and internalised,” she added.
She expressed the hope of expanding beyond the country to reach young people across the continent.
“Africa has a young and vibrant population full of potential. If we can teach our youth to think outside the box and give them tools to turn their ideas into action, there’s no limit to what they can achieve,” she added.
Personal Growth
Another facilitator, Nana Degaul, urged young people to take charge of their lives and shift their mindsets towards long-term, self-sustaining growth.
“As young Africans, it’s crucial for us to develop both the ability to grow and the resilience to adapt,” he said.
He stressed the need to rethink the role of mentorship, saying, “Many young people expect their mentors to propel them forward. But that expectation leads to stagnation.”
Mr Degaul urged the youth to embrace challenges, saying, “Challenges are signs that you’re on the right path. When they come, don’t freeze. Break your big goal into smaller steps and keep moving.”
Rather than promoting quick fixes or external validation, Mr Degaul championed personal accountability and strategic thinking as the cornerstones of success.
Intellectual strengths
A facilitator, Mark Wallis, also urged young people to reframe their views on conflict and diversity, emphasising that intercultural differences should be seen as assets rather than obstacles.
His session focused on overcoming conflict and stress in intercultural settings, a challenge many young professionals face in an increasingly globalised workplace.
