Esteem needs have two components, both of which matter. Self-esteem: the internal sense of competence, achievement, and adequacy — the feeling that you are good at things and can accomplish what you set out to do. Esteem from others: recognition, respect, and status — the experience of being valued and seen by people whose opinion matters to you. Both are strong motivators. For designers of youth programmes and educational experiences, this has specific implications. Young people in their teens and twenties are often primarily motivated by esteem needs — by the desire to be competent, recognised, and respected. Programmes that give them visible evidence of their own capability, that confer recognition from peers and adults whose opinion they value, and that provide legitimate status within a community they care about are accessing the dominant motivational level for their age group.