The longer I live in Russia, the more I see similarities with the United States. Then there are moments where I am reminded of the tremendous differences. One of these moments happened last week while I was attending a youth government training in Kotovsk, a town of about 27,000 people in Tambov, one of the more conservative regions of Russia. The training was part of the USAID-funded Youth Development Competencies Program (YDCP) [13], which in its fourth year is working to empower youth and effect change in youth policy in three Russian regions, including Tambov.
The 20 youth, between the ages of 16 and 26, who attended the training were surprised to learn that it was possible for them to be involved in the decision making process about events and policy that affect them. It was obvious that the young people had never even been exposed to the idea of a youth parliament, advisory councils or any sort of body where they could express their opinions or lobby for their own interests—the thought had never even crossed their minds! Even the participants who claimed to be the most active at their university acknowledged that they helped with whatever their adult advisor suggested, rather than suggesting ideas themselves.
While observing the training I couldn’t help but reflect on the differences between my experiences and those of the participants’. I grew up in a town not much bigger than Kotovsk in rural America, but was taught that my voice was important and that I could influence decisions from a young age by either participating in student council or on a larger scale by writing letters to my congressmen or volunteering for political campaigns. And I had the opportunity to be active in student government at college and volunteer during elections.
The young people’s excitement and enthusiasm was evident at the training, so I am hopeful that even if a formal structure for youth government isn’t introduced in Kotovsk, the students will be more proactive and confident in expressing their opinions. Their excitement and potential show why programs such as YDCP, as well as IREX’s approach, are so important and can truly have an impact on Russia’s future.