youth

Because of unacceptable gaps that exist between the majority population and Roma in a number of domains (e.g., housing, health, education, and employment), the issue of Roma integration presents one of the greatest challenges... It appears that the only way out from the vicious circle of poverty, unemployment, dependence on the welfare system, and alcohol and drug addiction is through integration, non-discrimination, and education.

The UN’s International Year of Youth reminds all of us in the development community of the value of youth contributions to a vibrant civil society, to good policy development, and to bringing our world closer together.  In addition, the Year reminds us that youth also will be the entrepreneurs for tomorrow; their creativity, with our help, must assure employment for a large percentage of the world’s population.

I’ve worked on civil society development for almost twenty years now.  So I’ve seen my fill of inspirational project acronyms and transformative methodologies - each one more synergistic and sustainable than the next:  community mobilization, citizen participation, and other grassroots approaches to civil society capacity building. These are methodologies that frame the work of international NGOs like IREX around the world. And don’t misunderstand my lighthearted sarcasm, I believe in these concepts quite deeply and have dedicated myself to them passionately.  

As the youth population continues to grow in countries throughout the developing world, I have been thinking about what role this burgeoning group will play in conflict and post-conflict environments. It is an oft-cited truism that peace must begin with the youth because they are more open-minded than the older generation, have tremendous energy and enthusiasm, and represent the future of their countries.

I have been managing IREX’s Tech Age Girls (TAG) project for several years and the transformation that happens in the participants in the short period of 5-6 month continues to inspire me. TAG is a unique project because it uses technology as a means of developing leadership, sense of volunteerism, and confidence in high school girls.

Youth were marginalized for years in the Arab countries. Considered a source of instability, they were ignored by governments and excluded from the decision-making processes that affected their lives. But something has happened in the last year. Aware that if they don’t initiate change themselves for a better future, then no one will, they took the lead in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Yemen, Morocco, and other Arab states. But it seems that revolutions are the easiest part. The transitional period and the establishment of a sustainable democracy is another tremendous challenge for youth. The regime collapsed … and so what?

In parts of Russia, a lack of social and employment opportunities can lead to self-destructive behavior. An independent evaluation found that one of IREX's programs helps youth build leadership skills and engage with their communities.

As a volunteer in Russia, I was frequently asked to speak to youth and educators about community service in the United States. Preparing for these presentations, I reflected on the well-accepted culture of “pitching in” within the US and on the recognized value of service in helping young people develop confidence, a sense of responsibility, practical skills, and a greater awareness of social issues.

The extraordinary power of youth to change their own worlds and the world around them strikes me anew every day.I see this power manifest in diverse forms and settings – from the Russian program participant who created a break-dancing school to engage at-risk youth in her small town, to the two teenagers from MetroTeenAIDS who, last week, addressed more than 70 international development professionals about their role in educating thousands of other youth in Washington, DC, about STDs and HIV testing.

The smile, stickers and Halloween candy I’d brought as a USRVI volunteer weren’t enough. Sasha needed much more than I could give in just one hour, and I had no idea where to start. At 15, he had run away from the orphanage to go home—many children in Russian state institutions have at least one living parent—and found things there in a state of chaos. Orphanage staff heard he was begging on the local electrichka train, found him and brought him back.