When you first hear the term Youth, the first thing that comes in our mind is the energetic group of society who always wants positive change in their own family, community, society and overall development of the country. The youth is known as the backbone of the country.
Constituting over 1.8 billion person around the world, young people are key agents of change with the potential to push the world towards a better tomorrow. Young people are a massive cohort, which have an immense potential to benefit their societies socially, politically and economically.
Young people are often considered to represent the future as they bring new ideas and energy to add to the pool of knowledge that currently exists. Young people have the ideas, creativity and great energy to shape a better world. Young people are full of hope and through innovation and imagination, they are problem solvers and have a great potential to generate a positive social change in the world. They want to change the world, they are usually aware of relevant issues that affect society and the world. Young people are in continuous search for the transcendence that generates the desire of helping the environment, communities, and countries.
Youth engagement is a central principle of youth development. According to the ecological perspective of human development, young people are agents of their own development. Youth are more than passive recipients of external influences; instead, they are actively involved in shaping their development by interacting with the people and opportunities made available within their environment.
Through youth engagement, communities can do a better job of creating the services, opportunities, and supports that young people need to develop in healthy ways. Youth engagement offers community leaders the expertise and partnership of young people, helping adults fully understand what it is like to grow up in a rapidly changing world.
There is increasing awareness of the great potential and necessity of working with young people around the world. Social workers widely recognize that youth engagement is a vital way of connecting with youth. The meaningful engagement of youth by social service organizations that provide them with services and the provision of opportunities to participate in decisions that impact on their lives can have positive implications for youth development and the transition into adulthood.
Similarly, providing opportunities for youth to connect to issues that are outside of the ‘self” helps to foster active citizens who contribute to society, in general, and to their local communities, in particular. Youth education represents one of the most effective tools to combat the destructive potentials of global challenges and cultivate an international understanding among members of the next generation – it is a long term process that will impact an infinite number of future generations. If we unleash the power of young people to change our world, every generation will benefit.
Youth should, therefore, be given a chance to take an active part in decision making at local, national and global levels. They can actively support initiatives that will led to far-reaching legislation.
- SwikritiKhadka
