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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Katherine Purvis

#YouthEngage: insights from a global 24-hour tweetathon

gdpn youthengage
Youth activists from 24 countries all around the world took part in a 24-hour tweetathon Photograph: The Guardian


On October 24, young people and youth advocates hosted twitter chats as part of a global tweetathon on youth engagement – 24 hours, 24 countries and 24 discussions.

Francis Bobongie and Niumai Kovoa, Fiji

Our global tweetathon kicked off in Fiji where the need to educate all young people, who make up a high percentage of the population in the Pacific, was highlighted:

Issues around internet governance were also discussed. One tweeter urged youth to engage in discussions calling for a transparent and inclusive worldwide web:

Stephen Yan and Catherine Church, Australia

In Australia, young people discussed the barriers to political and public engagement, particularly the legitimisation of youth voices:

Participants suggested establishing connections with other organisations. “With plenty of youth groups fighting for a voice, they need to connect with the right partners and institutions to create long-term relationships, which can serve as avenues for action,” says Stephen Yan.

Lyn Garcia and Nash Tysmans, Philippines

Social media is one of the most available and powerful platforms for the Filipino youth but “engaging young people is more than just internet access”, said one tweet from the Philippines. Others pointed out that communication isn’t a one-way street:

Another tweeter pointed out the influential role of parents, as well as school, in encouraging youth engagement:

Khrisnaresa Adytia, Indonesia

The discussion in Indonesia was around how young people can be informed about local and national politics, and pointed out that the government should also be listening to them:

Shrey Goyal and Saket Mani, India

In India, the role of media was cited as a key way to engage the youth:

The possibility of a National Youth Council was also discussed:

Mohammad Farooq and Mehreen Omer, Pakistan and Afghanistan

Education formed a large part of the debate in Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly the lack of government spending and variation in teaching.

“Free thinking has to be promoted,” says Mohammad Farooq. “Focus should be on developing the creativity and innovative skills of these youth to engage in something worthwhile.”

Kate Trofimova, Oleg Kucheryavenko and Victoria Stetsko, Russia

How the youth can help curb extreme inequality, specifically for women and rural communities, was the topic for the debate in Russia.

“It was encouraging to see fellow young experts and activists so hungry for answers on how to make youth voices against inequality and exclusion heard,” says Oleg Kucheryavenko. “We acknowledged the importance of having a space for young people to come together and speak out.”

Ariel Rubin and Fatma Hacioglu, Turkey

Issues of security, freedom, human rights, and political engagement all came up in Turkey but according to Ariel Rubin, the main theme was passion. “Young Turkish men and women are some of the most engaged I’ve ever seen. They aren’t afraid to speak their minds,” he says. The last tweet from @ornibara summed up the fervor of a country where the median age is 30 and the youth demographic is growing fast: “I am the youth,” she tweeted, “and this is my policy!”

Daria Bielinska, Ukraine

Following the the events of last winter, the relationship between young people and the government dominated the conversation from Ukraine:

The role of young people in elections, the transparency of government and governmental support of youth were all discussed, but it was agreed that young Ukranians are ready for change:

Sotiris Baratsas and Maria Kotari, Greece

The economic and democratic turmoil of recent years framed much of the discussion in Greece. The democratic deficit and lack of autonomy for young people was highlighted:

The lure of extremist views for desperate young people was also raised:

Layne Robinson, Minna Salami and June Eric-Udorie, UK

In the UK, frustration were expressed over the lack of efforts to end inequality:

Young Britons were concerned about the scarcity of job opportunities for young people, and felt disempowered by politicians:

Zineb Belmkaddem and Jean-Patrick Ehouman, Morocco

The “rampant” unemployment kicked off the debate in Morocco, with people suggesting that career advice and more internships could improve the situation:

Better governance and transparency was suggested as a way to re-engage young people who have lost faith in politics and politicians:

Boniface Mwangi and Ruth Aine, Uganda

In Uganda and Kenya, young people were inspired to play a part in growth at a local, national and regional level:

Building a a future that finds the balance between parental duty, societal contribution and passion was also discussed. “There needs to be a connection between what parents want for their children, what our countries need and what the young people are passionate about,” says Boniface Mwangi.

Marlon Parker and Lulu Haangala, South Africa

For young people in South Africa, youth engagement is about empowerment and leadership development. Many of the youth believed that their voices are not being heard and there is a lack of guidance from leaders:

There were also demands that the government prioritise job creation:

Fabiola Ortiz Rio and Marina Ribiero, Brazil

The engagement of young people in slum areas and other disadvantaged regions was highlighted in the Brazil chat. “In our country, we need to reduce state violence against citizens,” says Marina Ribiero. “Instead of public policies for the inclusion of young people, such as ensuring access to education and the protection of women and their children, the state governments act very violently.”

Ilana Milkes and Vanessa Siliezar, Venezuela

A central theme of the chat in Venezuela was frustrations at the lack of investment in building “future leaders”:

Tweeters also called for more action, not just words, with mentorships, internships, programmes, and youth panels:

Emmanuel Asomba, Canada

The debate in Canada said that more community-level projects would engage the youth:

Malaika Brooks-Smith-Lowe, KizzyAnn Abraham and Safiya Sawney, Grenada

From Grenada, we gained insights into the current state of education, including the need for government scholarships to meet the economic needs of the country.

Denise Dunning and Kavelle Christie, USA

The final hour of the tweetathon discussed the themes of inclusivity, shared power and decision-making. The consensus that social media is a powerful platform for youth engagement:


And finally, thanks to our hosts from around the world.

Here are the pictures they sent during the tweetathon:

Read more stories like this:

• Top tweeters on youth empowerment in Africa

• Fighting for change: better from the boardroom or the street?

• ‘Youth unemployment is being fuelled by an education crisis’

• Advertisement feature: Global youth employment: hope in a bleak landscape

Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow @GuardianGDP on Twitter.

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