Молодежное политическое лидерство в институциональном измерении: среда формирования и особенности развития

Abstract

Youth political leadership at the present stage is an emerging social and political phenomenon. Leaders who begin to acquire
professional competencies and experience in the sphere of youth policy subsequently continue their careers in public policy and
public administration. This article presents the results of a study of the shaping environment and development features of youth
political leadership in modern Russia. The research methodology is based on an institutional approach. In the course of the study,
the concepts of institute and institutional environment concepts are considered, an institutional analysis of the environment
of formation of youth political leaders existing in our country is carried out, a pool of youth policy institutions is formed, their
typologization is implemented. The proposed typology is based on a complex criterion that includes the essence, functions,
structural and organizational characteristics of the considered institutions. The study indicates that the institutional environment
of Russian youth policy is heterogeneous, the qualitative and quantitative differences between youth policy institutions in modern
Russia are essential, the development of these institutions is uneven. Besides, the study reveals that effectiveness of youth
leadership potential development in the space of youth policy is largely determined by the content and organizational specifics
of youth policy institutions’ activities, the quality of relations in youth organizations, the characteristics of the projects, programs
and events implemented by them. Through such activities, young people acquire leadership qualities and supra-professional
competencies, expand their social capital, become youth leaders, thereby gaining legitimacy to be professionally integrated into
the political sphere and thus becoming youth political leaders.