Traditional approaches to leadership development frequently draw on Eurocentric, patriarchal discourses located in frameworks aligned to adult learning that may not be culturally or contextually relevant, or fail to pay attention to the needs of young women leading within and beyond their school communities. This research engaged an alternative strength-based approach to leadership development, focusing on identifying young women's positive experiences of leadership within and beyond the school gates and seeking to amplify these across a range of contexts. The findings revealed the embodied nature of this strength-based, collaborative process and emphasized the importance of uncovering and validating experiences that young women bring to leadership learning. This research illustrated that viewing leadership through a framework that affirmed current practice contributed to enhanced confidence through the acknowledgment of positive leadership attributes, and provided a forum to discuss complex issues young women faced within their leadership contexts. This strength-based approach also highlighted the importance of supporting young women in their leadership learning. It was ideally positioned to draw attention to their lived leadership experiences, call upon their leadership strengths and 'raise consciousness' to the varied experiences and challenges young women meet within their schools and communities.