Happy International Youth Day!

All too soon the United Nations (UN) proclaimed International Year of Youth (IYY) will phase out after August 12, 2011. I think IYY was a laudable idea by the United Nations towards highlighting the challenges and opportunities surrounding youth development through "dialogue and mutual understanding."

For most youth development activists, I think August 12, 2011, which marks International Youth Day, and the few days after should mark another time of stock-taking. As a young person myself, I am interested in knowing how much various institutions, governments, and local communities increased their level of commitment and investment in youth. Did we witness any increased youth participation and partnerships? Last but not least, were we able to increase the level of intercultural understanding among youth?

Though IYY will end after today, the daily challenges of young people are yet to end. Here are my recommendations for the future of promoting youth development:

• Moving past tokenism and recognizing youth as partners in development:  Often when youth are invited to meetings, conferences, or to give input on policies and programs, their ideas are not considered central to the final outcomes of the event. This is simply because it is gradually becoming phenomenal and politically correct to have youth representative at such events. As my colleague David Woollcombe of Peace Child International tells me in the lead up to Rio +20, if we want to achieve meaningful youth development, there is a need to harness the idealism of youth through co-management and to “put youth at the heart of development."

Development agencies and government institutions can integrate young people into their organization’s work through staffing, board membership, and other institutional leadership opportunities that promote youth leadership and sustainable actions. Youth Advisory Panels and Special Youth Program fellowships like that of the UNFPA are good examples. However, it is important to ensure that this is both at the global level and also at the country level of such organizations.

From my previous experience as a youth leader, I have come to realize that no one can explain the needs of young people better than young people themselves.

• Bridge the digital divide and ensure full inclusion:  Though the world has become more connected than ever through ICT and the almost ubiquitous Facebook and Twitter society, we must not forget that millions of people still remain disconnected.  There is a need to ensure the full inclusion of young people who are located in hard-to-reach locations in the development dialogue. This will bridge the gap between the real needs of young people in rural and urban areas.

• Provide core funding:  youth-led organizations face extreme difficulty securing funds to meet their operating costs, including the funds necessary to run an office, compensate staff, and cover other overhead expenses. Sustainable youth leadership requires having young people in paid staff positions or volunteers to manage projects and for internal capacity building of youth organizations. Providing long term funding can produce sustainable and meaningful results too.

The theme for this year’s IYD is “Change Your World."  In retrospect of the IYY, do you think your community or country increased its level of commitment and investment in youth? Did we witness any increased youth participation and partnerships? Have we been able to increase the level of intercultural understanding among youth?All too soon the United Nations (UN) proclaimed International Year of Youth (IYY) will phase out after August 12, 2011. I think IYY was a laudable idea by the United Nations towards highlighting the challenges and opportunities surrounding youth development through "dialogue and mutual understanding."

For most youth development activists, I think August 12, 2011, which marks International Youth Day, and the few days after should mark another time of stock-taking. As a young person myself, I am interested in knowing how much various institutions, governments, and local communities increased their level of commitment and investment in youth. Did we witness any increased youth participation and partnerships? Last but not least, were we able to increase the level of intercultural understanding among youth?